Motherwell claimed their first three points with a 1-0 home win over St Johnstone.
It was far from a pretty performance but Allan Campbell’s fourth minute goal earned the win.
The Fir Park boss also asked his players to show add a bit more mettle to their game and the Steelmen responded with a hard working shift to protect that slender lead for over 86 minutes.
Robinson made two changes from his side’s last league outing at Celtic Park. Nathan McGinley, returned from injury to make his home debut on the left side of a back five. The ‘Well boss paired Tony Watt with Calum Lang, leaving Christopher Long among the nine substitutes.
However, it was Campbell, having scored a stunning late winner for Scotland Under 21 side in midweek, that netted within the opening four minutes.
Bevis Mugabi punted the ball forward and when it landed between Lang and Campbell the midfield man took possession, carrying the ball 20 yards towards the Saints box before planting the ball low beyond the diving Elliot Parish and give the Fir Park men the perfect start.
The home side’s work rate and quick movement off the ball caught Saints players off guard in the early stages.
As the Perth men found their feet they were almost gifted an equaliser after 19 minutes. Indecision on the left between McGinley and Ricki Lamie allowed Michael O’Halloran to nip in and steer his shot into the side netting.
With both defences looking comfortable, neither ‘keeper was tested and Parish’s only task was to hold a Liam Polworth free kick which sailed over everyone’s head.
At the other end, Trevor Carson was comfortably using both feet to build play from the back. Ten minutes from half-time when he had to finally use his hands routinely holding a delicate chip from David Wotherspoon which was drifting under his crossbar.
While both sets of players were comfortable in possession neither side was capable of producing the decisive pass to stretch defences as the first half ended devoid of any goalmouth after Campbell’s early goal.
Something was required to lift the game and as Saints realised they were trailing by a goal, showed a bit more enterprise from the start of the second half.
In the 50th minute Craig Conway’s corner into a packed box found Jason Kerr, who powered a header narrowly over the bar.
A few minutes later Callum Davidson freshened up his attack sending on experienced strikers Chris Kane and Stevie May.
It was ‘Well who came close, though, after Campbell worked hard to earn a free kick wide on the left. This time Polworth elected to test the ‘keeper with a curling effort which Parish moved high to his left to push behind for a corner.
The home goal had a narrow escape when a Lamie’s slip gave May possession at the corner of the six yard box but with Carson at his mercy the Saints’ striker pulled the ball across the goal and just outside the far post.
After 68 minutes, Jordan White replaced Watt who had tirelessly dragged himself all over the final third of the pitch in an attempt to get ‘Well a second goal.
His replacement took less that 90 seconds for his first attempt at goal, but with Lang’s cross drifting behind him White could only volley the ball over the bar from 14 yards.
Eight minutes from time a clash of heads between White and Jamie McCart left both players needing treatment, the ‘Well striker heavily bandaged and resulted in eight minutes added time.
At that point White received another bump on the head and Long took his place but play was still largely contained to the middle of the park.
In the final minute of that lengthy added time Saints almost claimed the equaliser they probably deserved but Conway’s 20 yard drive was straight at the waiting Carson.