Andy Dorman's spectacular goal helped consign Motherwell to a bottom-six finish in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League as St Mirren gave their survival hopes a boost with a 2-0 win at Fir Park.
Dorman lobbed Graeme Smith from 30 yards in the closing stages to net his fourth goal in as many games after Steven Thomson had given Saints a 77th-minute lead.
Motherwell had enjoyed the majority of possession but lacked the cutting edge to claim the victory they needed to leapfrog Hibernian in sixth place.
Saints' pressing game kept Motherwell inside their own half for much of the first 10 minutes but the home side suddenly burst into life.
David Clarkson's powerful 20-yard strike was blocked by visiting goalkeeper Mark Howard and the rebound flashed past the onrushing John Sutton, who soon headed just wide from Paul Quinn's cross.
Stephen Hughes and Jim O'Brien were not far away with long-range efforts, the first taking a deflection, and Clarkson almost got on the end of several balls into the box.
Graeme Smith rescued the hosts in the final minute of the first half as St Mirren created the best chance of the half. Dorman's long pass caught out the Motherwell defence and Craig Dargo raced away from Stephen Craigan, but Smith came off his line to block the striker's low shot.
Motherwell suffered a body blow when some poor defending allowed Thomson the simple task of netting his first Saints goal. After another high ball, Dargo lobbed it back over Smith from near the byline and Reynolds' attempt to clear merely set up Thomson three yards out to tap home.
Any lingering hopes of the hosts getting back in the game were extinguished in two minutes later when Dorman volleyed home a magnificent 30-yard strike. The midfielder controlled Dargo's pass and, despite having a clear run at goal, had the confidence to lob the ball over Smith and just under the crossbar.
Motherwell's unproductive afternoon was summed up in the final minute when Hughes headed Steven Hammell's corner against the far post.
Copyright (C) PA Sport 2010.
Last updated: 18 April 2009, 17:34
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