Allan Russell, the Kilmarnock striker, scored his first goal for the Ayrshire club to clinch victory over Motherwell at Fir Park.

Allan Russell, the Kilmarnock striker, scored his first goal for the Ayrshire club to clinch victory over Motherwell at Fir Park.

The Lanarkshire club's lowest crowd of the season - 3339 - watched Manuel Pascali head a Gavin Skelton corner past Graeme Smith, the Motherwell goalkeeper, with 10 minutes remaining in the first half to give the visitors the lead.

Alan Combe, the visiting goalkeeper, made a couple of fine saves after the break but any hopes of a comeback for Motherwell were thwarted in the 77th minute when Russell struck for the first time since arriving from Airdrie United in the summer when he volleyed past Smith from 20 yards.

Jim Jefferies' injury-hit side recorded only their second win in eight games to put pressure on sixth-placed Aberdeen. However, Motherwell, with one point and one goal from their last six league games, do not have their worries to seek as they look forward to a Lanarkshire derby against Hamilton on Saturday.

And Combe believes this gritty victory exemplifies his side's battling character.

"It was a hard-fought win," he admitted. "Motherwell had a lot of the ball and we showed a lot of fighting character after a couple of dodgy results.

"Getting a clean sheet in a game is always pleasing but the guys were different class in front of me. The back four were outstanding and the saves are what I'm there to do."

Combe added: "Guys have stepped in and are looking for a place in the team week-in week-out, they did exceptionally well and now they will hope to hold on to their place."

Neither side went into this live televised game in form but it was a lively enough first half. In the fourth minute Donovan Simmonds' low drive from 25 yards was spilled by Smith but no Kilmarnock player was on hand to take advantage.

Three minutes later, at the other end, Motherwell strike duo Chris Porter and John Sutton linked up well at the edge of the box, the move ending with Porter firing just over from 12 yards out.

As play raged from end to end, Simmonds used his strength to set up Skelton, whose angled drive from 18 yards skimmed the angle of post and bar. There was another injury blow to Kilmarnock's already depleted side on the half-hour mark when Danny Invincibile was carried off on a stretcher after going to ground, the Australian replaced by Iain Flannigan after a few minutes delay.

In the 34th minute, Simmonds brilliantly turned Mark Reynolds at the edge of the box but back-tracking Steven Saunders got in a saving tackle to concede a corner.

However, the challenge from the youngster had merely delayed the opener. Skelton's in-swinging corner from the right was met at the front post by Pascali who rose almost unchallenged six yards out to glance past Smith.

In the 51st minute Simmonds battled and as the ball broke to Skelton, the midfielder rattled in a left-footed shot from 25 yards which had Smith diving to his left to save.

Moments later, there was a shout for a penalty from the home fans when Pascali appeared to tug the shirt of Porter inside the box as the Fir Park striker tried to get on the end of a Steven McGarry cross but referee Mike Tumilty chose to ignore the claim.

As the game entered its final period Russell took a Jamie Hamill pass and from 20 yards drove powerfully across Smith and in to the far corner of the net. It was enough to end any thoughts of a Motherwell comeback.