Motherwell levelled twice in the final 12 minutes of a dramatic Lanarkshire derby to secure a 2-2 draw and deny 10-man Hamilton a memorable Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory.

Former Motherwell midfielder Simon Mensing headed the opener on the hour mark after Tomas Cerny had kept Accies level with a string of saves, including a penalty stop from Ross Forbes.

Motherwell sub Jamie Murphy scored a spectacular equaliser but the visitors needed a Lukas Jutkiewicz goal to earn them a point four minutes from time after Marco Paixao had headed Accies back in front.

Jim O'Brien earned Motherwell a 39th-minute penalty when he was brought down by Richard Hastings' clumsy tackle but Cerny parried Forbes' centrally-placed spot-kick.

Steven Saunders' header was cleared off the line from O'Brien's corner and Cerny made another flying save from Tom Hateley's long-range effort in first-half injury-time.

Paixao shot over from a 25-yard free-kick and Michael Fraser had yet to make a save when he picked the ball out the net in the 60th minute as Mensing found space to head Paixao's corner into the far corner.

Cerny pounced on the ball under pressure from Giles Coke and Steve Jennings shot wide from eight yards but Motherwell's pressure had subsided before Murphy scored a glorious 78th-minute equaliser. The Scotland Under-21 international made space for himself 30 yards out and curled into the top corner.

Jennings shot just wide from 20 yards but Hamilton incredibly regained the lead in the 81st minute when Paixao headed into the corner from 10 yards after James Wesolowski broke down the right and crossed.

But Well levelled again in the 86th minute when Cerny could not keep out Jutkiewicz's sidefoot finish following Coke's low cross from the right.

Motherwell were also reduced to 10 men for the final stages after Chris Humphrey pulled a hamstring and Cerny saved Accies again in injury-time when he diverted another Mark Reynolds effort over the bar.