Kenny Wright netted a late winner as Motherwell beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Fir Park.
The game started as though it was going to be a game full of attacking football with the Dons forcing Gordon Marshall to save from a David Zdrilic shot.
Sadly this was not a taste of what was to come as it was barely another strike at goal in the first half.
Motherwell were forced to make a change in only eight minutes when Jason Dair went down injured and was replaced by Kevin McDonald.
This change did not alter Motherwell's passing style and they forced five corners in the first 20 minutes without troubling David Preece in the Aberdeen goal.
With nine minutes to half time, the Dons almost snatched an unlikely lead when Keith Lasley was forced to clear off the line after Marshall had blocked at the feet of Scott Booth.
Motherwell's only real efforts before the break were two tame headers from distance.
Motherwell almost took the lead on 54 minutes when a Lasley through ball released Alex Burns but with two defenders breathing down his neck he shot tamely at the keeper.
Five minutes later they almost took the lead with David Clarkson screwing a header wide from a McDonald cross.
Aberdeen substitute Scott Muirhead almost made an instant impression on the game when he ran half the length of the pitch before firing in a shot.
The Dons made a further couple of substitutions which seemed to bring them back into the game without again troubling home keeper Marshall.
Then, on 81 minutes Wright came on for Motherwell, replacing the tiring Shaun Fagen and with his first touch he proved to be the game winner.
Steve Hammell released Steve Craig on the left and his cross picked out Wright to sidefoot off the keeper and in.
Motherwell held out well for the last six minutes to secure a second successive clean sheet and pull three more points clear of Livingston in fifth.