Konstantin Rausch gave Hannover the lead in the 31st minute and Mohammed Abdellaoue made it 2-0 after 49 minutes.

Jermaine Jones cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 83rd minute but Schalke could not equalise.

The result was Hannover's first win over Schalke for seven years and their second success this term.

Schalke scored in the 11th minute from Jefferson Farfan's header but the corner kick was ruled to have crossed the goal line before reaching its target.

The hosts dominated the game but it was Hannover who grabbed the lead in the 31st minute. Abdellaoue's pass went into the path of Rausch, who kept his nerve and beat Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer to the near left post.

Hannover missed two golden chances to double the lead as Abdellaoue shot wide right from seven yards in the 37th minute and Moritz Stoppelkamp struck the post two minutes later.

The hosts doubled the lead four minutes after the break on a chaotic counter-attack. Manuel Schmiedebach's pass deflected off Jones into the path of Abdellaoue, who beat Neuer one-on-one.

Schalke finally pulled a goal back with seven minutes to play as Ivan Rakitic's free kick found Jones, who headed home to make it 2-1.

The home side had little else though and Hannover were closer to notching a third with Neuer making two fine saves from Didier Konan in the 84th and 89th minutes.