Ross Tierney’s stoppage-time equaliser earned Motherwell a deserved share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at St Mirren.
Alex Gogic’s debut headers 10 minutes from time looked to have won it for the hosts, before Tierney got the goal that ‘Well’s play at least deserved.
Manager Graham Alexander made changes from the side which lost 2-0 at Hearts on Saturday.
Bevis Mugabi returned to the heart of defence as ‘Well changed shape to a 3-4-2-1, with Sean Goss starting and Liam Donnelly back in the starting team after suspension.
At their expense, Ross Tierney and Jordan Roberts dropped to the bench, with Barry Maguire missing out injured.
New recruit Joe Efford made the bench for the first time, as one of five attacking players amongst the substitutes.
A tepid affair saw almost half an hour before either goalkeeper was troubled, but it would be the hosts’ number one who would be called into action.
Alnwick had to be alive first to hold onto a fierce drive from the left by Goss, with Van Veen and Mugabi waiting to pounce on any slip.
Soon after, the midfielder would continue to enjoy his attacking role by sending in a low drive from 20 yards, which the goalkeeper did well to beat away.
A moment of controversy came shortly on its heels. Tait went up with a high foot in the tackle with Donnelly, for which referee Euan Anderson saw no need to punish.
If the first half was light on quality, the start of the second period saw ‘Well ramp things up.
Substitute Tierney had the best opportunity, being denied from just inside the box by the despairing lunge of Shaughnessy, just when it looked like his first goal in claret and amber was certain.
Van Veen would get the next one with 20 minutes to go, burning Dunne for pace down the right before seeing a fierce shot at goal on the angle parried again by Alnwick.
‘Well were on top but had to call Kelly into action twice to make important stops.
First, his claw off the line from Tait’s back post header was remarkable, shortly followed by a brilliant tip over the bar from Flynn’s drive from distance.
From that corner, however, the visitors would become unstuck.
A ball from the right was met by Gogic on his debut, with the midfielder glancing his header in off the left-hand post.
‘Well could have crumbled but instead rallied. And the goal came one minute into stoppage time.
Woolery forced his way in on the right, dispossessing Tait and firing across goal to meet the near post run of Tierney, who steered the ball into the t0p-right corner of the net.
Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Mugabi, Solholm, Carroll, McGinley (Roberts), Donnelly, Goss, Slattery (Woolery), Shaw (Tierney), Van Veen.
Subs: Fox, Ojala, Nirennold, Grimshaw, Amaluzor, Efford.