Steven Hammell hopes of touchdown the Motherwell job on a everlasting foundation took a possible dent as St Johnstone took all three factors after a dramatic finish to his first residence recreation in interim cost.
The 40-year-old revealed yesterday he had a "optimistic assembly" with chief govt Alan Burrows and chairman Jim McMahon, as they take into account who will succeed Graham Alexander within the Fir Park hotseat.
However Hammell and assistant Brian Kerr tasted a devastating stoppage time defeat, simply as they regarded to have earned a late level.
Jamie Murphy's first-half strike for Saints put them in entrance and 'Properly regarded to have earned a deserved level when Stephen O'Donnell nodded the ball residence within the first minute of stoppage time.
However Stevie Might pounced within the fourth minute of added-on time to interrupt Motherwell hearts.
Connor Shields had hit the put up for the Steelmen within the first half however Saints overcame a second-half barrage to get their Premiership season up and working.
Hammell made two adjustments from the 1-0 win at St Mirren final week, as injured Jake Carroll - who was seen on crutches earlier than the sport - and the suspended Ricki Lamie have been changed by Stephen O’Donnell and Bevis Mugabi.
Saints additionally had an enforced change by means of suspension. Cammy MacPherson got here in for Murray Davidson after his crimson card within the 1-0 defeat at residence to Hibernian, which was the one change for the guests.
The Steelmen had an early oppportunity when Sean Goss was felled on the sting of the field by Ryan McGowan contained in the second minute, however Kevin van Veen curled the ensuing free-kick over the crossbar.
Down the opposite finish, Melker Hallberg floated a nook to the sting of the field for Graham Carey to hit on the volley. The midfielder linked with it sweetly however, fortunately for the hosts, they managed to get a physique in the best way of it because it fizzed in the direction of aim.
Goss is succesful from distance and when he discovered himself in acres of house in 16 minutes with the gang urging him to shoot, the previous Rangers man pulled his effort nicely vast of the goal from 25 yards.
The Fir Park floor was trying splendid after its summer time makeover, however it was the guests who making finest use of it..
Adam Montgomery's trickery on the left created a gap for Saints and when his cross deflected to the again put up, Drey Wright's strike was deflected away for a nook because the guests brought about issues down the flanks.
In 25 minutes Motherwell got one other warning when Ryan McGowan's interception put Bair by means of on aim and Kelly obtained behind the strike nicely to maintain it out.
And three minutes later, Saints broke the impasse. An extended ball ahead was flicked on by the chest of Bair into the trail of Murphy, and he drilled a low-strike into the underside nook previous a helpless Kelly.
Motherwell nearly supplied an on the spot response when Connor Shields' deflected strike on the sting of the field struck the put up. After which a teasing ball throughout aim from Goss could not fairly select the inrushing van Veen.
The Steelmen have been caught out by Carey's free-kick supply to the again put up in 38 minutes and when Alex Mitchell was left unmarked to go the ball throughout the face of aim, a last-ditch little bit of defending cleared the ball away from the grasp of Andy Considine ready to knock the ball residence from shut vary.
Hammell responded to a lacklustre first half with a double change on the break, introducing Dean Cornelius and Joe Efford for Barry Maguire and Josh Morris.
And Efford nearly made a huge effect 5 minutes after the re-start when Goss slipped within the American for a strike on aim, however Mitchell produced an perfectly-time sliding deal with within the field to knock the ball away, simply because the striker was set to drag the set off.
The Steelmen have been pushing for a leveller and when Cornelius swung in a ball into the close to put up, Remi Matthews needed to punch the ball clear after van Veen's tried flick on deflected up into the air contained in the six-yard field.
With 'Properly pushing so many males ahead they have been caught on the break on the hour mark and Sondre Solholm Johansen got here to their rescue with a teriffic last-ditch clearance to forestall Murphy's cross discovering Bair on the again put up for a faucet in.
Van Veen will really feel he ought to have completed higher when he opened up house for a shot on the sting of the field within the subsequent assault, just for a poor connection to make it a cushty save for Matthews.
Carey introduced out the occasion tips with a Rabona cross that Mitchell headed vast underneath shut consideration from the Motherwell defence.
The strain on the guests intensified when van Veen despatched Efford down the wing. He beat his man and burst into the field, however he dallied as house opened up for the shot and went to floor, however claims for a penalty have been waved away by referee Willie Collum.
Moments later a mix-up as Matthews got here to gather a cross, introduced Shields with an opportunity to knock the ball residence from 10 yards, however his effort was blocked and frustratingly deflected again off him for a aim kick.
They saved knocking on the door and Ross Tierney, who had been launched for Spittal, got here inside a whisker of connecting with a incredible ball into the field from Paul McGinn, heading into the ultimate quarter-hour.
'Properly's frustration obtained the higher of Hammell who was proven a yellow card by Collum after the whistler awarded a free-kick in Saints favour.
And he in all probability would not have been too happy moments later, both, when Ross Tierney tore into the field and went down underneath a problem, however Collum wasn't .
Goss then struck a voilley into the bottom that looped up and compelled Matthews to claw the ball away from the web, as Saints by some means held on to their lead.
However in stoppage time Saints' resolve was lastly damaged when Stephen O'Donnell's header hit Carey to seek out it is approach into the far nook.
It regarded to have earned a deserved level, however Might popped up within the fourth minute of six further minutes to grab the factors, poking the ball previous Kelly within the field.
Motherwell now journey to Pittodrie subsequent weekend.
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, McGinn, Mugabi, Solholm-Johansen, Maguire (Cornelius 46), Goss, O'Donnell, Spittal (Tierney 68), Shields (Mahon 85), van Veen, Morris (Efford 46).
Scorers: O'Donnell 90+1
Bookings:
Subs not used: Fox, Ojala, Wilson, Ferrie, Spiers.
ST JOHNSTONE: Matthews, Considine, Mitchell, McGowan, Montgomery, Hallberg, MacPherson, Wright, Carey, Murphy (Crawford 79), Bair (Might 68).
Scorers: Murphy 28, Might 90+4
Bookings: Hallberg, Considine, Might
Subs not used: Parish, Brown, Gordon, O'Halloran, Ballantyne, Kucheriavyi.
Ref: Willie Collum
HT: 0-1
Att: 4,711
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