Theo Bair found his type as Motherwell beat Livingston 3-1 to file a primary win in 16 cinch Premiership matches.
The ahead scored two and arrange one other for Blair Spital as Motherwell doubled their first-half purpose tally for the league season inside 35 minutes.
Scott Pittman had made it 2-1 however Bair’s fourth purpose of the season put the sport past the attain of the underside facet.
Livi continued battling however couldn’t get a lifeline as they drifted seven factors behind their rivals on the foot of the desk.
How Motherwell claimed a much-needed win
Since their earlier assembly, which Livi gained 2-0, David Martindale’s facet had solely scored two targets and picked up two factors in 11 video games, whereas Motherwell’s future with no win was piling strain on supervisor Stuart Kettlewell.
Kettlewell made a giant name as he handed Oli Shaw his second begin since his mortgage transfer from Barnsley and recalled Bair in a three-pronged strikeforce with Callum Slattery and Harry Paton dropping to the bench.
Motherwell had solely opened the scoring as soon as since their earlier win, in opposition to Hearts on September 3, however they got here shut twice inside 4 minutes. Bair sliced vast off a defender earlier than Shamal George saved properly from Mika Biereth from shut vary following Georgie Gent’s cross.
The sport stopped for 60 seconds on the 10-minute mark as applause rang out round Fir Park for former Motherwell skipper Phil O’Donnell, 16 years and a day after he died after collapsing throughout a recreation.
Bair noticed one other effort deflected vast earlier than organising the opener within the 14th minute.
Joel Nouble dallied in possession simply outdoors his personal field and was robbed by Biereth, who performed it on to Bair. The previous St Johnstone striker seemed like he might need handed up the possibility however he performed the ball in entrance of Spittal simply in time for the midfielder to stab dwelling.
Spittal repaid the service 5 minutes later when he performed Bair in behind from close to the touchline and midway line. The Canada worldwide acquired there earlier than George to prod dwelling.
Boos rang out from among the many 216 away followers after every purpose however they had been cheering within the twenty third minute when Cristian Montano chipped the ball over the house defence and Pittman volleyed into the highest nook.
The house facet restored their two-goal lead within the thirty fifth minute. Bair was already shouting for a go down the road when Biereth intercepted a Livingston go and the Dane delivered.
Bair lower inside Mikey Devlin and waited for George to go down earlier than dinking the ball over the goalkeeper and sparking gasps of astonishment from the gang.
Bair virtually had his hat-trick when Shane Blaney’s header bounced off him and went in but it surely was disallowed for offside.
The Irish defender pulled up with a hamstring downside within the closing seconds of the half and was changed by Bevis Mugabi, who was busy with the remainder of the Motherwell defence for a lot of the second interval.
Livingston’s finest probabilities fell to defenders although and Devlin and Ayo Obileye had been off beam following set-pieces to go away the guests in deep relegation bother, though they’ve three dwelling league video games in succession to observe in opposition to Hearts, Dundee and Ross County.
What the managers mentioned…
Livingston supervisor David Martindale:
“The first-half performance, I never saw it coming. It was well below the standard expected of Livingston players.
“They need to in all probability have been three up earlier than they scored. Our defending was stunning. It was shambolic. And it comes from the people on the park.
“I spoke to the players, we can talk about game plans, tactics, formations, it’s all b******* if you don’t do your one-vs-one jobs properly.
“As a defensive unit, the person errors we made within the first half had been horrible.
“We get ourselves back in the game, and we shouldn’t have been anywhere the game, and we shoot ourselves in the foot again with a mistake. It gives us a mountain to climb.
“I’ve sat in quite a few press conferences and tried to take the strain off the gamers and be constructive. I do not really feel that after in the present day’s recreation. Gamers want to start out taking a bit extra accountability. It is too simple in modern-day soccer – sack the supervisor, sack the supervisor.
“What about the players? They now need to start taking responsibility. I tried to take the pressure off them but we are in a relegation battle now and that first-half performance was diabolical. Second half was a bit better but not much.”
Motherwell supervisor Stuart Kettlewell:
“Everyone has spoken about the poor run we have been on and you need to show massive character to get yourself out of that.
“I assumed the primary half, particularly the begin to the sport, was indicative of the place we had been and what the gamers had been pouring into the sport.
“Everyone with that one cause, to break the cycle and give ourselves a chance to move up the table
“The one manner we may do this was defend higher, change on higher, after which from my facet of issues it was very purposeful in going with three strikers, and going with mobility on the high finish of the pitch the place we felt we may try to
expose Livingston. We acquired pleasure from it.
“Second half wasn’t pretty but you know Livingston are going to fight for their cause and you know they are going to go straight up to the striker.
“So what it’s a must to do is defend in opposition to that and the three factors had been all the time going to be crucial factor.”
What’s subsequent?
Motherwell’s subsequent Scottish Premiership match is away to Hibs on Tuesday, whereas Livingston are at dwelling to Hearts.
Each video games kick-off at 3pm.