St Johnstone’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end at Fir Park.
There is no need for Saints to panic though, with the Scottish Cup final just two weeks away.
Apart from the fact that their marking for Motherwell’s two goals left a lot to be desired, there was much to admire in this performance.
All three goals came in the first half, with Lionel Ainsworth and Stephen McManus scoring either side of a Dave Mackay header.
For the vast majority of the second 45 however, Saints were the team on the front foot.
And in the end they can count themselves unlucky they didn’t get at least a draw.
Motherwell were much improved from the team which was torn apart by Dundee United last weekend.
James McFadden, who was absent at Tannadice, should have finished off a slick move on nine minutes but he side-footed straight at Alan Mannus.
Saints had a good chance of their own two minutes later. Stevie May was through one-on-one with Lee Hollis, albeit at an angle. Uncharacteristically he failed to make the keeper work, and dragged his low shot some distance past the post.
The hosts took the lead on 20 minutes. Only Ainsworth will know if his diagonal effort was a shot or a cross, but what wasn’t in doubt was that it sailed over Mannus and into the net.
Saints were only behind for seven minutes though. They have scored a number of goals from corner kicks recently, and this was another, with Mackay powering home a header from a David Wotherspoon out-swinger.
Motherwell restored their advantage on 35 minutes when an Iain Vigurs free-kick was met by and unmarked McManus. The former Scotland man gave Mannus no chance with his header, but Steven Anderson made an attempt to keep it out with his hand.
Thankfully for him, and Saints, the ball was deemed to have already crossed the line before Anderson’s offence, so the goal was given and the centre-back avoided the inevitable red card that would have come his way had it been a penalty.
Saints were the dominant team at the start of the second half and May thought he should have had a penalty just before the hour mark.
Instead of pointing to the spot when he went down in the box from a Keith Lasley challenge though, referee Kevin Clancy booked him for diving.
Tommy Wright’s men kept probing for an equaliser and on 68 minutes Wotherspoon shaved the post with an 18-yarder.
Then, with three minutes left Gary Miller forced an excellent save from Hollis low to his left.