Ten-man Motherwell went down to a slender defeat against Hibs at Easter Road, but gave as good as they for long spells despite being a man short for most of the second half.
Connor Shields was shown a straight red card in 56 minutes for pulling down Ryan Porteous as he bore down on goal.
And Porteous popped up with a brave headed goal to put Hibs in the lead 11 minutes later.
That was hard lines on a hard-working Motherwell side, but in a game where there weren't a wealth of chances at either end.
There wasn't a lot to write about in the first half; but for two routine saves from Martin Boyle, neither keeper really had much to do in a game that was dominated in midfield.
Both sides tried to get forward, but defences repelled them easily enough or shots were fired past the post.
Joe Efford and Riki Lamie sending shots past the post were as close as Motherwell got.
However, Motherwell were given a mountain to climb eight minutes into the second half when Connor Shields was shown a straight red card for hauling Porteous back as he tried to burst into the box.
And when Porteous connected with Martin Boyle's cross, the ball ripped into the net.
Hibs boss Lee Johnson kept faith with the same side that beat Ross County last weekend.
So too, did Motherwell boss Stevie Hammell, as he unsurprisingly stuck with the side that thumped Ross County 5-0 in Dingwall last Tuesday night.
Motherwell created the first chance of the game in the opening two minutes, but Ricki Lamie sent his low drive inches past the right post corner.
At the other end a neat move saw Martin Boyle's angled shot saved smartly at the left corner.
Hibs could have taken the lead in seven minutes when Mykola Kuharevich mugged Callum Slattery in midfield and sent Elie Youan through on goal, but Sondre Solholm responded brilliantly with a blocking tackle, at the expense of a corner.
The hosts had a flurry of chances in 14 minutes but couldn't quite get a shot away, and when they did, Josh Campbell saw his effort well blocked.
Motherwell had been quiet, but Joe Effort took possession on the right wing in 20 minutes, cut inside and fired a low shot just past the right post from just inside the box.
Kevin van Veen saw a free kick deflected past the right post from just outside the box in 40 minutes.
Ryan Porteous had one last chance just before the interval, but his free kick from just outside the box was comfortably saved by Liam Kelly.
Motherwell should have taken the lead in 54 minutes when Sean Goss picked out van Veen just outside the box, but he fired high and wide from a good position.
However, the visitors' task was made all the more difficult in 56 minutes when Connor Shields was shown a straight red card for hauling down Ryan Porteous as he bore down on goal.
It got worse for Motherwell in 67 minutes when Boyle's cross was deflected into the path of Porteous, who powered a header into the net.
Motherwell threw on Louis Moult and Dean Cornelius, in a bid to take something from the game, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
HIBERNIAN: Marshall, Cadden, Porteous, Hanlon, Cabraja (Stevenson, 64), Kenneh- (Magennis, 64), Newell, Campbell, Boyle, Youan (McKirdy, 58), Kuharevich (Melkersen, 80).
Subs (not used): Schofield (GK), Tavares, Henderson, McGregor, Fish.
Booked: Hanlon (39), McKirdy (85)
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, McGinn (McKinstry, 85), Solholm, Lamie, Penney, Goss, Slattery (Cornelius, 71), Spittal (Tierney, 23, O'Donnell, 71), Efford, Sheilds, van Veen (Moult, 71).
Subs (not used): Oxborough (GK), Mugabi, Maguire, Morris.
Sent off: Shields (56)
Booked: Slattery (44), Efford (74), Lamie (80), Penney (89)
Referee: Grant Irvine.
Attendance: 16,435.
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