Motherwell were left to rue missed opportunities as clinical Hearts plundered three precious points from Fir Park this afternoon.
The Edinburgh giants moved third in the Premiership table as a result, which was a position Motherwell were also offered before kick-off.
Goals from Lawrence Shankland and an Alan Forrest double had the Jambos home and dry, but this wasn't a game that Motherwell were completely out of.
The hosts had their chances during the first half, with Paul McGinn blasting over when he should have scored, and Kevin van Veen doing the same, shortly before the interval.
Motherwell hit the post twice in quick succession through Blair Spittal and Paul McGinn, before Hearts wrapped up the points with a delightful curling effort from Alan Forrest five minutes after the break.
Shankland had given Hearts the lead in 18 minutes with a goal that was pretty much out of nothing. A long ball upfield caught Ricki Lamie out and he headed it straight into the striker's path, who buried the rebound after Liam Kelly had done well to block his half-volley.
Similarly, Motherwell looked to have started the second half the brighter of the sides, but a Shankland lay-off let Forrest curl a low shot into the bottom left corner in 50 minutes, and that looked like three points wrapped up.
The hosts had the ball in the net through Kevin van Veen, only to fall foul of a tight offside flag, and smacked the crossbar through Matt Penney late on.
But Forrest added his second and Hearts' third of the game in the final minute to put the result absolutely beyond doubt.
Motherwell boss Stevie Hammell made one changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Dundee United here a fortnight ago, with Barry Maguire coming in for Callum Slattery.
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson made three alterations to his line-up from the 2-0 win over RFS in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening. New signing Orestis Kiomourtzoglou, Alan Forrest and Lewis Neilson came in for Craig Halkett, Jorge Grant and Josh Ginnelly.
Motherwell started brightly and nearly opened the scoring in four minutes, but Ross Tierney sent his low effort inches wide of the left post.
Hearts created a good move two minutes later, with Andy Halliday slipping Shankland through, but some great defending by Ricki Lamie cleared the danger.
Shankland tried his luck again in 10 minutes but saw his shot deflected wide of the left post with Liam Kelly stranded, but Barrie McKay's corner came to nothing.
There wasn't much between the teams but Hearts took the lead in 18 minutes when a hopeful ball upfield caught Lamie out and he played it straight to Shankland.
His first effort was well parried by Kelly, who could do nothing as the former Dundee United striker buried the rebound.
The visitors had a chance to double their lead in 21 minutes when a long ball forward released Alan Forrest, but while he controlled well, the former Livingston star was always stretching and couldn't make enough contact to trouble Kelly.
Blair Spittal went on a run down the left in 24 minutes and cut in to create space for himself, but sliced his shot wide of the right post corner.
Joe Efford had a crack at goal two minutes later, but it was straight at Craig Gordon.
The American was forced off through injury on the half-hour, with Rolando Aarons coming on.
Motherwell should have pulled level a minute later when Aarons played the ball into the path of Paul McGinn, but he blasted well over.
It had gone a bit quiet for Hearts by that point but Forrest got a sight of goal in 38 minutes, only to see Kelly make a smart save.
Van Veen went on a run down the left in 44 minutes but sent his shot over the bar from just inside the box.
Motherwell were forced to replace sub Aarons with Stuart McKinstry inside first-half stoppage time, after he went off with a hamstring injury.
The hosts should have been level in 47 minutes when McKinstry's cross from the left picked out Spittal, whose header hit the left post, with McGinn striking the right post with the follow-up, with Gordon gathering.
Hearts had a chance to inflict further damage in 63 minutes when Forrest sent Shanklland down the right and his way was blocked, but that let Cammy Devlin break into the box, but fired wide.
Van Veen had the ball in the net in 69 minutes, only to be flagged offside.
Sean Goss had an effort deflected wide of the left post in 82 minutes as Motherwell tried to find a way back into the game.
Penney went desperately close to pulling a goal back in 84 minutes when he let fly with a rocket from about 25 yards which Gordon did well to slap over the top right corner, injuring himself in the process.
Penney had a go again, cracking the crossbar from 25 yards with five minutes left, from Goss' corner from the right.
Hearts added a third in the final minute, as Forrest swept home his second of the game following a flowing move.
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, McGinn, Solholm, Lamie (Mugabi, 67), Penney, Goss, Maguire (Cornelius, 67), Tierney (Moult, 67), Spittal, Efford (Aarons, 30 - McKinstry, 45+2)), van Veen.
Subs (not used): Oxborough (GK), O'Donnell, Mahon, Miller.
Booked: Aarons (37), McKinstry (75), McGinn (90+5)
HEARTS: Gordon, Neilson, Smith, Kingsley, Cochrane (Haring, 39), Devlin (Snodgrass, 64), Halliday (Atkinson, 73), Forrest, Kiomourtzoglou, McKay (Sibbick, 73), Shankland (Humphreys, 64).
Subs (not used): Stewart (GK), Grant, Mackay-Steven, Ginnelly.
Booked: Forrest (80), Smith (90+5)
Referee: Nick Walsh.
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