Motherwell 2, St Johnstone 1: Well hold on to joint-fourth with solid win

Motherwell kept pace with Dundee United in the Premiership with a good win over St Johnstone at Fir Park that keeps them joint-fourth.

Goals from Tawanda Maswanhise and Tom Sparrow had Motherwell comfortably ahead 2-0 at the break, with Nicky Clark halving the deficit with a controversial penalty.

While Maswanhise's headed opener in 20 minutes was slightly against the run of play, St Johnstone didn't have a lot of chances for their possession.

That gave Motherwell something to build on and they went close to adding a second, seconds before Sparrow did in 33 minutes, with a terrific shot.

VAR handed St Johnstone a lifeline in 57 minutes when they decided that a shot that was driven off Andy Halliday from close range was a penalty.

Nicky Clark stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick into the left corner, bringing Saints into a game that they otherwise weren't in.

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell made one change from the side that lost 2-1 to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, as suspended Liam Gordon was replaced by Tom Sparrow.

His St Johnstone counterpart Simo Valakari made twi changes from the team that lost 2-1 to Hearts last weekend. Goalkeeper Josh Rae came in for Ross Sinclair, while Matt Smith replaced Benji Kimpioka.

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St Johnstone nearly took the lead in unorthodox fashion in seven minutes when Graham Carey's low cross from the right wing zipped about a foot past the left post corner.

Clark fired over following a flowing St Johnstone move in 10 minutes.

Halliday tried his luck from just outside the box in 15 minutes, but his shot was well held by Rae.

But Motherwell took the lead in 20 minutes when Steve Seddon sent Marvin Kaleta down the right wing and his cross was headed in at the back post by Maswanhise.

Barry Douglas' hooked shot from just outside the left corner of the box was spilled at the right post corner by Aston Oxborough in 27 minutes, but Ewan Wilson was able to clear.

Lennon Miller sent Wilson down the left and his cross was headed past the right post by Apostolos Stamatelopoulos in 32 minutes.

But it took Motherwell just 60 more seconds to double their lead when Miller played in Sparrow and he rifled a shot into the left corner.

The hosts were enjoying themselves and should have added a third in 36 minutes when Dan Casey sent Sparrow down the right and his cut-back just evaded Stamatelopoulos, sliding in.

Halliday's corner from the right was slapped away from the top left corner by Rae in 50 minutes.

Sparrow brilliantly brought down a high ball from Wilson in 55 minutes, but blazed over from about eight yards.

VAR awarded St Johnstone a penalty when a shot was driven off Halliday from about a yard away, but the spot-kick was given, and Clark slotted it into the bottom left corner.

There was a bit of huffing and puffing after that, but no chances of note, as Motherwell held onto the three points.

Jack Sanders had the ball in the back of the net from a Graham Carey corner, but it was ruled out by VAR for handball.

Motherwell should have wrapped up the points in the final minute, but sub Davor Zdravkovkski could only find the right side-netting.

MOTHERWELL: Oxborough, Kaleta, Casey, Balmer, Seddon, Wilson, Halliday (Zdravkovski, 68), Miller, Sparrow (Paton, 82), Maswanhise (Ebiye, 76), Stamatelopoulos (Watt, 68)

Subs (not used): Hegyi (GK), Robinson, Koutroumbis, Friel, Tavares

Bookings: Balmer (80)

ST JOHNSTONE: Rae, Wright, Sanders, Cameron, Douglas (Mikulic, 86), Carey, Sprangler, Holt (Neilson, 46), Clark (Kirk, 76), Smith (Raymond, 46), Sidibeh (Kimpioka, 66)

Subs (not used): Hepburn (GK), Essel, Kimpioka, Keltjens, Franczak

Referee: Ross Hardie

Attendance: 4306

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