Match Report

From BBC Sport

Super sub Steve Nicholas scored a dramatic winner in the dying seconds to dump St Johnstone further into trouble as Motherwell won the battle of the managerless.

Superb strikes by Paddy Connolly and Peter McDonald had twice put the Saints ahead.

But Nicholas and Stuart Elliot twice brought Motherwell level before the substitute’s dramatic winner opened up a six-point gap with bottom club St Johnstone.

And there was worse news for the Saints, it being confirmed that goalkeeper Alan Main had suffered a broken leg in the collision that also saw Kevin Twaddle stretchered off.

Experienced goalkeeper Main returned between the sticks for St Johnstone.

Twaddle, now suffering from a severely bruised knee, made the starting line-up in place of Nicholas.

Stuart McCluskey headed over and Nick Dasovic forced a save from Mark Brown with a 30-yard effort.

Paddy Connolly missed from six yards after Brown spilled a Keigan Parker shot, but the striker made amends after 12 minutes.

Parker crossed to Connolly in the box and he slotted the opener past the Motherwell goalkeeper.

A little over 20 minutes had gone when the game was held up following a sickening clash between Twaddle and Main.

Twaddle was stretchered off the park after five minutes.

But Main, who had just returned from a neck injury, had to receive oxygen on the park before he too was carried off with a broken leg.

Teenage goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert found himself in action once again and proudced an impressive save to prevent a magnificent header from Elliot giving Motherwell the equaliser.

The five minutes of added on time worked in Motherwell’s favour when they grabbed the leveller three minutes into injury time.

A Stevie Hammell cross was met by substitute Nicholas, who chipped the ball over Cuthbert.
Cuthbert managed to prevent a second four minutes after the break, although Elliott might have been better to pick out the unmarked Stephen Pearson instead of shooting.

The Fir Park side were left to regret that chance when St Johnstone reclaimed their lead after 55 minutes.

After great play by Connolly, he crossed to Peter MacDonald and the striker rifled home a superb goal from 20 yards.

Motherwell were back level after 78 minutes when Scott Leitch crossed to Elliott and he took the ball to the corner of the six-yard box before sliding the ball under Cuthbert.

The winner came when Cuthbert blocked an Elliott shot only for Nicholas to ram home the rebound.

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