Motherwell slumped to an unlikely defeat as a quick double from Kilmarnock midway through the second half, clinched the Ayrshire side’s first cinch Premiership win of the season – and left Steven Hammell and his players scratching their heads.
Motherwell looked to be heading for a third consecutive away win, thanks to Kevin van Veen’s 14th minute goal. However, two goals from Danny Armstrong and Ash Taylor inside five minutes, turned the game on its head.
Until then the Steelmen were comfortable in possession and threatened to extend their lead, although Killie were guilty of passing up a glut of chances.
After a delay to the kick-off, while Rugby Park officials attended to their artificial surface after a section of the 1,000 strong travelling support behind Liam Kelly’s goal lobbed a flare onto the plastic pitch
On the back of two successive away wins the Steelmen made a confident start and within two minutes Van Veen juggled the ball away from Lewis Mayo before his left foot shot forced Sam Walker into an early save.
Paul McGinn then used the slippy surface, sliding across to guide the ball away from Oli Shaw as the Killie striker raced into the box.
Motherwell were on the front foot, though, and Callum Slattery’s pass sent Connor Shields down the right. Although his cross was possibly intended for Van Veen, it found Dean Cornelius, who took a first touch before volleying the ball just beyond Walker’s right-hand post.
It was not really a surprise when the Fir Park men opened the scoring after 14 minutes but it was a shocker from a Kilmarnock point of view.
Spittal’s low measured ball sent Van Veen and Moyo racing towards the home goal. As the Killie defender relaxed thinking his ‘keeper was collecting the ball, ‘Well’s Dutch striker stuck in a foot to stab the ball past Walker and claim his fourth goal of the season.
Two minutes later it was almost a carbon copy as Spittal’s low pass again sent both van Veen and Mayo racing towards the home goal but this time the defender guided the ball safely back to his ‘keeper.
At the other end Ricki Lamie was having a real physical tussle with Kyle Lafferty as the Northern Ireland striker used his gangly frame to contest every high ball.
Lafferty should have done better after 27 minutes when Ben Chrisene’s cross found the former Rangers’ man eight yards from goal but he hooked the ball high over Kelly.
Motherwell continued to show the more composure on the ball and an attacking flair with Shields on the right and Spittal on the opposite side stretching Kilmarnock’s back four.
In the 32nd minute Spittal’s cross found O’Donnell racing into the box and his glancing header forced Walker to stretch to catch the ball under his bar.
Five minutes later Motherwell had a lucky escape when the Rugby Park side came within a few centimetres of an equaliser. Kerr McInroy played the ball in front of the inrushing Chrisene who hammered his left foot drive high past Kelly only to see it rebound down from the crossbar before Lafferty, once again, lashed the loose ball high over the goal.
Despite that narrow escape the Motherwell players probably thought that their first half display earned them the right to hold a one goal lead as the teams headed up the tunnel at the interval.
Within minutes of the restart, Killie fans thought their side had found the equaliser but Danny Armstrong’s fierce drive from the edge of the box flashed past Kelly’s right hand post.
Four minutes later Spittal and Van Veen combined once again to open up the home defence but this time Mayo got it right nipping the ball off the ‘Well striker as he cut into the penalty area.
On the other side Shields burst down the wing before cutting into the box but his low shot was easily taken by Walker.
As the hour mark approached and the ‘Well boss prepared for the double introduction of Joe Efford and Josh Morris, Shaw squandered a great chance to level the scores.
In a substitution identical to last week, Hammell was hoping for an immediate impact.
And it nearly arrived when Van Veen set up Slattery 30 yards from goal but his low bouncing shot produced a solid diving save from Walker.
Despite both sets of players finding it difficult to stay on their feet, Motherwell maintained their tight passing game as Killie, having passed up a string of chances desperately strived to test Kelly.
With 19 minutes remaining the Rugby Park men finally found the target, thanks to the bit of luck that deserted them in the first half.
Rory McKenizie’s ball into the six-yard box found Armstrong and O’Donnell tussling in front of Kelly. As the Killie man fell to the ground the ball rebounded from O’Donnell, allowing Armstrong to get up and squeeze the ball past the ‘Well ‘keeper for an equaliser they probably deserved.
Hammell immediately sent on Ross Tierney and Barry Maguire and only a brilliant save prevented ‘Well from regaining their lead.
Breaking from the half-way line Van Veen had both subs in support before electing to play in Tierney 15 yards from goal. The Irishman’s sidefoot shot across the ‘keeper was heading just inside his post until Walker, at full length, palmed the ball just wide of his goal.
That proved to be the turning point as four minutes later Kilmarnock stunned the Fir Park side with the winner.
There was also a touch of irony as former Steelman Liam Polworth floated a free kick beyond the back post, where Taylor’s thumping header sent the ball back across Kelly and into the net, and floor Motherwell.
