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Stephen Robinson bemoaned an uncharacteristically poor defensive showing as ‘Well lost at home to St Johnstone.

The Steelmen have built a solid reputation for a team that is well-organised and difficult to break down.

However, the claret and amber men were disjointed and were picked apart by a Saints side who scored five at Fir Park for the first time.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen us defend like that this season,” Robinson said.

“Every mistake we made throughout the game we were punished. We’ve kept 18 clean sheets this season, but we didn’t look or perform like a team that has 18 clean sheets.

“The only positive I can take from it is that it’s not something that happens all that often. Sure, we’ve turned in poor performances, I think back to the Hamilton game a few months ago, but it’s not often I can be as critical.

“We can work on that though. We lost five goals from five crosses and we need to be, and will be, far, far better than that.”

Motherwell’s attempts to secure seventh place took a dent as St Johnstone put the Steelmen to the sword at Fir Park.

Goal difference keeps Stephen Robinson’s at the summit of the bottom six, but the Saints five goal haul has tightened the gap in the push for seventh.

With a game just around the corner on Tuesday night, Stephen Robinson gave Barry McGuire, Elliot Frear and Nadir Çiftçi a starting place, resting Ricard Tait and Cédric Kipré, with Ryan Bowman dropping to the bench.

In a crazy nine-minute period before half-time, a Steven MacLean double and another from Steven Anderson put Saints in the driving seat.

That scenario looked so unlikely as the Fir Park side controlled the first 30 minutes, with seemingly just a question of time before they opened the scoring.

Curtis Main in particular appeared hungry to add to his haul of eight goals.

The first threat came when Main’s low driven cross from the left was fumbled by Zander Clark on his goal line.

His best chance came after 15 minutes when Liam Grimshaw threaded a great pass into the box but having debated which foot to use Main finally hammered the ball off Joe Shaughnessy from 14 yards.

Cadden was the provider, finding Main from the corner of the box, but the former Portsmouth striker was unable to get the ball out from under his feet and his effort squirmed harmlessly towards Clark.

The pressure mounted on the visitor’s goal and around the half hour mark ‘Well forced three consecutive corners. Despite Cadden curling each of them into the goal mouth, Clark and his defence stood firm.

Within a minute, and in their first real attack, Saints showed them the way to goal.

The Perth men were allowed far too much time to retain possession around the home box before Richard Foster picked out the unmarked MacLean, who buried his header into the corner of the net and beyond Trevor Carson.

Four minutes later, Saints doubled their lead. The home defence failed to deal with George Williams free kick into the box and after Carson clawed away Murray Davidson’s effort, Anderson took advantage of a static defence to ram the loose ball high over the ‘keeper.

Before the 40th minute, Saints were 3-0 up. Matty Willock got in behind and his pass across the face of the goal found the unchallenged MacLean sliding in to force the ball home.

Not surprisingly, the ‘Well boss made two changes at half-time, bringing on Bigirimana and Bowman and withdrawing Grimshaw and McHugh.

That bold move might have been rewarded with a fightback, especially when ‘Well were unlucky not to pull a goal back within five minutes of the restart.

Bigirimana’s measured free kick from 30 yards had Clark scrambling to palm the ball round the post. Frear’s corner found Çiftçi four yards from goal and his stabbed shot was destined for the net until it smacked off the face of the unsuspecting ‘keeper and back into play.

However, any thoughts of a fightback were killed off when MacLean toe poked Davidson’s trundling shot beyond Carson to claim a hat-trick and ensure all three points were heading back to Perth.

Thirteen minutes from time, ‘Well managed to reduce the leeway. Main set up Bowman and when his shot rebounded from the crossbar, Bigirimana nipped in to nod the ball home.

Two minutes later, though, Saints substitute David McMillan headed home a terrific Foster cross back across Carson and into the far corner of the net to complete a miserable afternoon for the Fir Park men.

Allan Campbell has been called up for Scotland Under 21’s summer participation in the Toulon Tournament.

The midfielder, who has established himself as a regular member of Scot Gemmill’s side, will come up against France. South Korea and Togo at the competition.

Scotland face Togo on Sunday, 27 May, before taking on the hosts three days later and then South Korea on Saturday, 2 June.

The tournament in the south of France is for players  born on or after 1997.

The Steelmen secure Premiership status, coming from a goal down to beat Dundee 2-1. 

Liam Grimshaw, James Scott and goalscorer Cédric Kipré react to a hard-fought home win against Dundee.

Stephen Robinson reflects on his sides victory over Dundee, which secures Premiership status for the Steelmen.

[tab:Match report]

Phil McGhee at Fir Park

Motherwell tightened their grip on seventh spot after edging out Dundee in a tightly contested affair.

After falling behind to a Genseric Kusunga goal, Ryan Bowman netted an equaliser before Cedric Kipre, with his first goal for the club, grabbed the winner shortly after half-time.

‘Well kicked off in the knowledge that they were mathematically clear of the automatic relegation spot. Stephen Robinson’s men, though, were determined to distance themselves from the dogfight to avoid the play-off spot. With Dundee still among that pack a tough ninety minutes was anticipated from a side which hadn’t lost at Fir park since 2015.

The ‘Well line-up had that familiar look and shape about it. Curtis Main, with a splint to protect his left wrist, was able to lead the line alongside Bowman who passed up the first chance of the game. Only Andy Rose was missing from last week’s starting line-up.

After only six minutes Chris Cadden’s cross picked out Bowman in the six yard box. Having directed his header onto the post, the big striker then stooped to meet the rebound only to aim the ball straight at the startled ‘keeper.

Dundee’s response was immediate with Mark O’Hara’s low shot forcing Trevor Carson into an early save.

The Fir Park ‘keeper then produced another couple of saves, standing firm to repel Simon Murray’s thumping drive, before turning Steven Caulker’s header over the bar.

The ‘Well defence struggled to match the physical presence of the former Liverpool man and paid the price after 24 minutes. He climbed highest to direct Paul McGowan’s corner towards a packed goalmouth where Kusunga applied the touch to carry the ball over the line.

That prompted an immediate response from the Steelmen with a bit more urgency about their play. Charles Dunne failed to get enough purchase on Cadden’s first corner. But from the second the full back powered his header towards goal with Bowman steering it high into the net to level the scores.

A few minutes later Alan Campbell won the ball in the middle of the visitor’s half providing Curtis Main with the chance to hit a ferocious 25 yard drive which Elliot Parish was happy to parry wide.

For the remainder of the half the the action switched from end to end with neither team dominating, although ‘Well were dealt a blow five minutes from the break when Bowman limped off and replaced with 17-year old James Scott.

The start of the second half was delayed for five minutes while Dundee scorer Kusunga received treatment on the pitch before being stretchered off. When the game finally got underway it was the home side that looked more fired up – taking the lead within five minutes.

In a well-worked free kick Cadden exchanged passes with Main before curling a tempting ball to the back post where Kipre gladly accepted, powering his header between Parish and his left hand post.

However, with the Dens Park side desperate to take something from the game Carson was still the busier ‘keeper producing two decent stops to deny Kevin Holt and O’Mara.

For the the final ten minutes Carson’s goal was under siege from a succession of corners and crosses. The 913-strong travelling support behind the ’keeper’s goal thought they had snatched a point only to see O’Hara fire over the bar from close range, ending the visitors hopes.

Carl McHugh vows the squad will continue to battle and push for seventh spot in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

With just four league matches remaining, the skipper has his sights focused on Saturday’s clash with Dundee.

And while the excitement builds around Motherwell ahead of May’s Scottish Cup final, the Irishman is confident that the showdown with Celtic won’t serve as a distraction for the Steelmen.

“The next four games will be tough for us,” the midfielder admitted. “We’ll be playing against sides who are scrapping for their lives and they may not be the prettiest of games.

“But we’ve shown that we’ll be committed in these last four games to get as many points on the board as possible before the final.”

He added: “We have to play at a high intensity. We can’t play any other way. Any time we’ve dropped our standards, we’ve come unstuck.”

The referee for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Premiership match against Dundee is Nick Walsh.

It marks the referee’s fourth ‘Well appointment of the 2017/18 campaign, after the 1-0 loss to Aberdeen back in September and the 1-1 draw against Patrick Thistle, both of which were played at Fir Park.

He was also in the middle the last time the Steelmen played at home in the 2-2 draw with Rangers.

The young official took charge of his very first Premiership game in the 2016/17 season, and his involvements with the Steelmen last term were his only involvements with the club prior to this campaign.

Before the 1-0 loss against Aberdeen at Fir Park, ‘Well had a 100% record, albeit just in the two matches the official had taken charge of.

In the five games he has overseen, Walsh has handed out 22 yellow cards, 10 of those flashed at a player in claret and amber.

His assistants are David McGeachie and Ralph Gordon, with Willie Collum on fourth official duties.

Motherwell have a number of players currently sidelined through injury.

Andy Rose suffered an injury to his clavicle during the 0-0 weekend draw with Ross County.

After having an x-ray on Sunday, the club are monitoring how long it is necessary for him to be out and are, at this stage, still hopeful he will make the William Hill Scottish Cup final on May 19.

Curtis Main was also injured during the game in Dingwall. The striker had an x-ray on his wrist on Monday which didn’t show any initial fracture.

He will undergo further tests this week to determine the extent of the injury but is not expected to spend long on the sidelines.

Carl McHugh also damaged his front teeth during the match with County and had dental treatment on Monday. He is not expected to spend any time out.

As has already been announced, George Newell fractured his cheekbone during the William Hill Scottish Cup semi final win against Aberdeen. It is not yet known whether the young striker will need surgery.

The medical staff are also continuing to monitor an ankle knock sustained by Nadir Çiftçi in training.

Ellis Plummer, Peter Hartley and Craig Tanner remain our long-term injury absentees.