THE more things change the more they stay the same. New season, new strip, new players, different opponent, but still the lament coming from the stands at Fir Park is cursing the same deficiencies that plagued Motherwell’s campaign last year, and is threatening to do so again just four games into this one.

The Lanarkshire club were crippled on many an occasion in their previous Premiership season for fallibility at the back that too often saw silly mistakes offer teams a chance to score, that more often than not was accepted gratefully. Last weekend against Dundee United, the Taysiders’ first came from an own goal, their second a shot into an empty net as Motherwell’s keeper Connor Ripley was caught up field chasing a last-second equaliser. On Wednesday at Tynecastle a cheap loss of possession and subsequent conceded penalty set the tone for a tough night against Hearts, before Billy King was allowed to weave into the box and send a tame shot squirming under Ripley.

It was more of the same yesterday from yet another game that Motherwell’s overall play deserved more from than a 2-1 defeat, their third loss in a row now. Ahead after just five minutes through a cool finish by Marvin Johnson, a bizarre Niall McGinn cross was left to go straight in to the Motherwell net before a cheap free-kick and subsequent poorly-defended cross gave Ash Taylor a gift of an open goal to head into for the game to be turned on its head.

"The first goal was a blow," said Ian Baraclough, the Motherwell manager. "We got a good start, were playing well and they hadn't hurt us. They showed the value of a man getting across the near post at a cross. Goodwillie did that, didn't get a touch on it but did enough to put the keeper off.

"[For the second] Ash Talyor drove Louis Laing back and into Connor. In situations like that you have to go one v one with your man and make sure he doesn't get to a dangerous area. He has done that and he should never get in that position."

Baraclough kept faith with the same starting XI that floundered at Tynecastle on Wednesday, with the only change coming in the form of Scott McDonald sitting further forward as a second striker instead of the deeper-lying role he ‘enjoyed’ against Hearts. Derek McInnes made two switches following a midweek off as David Goodwillie and Andrew Considine replaced Paul Quinn and Adam Rooney.

While the decision to move McDonald further forward may have seemed a natural thing to do for a side that lacked a cutting edge against Hearts, it was a brave call for Baraclough not to go man for man in the centre of the park with an Aberdeen team that move the ball at pace. However, after just five minutes, it paid off.

Lionel Ainsworth was allowed to break down the right wing for Motherwell with Aberdeen struggling to get numbers back. A cute pass inside to the unmarked Australian on the edge of the box saw him send a thunderous shot at goal that Danny Ward did well to claw away. The reactions of his defence were less instinctive as Johnson was the first to react to guide the ball low into the net from 10 yards.

Aside from a Jake Taylor effort that was volleyed just over and a Josh Law free-kick that was held well by Ward down at his right-hand post, Motherwell’s attempts on goal in the first half were kept to a minimum as Aberdeen held heavy swathes of possession. Their patient use of the ball almost paid off several times as neat interplay out wide carved Motherwell open, but the closest they came to a well-worked goal was a reverse pass from Kenny McLean that resulted in Ryan Jack thrashing the ball into the side netting.

For all their carefully constructed play, Aberdeen’s leveller had more than a whiff of fortune about it when it eventually arrived on 25 minutes. McGinn held up the ball well near the corner flag before cutting back on his right away from the attentions of Louis Laing. A curling low cross into the box was left by every one of the half a dozen players it trundled by, only for it to deceive Ripley and bounce in off the far post.

Just seconds after the break Aberdeen should have taken the lead as Goodwillie headed a free ball straight at Ripley from six yards out. It was a warning Motherwell did not heed from the flanks to their cost on 62 minutes. A wasted free-kick at the other end was cleared easily by Aberdeen as they sprung a counter attack that resulted in Stevie Hammell giving away a reckless free-kick within crossing distance of his own box. The punishment didn’t stop at just a booking however, as McGinn’s delivery enticed Ripley from his goal only for him to be obstructed by his own player in the form of Laing, allowing Taylor to nod into an unguarded goal.

McGinn would later send a left-foot shod scudding off Ripley’s far post, while Motherwell’s huffing and puffing around the visitors’ box didn’t offer up the equaliser they craved.

"I always felt in all honesty we'd win the game, even when we went behind", said McInnes following his team's third win from three games. "We were frustrated to go behind.

"We've got things we need to get better but some of our play box to box was outstanding. Performance wise there was a lot to be pleased about."

MOTHERWELL: Ripley, Law, Laing, McManus, Hammell; Ainsworth, Taylor, Lasley (Cadden 89), Johnson (Thomas 70); Moult (Clarkson 86), McDonald

UNUSED SUBS: Twardzik, Chalmers, Kennedy, Leitch

SCORERS: Johnson 5

BOOKINGS: Hammell

ABERDEEN: Ward; Logan, Taylor, Considine, Shinnie; McLean, Flood (Rooney 46), Jack, McGinn, Hayes; Goodwillie (Quinn72)

Unused subs: Brown, Smith, Robson, Shankland, Wright

SCORERS: McGinn 25, Taylor 62

BOOKINGS: Logan, Taylor

REFEREE: Willie Collum

ATTENDANCE: 5437