‘Well lost for only the second time in three months after an uncharacteristic 1-2 home defeat to Hibernian.
After taking a first-half lead through a Crane OG, late goals from Sterling and Shaw handed the Leith side all three points.
Craigan made three changes to the side that beat Falkirk 0-3 last midweek. PJ Morrison, Barry Maguire and Dylan Mackin all had to be content with a place on the bench, replaced in the staring eleven by Craig Samson, David Ferguson and Wes Fletcher
Motherwell started bright and had the first real effort at goal after ten minutes. Robbie Leitch released Fletcher down the left flank. His pull back found Davie Turnbull, but his low shot was straight at Otso Virtanen who saved comfortably.
However, the goalkeeper was powerless to stop Motherwell’s next attack as the Steelmen took the lead.
Dom Thomas drew a foul from Jordan McGregor on the edge of the box, allowing Luke Watt to whip in. When the ball did go into the area, it was inadvertently turned into his own net by Hibees fullback Calum Crane from a yard out.
Shell-shocked, it took the visitors until the 22nd minute to register a shot, but when Adam Watson eventually got his effort away, Samson was happy to watch it sail into the side net.
‘Well were soon back on the attack though and Allan Campbell, who signed a three-year extension to his Fir Park contract hours before the game, sent a stinging shot inches wide of target after good play between Chalmers, Thomas and Turnbull.
Hibs had a couple of half chances when Crane shot over from distance and Olly Shaw volleyed way off target from the edge as the Edinburgh side looked to get back level.
However, it was ‘Well who should have been further in front on the 33rd minute.
It started with a Chalmers free kick that was deflected on route for a corner. When Thomas delivered, Hibs made a hash of clearing it allowing Fletcher a chance to hit, but it was again blocked. When the rebound spun out to MacLean, his attempted chip landed on top of the net.
Hibs took confidence from surviving that scare and went on to control the closing ten minutes. They should have been on level terms shortly after that ‘Well chance,when Samson made a super stop to deny Shaw from close range, and even got up to deby Peters from the rebound.
The second half took some time to get going and it was just before the hour when Thomas registered the first effort, dribbling through several Hibs defenders only to hit the side net with a shot.
Ten further minutes passed before Hibs, who had introduced both Sinclair and Gullane for Handling and Peters, got their first effort of the second period. Cutting in from the right, Watson hit a low effort, but it lacked pace and trundled back towards Smason.
However, the Hibees did eventually get themselves level on the 77th minute. Sub Gullane got away from Watt and after cutting inside, brought out a terrific save from Samson. Unfortunately, it landed perfectly for Ben Sterling and he took a good touch before lashing it home into the far corner.
The goal gave the away side confidence and only another superb Samson stop, low to his left this time, denied Sterling a second as Hibs sensed a winner.
That winner did eventually come five minutes later. A cross from the right was only half cleared, and when Crane’s knocked a ball back into the danger zone, Shaw was on hand to turn it home from close range.
Motherwell threw men forward in search of an equaliser of their own, but a Luke Watt shot from distance aside, they failed to trouble Virtanen.
Indeed, Shaw might have added a third, racing clear and onto a long ball, but his attempted lob over the outrushing Samson was off target.
Motherwell: Samson, McMillan, Chalmers, Ferguson, Watt, Campbell, McLean, Turnbull (Mackin – 84mins), Fletcher (Falconer – 70mins), Thomas, R.Leitch (Hastie – 42mins)
Subs Not Used: Morrison, Maguire, Livingstone, Moore