St Johnstone failed to pick up where they left off before the international break and departed Motherwell empty-handed.
The Perth side went behind to a fourth minute long range goal from Allan Campbell and despite controlling large parts of the game thereafter, couldn’t find an equaliser.
There were several good chances to do so.
Michael O’Halloran should have laid the ball off to Callum Hendry rather than shooting when the hosts got into a mess at the back and keeper Trevor Carson was left stranded.
Hendry was unmarked when he headed a Danny McNamara cross over the bar and substitute Stevie May missed the best opportunity of the lot, dragging a shot past the post after Ricky Lamie’s fresh-air attempted clearance.
Jason Kerr and David Wotherspoon both missed the target with back post headers and Saints’ failure to work Carson over the 90 minutes will have been one of manager Callum Davidson’s biggest frustrations on an afternoon of plenty.
