St Johnstone completed their second victory in a row over Motherwell following last week’s Scottish Cup win as the visitors shot themselves in the foot, conceding two late goals to leave Perth empty handed.

Motherwell have Andy Halliday’s composure to thank for the opener, his penalty after a handball in the box giving the visitors a deserved lead just a few minutes into the action.

Yet with less than five left to play Taylor Steven used his poaching instincts to profit from disarray at a set piece and level the score for St Johnstone.

Completing their nightmare collapse, Motherwell were floored when a couple of minutes later as Bozo Mikulic reacted quickest following a corner to fire home the winner for the home side.

After conceding the early goal, Simo Valakari’s men began to grow into the game, January signing Victor Griffith denied by an outstretched Ellery Balcombe, making his first start since his arrival on loan from Brentford.

With a somewhat optimistic effort, Tony Watt fired a shot from range but saw the ball fly comfortably into the palms of Andy Fisher.

Halliday came close to a second but his deflected effort came dipped too late and landed on the roof of Fisher’s goal.

His opposite number Ballcombe was soon called back into action with a fantastic save to keep Graham Carey from equalising in the second half.

St Johnstone continued to apply the pressure with Nicky Clark coming agonisingly close, his shot however lacking the required accuracy and travelling just wide.

Coming closer with each attempt, Makenzie Kirk’s header forced the Motherwell keeper into yet another series of saves, doing well to keep out Adama Sidibeh on the rebound.

The result sees St Johnstone narrow the gap on 11th placed Kilmarnock to seven points whilst Motherwell remain fifth albeit having won just one in their last five.

Line-ups:

St Johnstone: Fisher, Mikulic, Sprangler (c), Wright, Douglas (Steven 80), Holt (Clark 65), Kucheriavyi (Sidibeh 46), Curtis, Griffith, Carey, Kirk (Franczak 96) Unused subs: Essel, Kimpioka, Raymond, Smith

Booked: Kucheriavyi

Goals: Steven (86), Mikulic (88)

Motherwell: Balcombe, Blaney, Gordon, O’Donnell (c), Kaleta (Koutroumbis 78), Paton (Andrews 78), Halliday (Zdravkovski 67), Sparrow (Thompson 60), Nicholson (Armstrong 67), Maswanhise, Watt Unused subs: Balmer, Casey, Connelly, Koutroumbis, Wilson

Booked: Sparrow, Thompson, Paton, Armstrong

Goals: Halliday (4 pen)

Attendance: 3,892

Referee: Kevin Clancy