Well players get hairdryer for split end

Motherwell 0

St Mirren 2
(Thomson 77, Dorman 87)

THERE had been no disguising Mark McGhee's views. His comments in the build-up to this match had all been pretty unambiguous. Despite being the team in seventh place going into the final round of fixtures before the split, he had always believed that results this weekend would allow Motherwell to leapfrog Hibs in the nick of time.

He was at it again yesterday. In his programme notes he described the game as make or break before stating that Hibs' only hope was that Motherwell bottled it. Victory, he said, would put his men in the top six. Not just overnight, but he thought they would still be there when the final whistle sounded at Easter Road today. "If we beat St Mirren they (Hibs] won't be getting into the top six because I don't believe they'll beat Rangers."

Now it doesn't matter whether they do or don't. His men couldn't complete on their end of the deal and regardless of this afternoon's result against Rangers, Hibs will be see out the season in the top half of the table.

"I'm disappointed with the way it has happened," said McGhee, when he emerged from a lengthy post-match debrief with his players where he warned them that they would have to spend the remainder of the season proving they still have the application and winning attitude he demands or they would be looking for new clubs. "As I said to them, a result like this one has consequences."

Having witnessed how well St Mirren performed against an albeit misfiring Hibs earlier in the week, and given the fact games between this pair have been close this term, the outcome had never been a gimme. Well, nowhere near the formality McGhee seemed to believe it was. It was the Paisley side who had ousted Motherwell from the Scottish Cup and with the task of avoiding relegation still foremost in their minds, they had their own incentives for winning this one.

The home team, though, definitely started with more purpose. They moved forward with pace and menace, working their way through the midfield and keeping hold of the ball until a shot opened up. The problem was converting that possession and frequent attacks into something more palpable.

David Clarkson, Stephen Hughes and John Sutton were all in the mood and when the former unleashed a sizzling drive in the 12th minute, the pace of the shot stung the hands of Mark Howard in the visitors' goal but it also meant that when it spun back out of the area it scooted just past Sutton who was charging in. A Sutton header slipped just wide of the post a minute later and then Hughes had a long-range effort in the 16th minute. It was one chance after another at that stage for Motherwell but St Mirren were unyielding. Jim O'Brien was next to have a go but his shot from the edge of the box went wide. He then had another go, a dipping attempt from a distance, but it was cleared. Hughes was then blocked by Will Haining. "Defenders have to defend properly and try not to make too many mistakes, and we had to do that," said St Mirren manager Gus McPherson, who was thrilled with his first league win of 2009.

It was the 37th minute before St Mirren forced any kind of save from Graeme Smith, a free-kick that was fired in too close to him to startle. St Mirren were the team having to defend.

Organised and committed, they were keeping things level and with a minute of the half remaining they should have taken the lead. A long clearance from Andy Dorman found Craig Dargo and the forward sped off towards Smith's goal, with Stephen Craigan and Mark Reynolds chasing. The keeper came off his line, though, and closed down his shot.

It would have been a cruel blow to Motherwell to go in behind but the incident did serve as a warning. If the home side couldn't turn their attacks into goals, then there was every chance that St Mirren would.

Motherwell started the second half as brightly. Hughes again tried his luck, while Howard had to save another Sutton header. After Haining fouled Jim O'Brien, in the 73rd minute, the resultant free-kick saw Brian McLean's back-headed flick just skim over the bar, but gradually St Mirren started to get more into the game. McGhee had extolled the mental strength of his team, who had struggled back from an early season dogged by injuries to succumb to just two defeats in 14 games. But the longer the match stretched on at stalemate, the more desperate their play began to look.

But if their inability to convert chances had been costly, their frailties at the back were what finally took the feet from under them. It was a Hugh Murray cross to Dargo and Reynolds made a hash of his clearance, allowing the in-rushing Stephen Thomson to tap in his first goal for the club from close range. The first-half warning had not been heeded.

Then it really was all or nothing. Off came Maros Klimpl for Jamie Murphy and then, with the minutes slipping through his fingers, McGhee took off his centre-back Stephen Craigan and replaced him with Cilian Sheridan.

Gung-ho measures were rendered academic moments later though. Out of virtually nothing, Andy Dorman received a pass from Dennis Wyness and sprinkling some of the stardust that he has been so generous with in recent weeks, he hit it first time. An up and down effort that, he says, usurped the goal he scored against Hibs on Monday. The shot from 25 yards out beat Smith, who had been spotted off his line. In a make or break game it was the breaking point for Motherwell. The home fans headed for the exits in droves.