Motherwell put a top six finish in their own hands after coming out on top in a topsy-turvy affair with St Mirren.
Eammon Brophy’s opener for the Saints was cancelled out by a quickfire double from Sean Goss and Connor Shields.
Conor McCarthy’s controversial leveller brought St Mirren level, before Dean Cornelius’ cool finish put ‘Well ahead at the break.
With the game finely poised, Richard Tait’s own goal late on sealed a vital three points, a first league win of 2022 and a shot at finishing in the top half of the cinch Premiership table.
After an international break to reflect and react to a last-minute loss at St Johnstone, Graham Alexander made three changes from the last outing.
Juhani Ojala, Jake Carroll and Liam Donnelly all dropped to the bench, with Bevis Mugabi, Callum Slattery and Sean Goss coming into the side.
Motherwell were dominant in the opening spell, looking to carve out chances to take the early initiative.
But they were to come unstuck on the 15 minute mark. A ball into the box was headed by O’Donnell and unfortunately ricocheted off Solholm, with the ball falling kindly to Brophy in the six-yard box to lash home.
Given their recent misfortune, Motherwell could have crumbled but rallied in spectacular style five minutes later.
The industrious Shields got free down the right and fired low to the edge of the area, where Goss was waiting to rush in and steer a perfect right-footed effort into the bottom corner of the net.
Within 60 seconds, it was two. Van Veen’s flick allowed Shields to ghost in behind Shaughnessy and, bearing down on goal, expertly clipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
Brophy shot a warning 10 minutes from the interval. Spinning Lamie on the edge of the box, he fired low past Kelly but only found the left post.
The equaliser would come six minutes from the interval. A corner from the left saw Kelly have his shirt clearly pulled as he came for the ball. McCarthy got in and stabbed home but, despite the protests, the leveller stood.
Motherwell though would make sure they went in at the break ahead.
Efford’s burst down the left saw him get free and fire low into the box. Cornelius timed his run perfectly, taking a touch to set himself before placing the ball into the corner.
The second half was a far calmer, arguably nervous affair with both sides having plenty on the line.
Slattery saw a spectacular effort from distance tapped onto the bar which Efford just couldn’t then poke home, while Fraser should have tapped home for the visitors but couldn’t react to the ball quick enough to find an empty net.
Then, with 12 minutes left, the decider came.
Van Veen did all the work down the left, getting in behind and squaring it to the near post. Tait and Shields both went for it, with the former Motherwell man making the last connection to put through his own net and secure the three points for the Steelmen.
