AFTER having seen their fine start to the season undone by a four-game losing streak and a barren spell in front of goal that had extended for 368 minutes, Motherwell earned a comprehensive victory over St Johnstone that should have the effect of restoring the Lanarkshire side's confidence.
Their incisive performance reduced the Perth side to a frustrated lot and emphasised that when Motherwell play to their strengths they are a match for any side in the SPL – outside of Celtic – and should be more than capable of earning a return to the European arena again come the start of next season.
In contrast, the effects of the five-goal hammering by Celtic in the Scottish Communities League Cup in midweek seemed to have shredded the home side's belief, with Steve Lomas's men second in every department.
Naturally enough, though, his opposite number Stuart McCall was delighted with the outcome after Jamie Murphy's early goal put them into a lead they never seriously looked like relinquishing. The Motherwell manager said: "St Johnstone are a good side and they had been on a good run so we are very pleased to take three points.
"For us not to have scored in four games and get off to that start was fantastic. We showed a lot of character and although it was disappointing to lose a goal, it was a great win.
"Before the game we would have been happy with a point, but as a team we stuck at it. It is not easy when you have lost four on the bounce, but we showed great character.
"As a manager when you have the type of player we have in the side you have to keep believing and today showed why. I am really pleased for the lads."
It took just 38 seconds, in fact, for Motherwell to end their goal drought, as Henrik Ojamaa unleashed in a stinging diagonal drive, which was blocked by Frazer Wright – only for Murphy to drive home the rebound and bring an end to his own personal dry spell which extended back some 10 games.
Ojamaa should have added to the lead just two minutes later, but screwed horribly wide and twice the hosts came close to making their visitors pay, firstly through Murray Davidson and then with a Steven Anderson effort.
From then on, it was all Motherwell and they were able to extend their lead when Murphy offered a sample of the damage he can inflict when in full flight. The 23-year-old attacked the retreating St Johnstone defence at pace and skated past two challenges before hammering home a 20-yard drive that beat Alan Mannus comprehensively. It was a spectacular way to double his goal tally for the campaign.
After the break, with their self-belief growing, the Fir Park side dictated the play, but it took until the 73rd minute before they finally put the game out of St Johnstone's reach. And it was another picture-book goal, with Ojamaa's back-heel putting Nicky Law through to chip the advancing Manniu.
Two minutes from time, home substitute Scott Robertson fired home a close-range consolation goal, but it was too little too late – something that was not lost on Lomas. The St Johnstone manager said: "Our defending was criminal pure and simple and I can't stress how disappointing that was.
"We have always had a realism about our expectations, but this time we did not have enough players bang on their game. We didn't take our chances either but defensively you are not going to win games performing like that and we undermined ourselves."
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