Motherwell 4-2 St Mirren: Hosts earn first win of year as they climb into the top six

Motherwell completed a sensational comeback to beat St Mirren and record a "much needed" first win of the year as they climbed into the top six of the Scottish Premiership.

Goals from Sean Goss, Dean Cornelius, Connor Shields, and a Richard Tait own goal cancelled out first-half strikes from Eamonn Brophy and Conor McCarthy.

St Mirren drop to 10th in the table - with their top-six hopes fading - as Graham Alexander's side ended the league's longest run of league games without a win, moving them up to fifth.

"It's a much needed and fantastic win," said Motherwell manager Graham Alexander. "I thought the players were superb.

"From minute one, we were the team one top, even before they scored and it was a bit of a fortunate ricochet [for St Mirren's opening goal]."

With just one game to go until the split, the Paisley side could still finish in the top half but face Rangers next Sunday and need other results to go their way, while Motherwell are away to Livingston as they look to seal their top-six place.

Coming into this clash, Motherwell were on the league's worst run of form and St Mirren had only scored two goals in their previous six league games. You wouldn't know it watching the first half.

The home side enjoyed sustained early pressure before Connor Ronan burst down the left and flashed in a dangerous cross. Motherwell defenders Stephen O'Donnell and Solholm Johansen tangled, resulting in the ball falling for Brophy to strike.

However, two goals in as many minutes turned the contest around.

Shields zipped an inviting ball across for the arriving Sean Goss to strike first-time from the edge of the area. St Mirren goalkeeper Dean Lyness could have perhaps done more to save the shot at his near post.

Then Shields burst onto a ball just inside the St Mirren half, putting himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and coolly dinking it over the onrushing Lyness.

The first-half comeback was completed by Cornelius who latched onto a Joe Efford ball before the midfielder shaped up to rocket it back across goal but placed it in the bottom corner with poise.

The breakneck speed of the first half continued after the interval, even if there wasn't a similar glut of goals to accompany it.

Cornelius unleashed a venomous strike from outside the area on the half-volley that was met by a magnificent Lyness save.

St Mirren had their chances, but the game was put beyond doubt when Kevin van Veen raced down the left and cut it back across goal, and it was turned in at the wrong end by Richard Tait.

Motherwell were on a truly unenviable run of form, having not won in their previous 11 in the league. However, this win might have come at the perfect moment to leave their top-six aspirations in their own hands.

Van Veen has often been looked to for goals this season, particularly since Tony Watt departed for Tannadice, but today his influence in attack was exemplary even though he didn't score himself.

St Mirren were having their own problems in front of goal but their attacking play today was stellar at times. Jordan Jones and Brophy linked up well, with Ronan playing a key part, too.

With only one game left until the split however, and a resurgent St Johnstone edging further away from the automatic drop, St Mirren cannot yet breathe easy despite the chance of finishing in the top half of the table still a possibility.

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander: "The response from the players was excellent, we didn't get our heads down and to score two quickfire goals was great.

"The players showed great belief in how we wanted to attack. I thought we passed the ball brilliantly, combined with each other and we were very clinical in front of goal."

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "Defensively we were so poor, there's a reason why we've conceded the third amount of goals in the league. You can't win matches defending like that.

"We had a great start but the first two [Motherwell] goals are literally passed into our net. If you concede four goals you don't deserve to win football matches, simple as that."

Motherwell travel to face Livingston on Saturday 9 April (15:00 BST) while St Mirren host Rangers the next day (12:00).