St Johnstone interim boss Steven MacLean praised the attitude of his players as the Perth side edged closer towards cinch Premiership safety with a vital 1-0 win over Dundee United at McDiarmid Park.
Captain Liam Gordon steered home the crucial goal from close range after a Stevie May miscue before United saw Charlie Mulgrew sent off for hauling down Melker Hallberg.
Steven Fletcher hit the goalframe for the visitors in the last minute but St Johnstone held on for a first victory since they beat the same opposition in February. It was also their first triumph at McDiarmid Park since they beat Rangers in early November.
After taking four points from his two games in charge, MacLean hopes his side have stopped the rot.
He said: “I’m proud. Happy for the players and happy for the supporters. I think it was deserved. I thought we played well.
“We had to defend at the end which is what you have to do because they’re fighting for their lives as well.
“They threw caution to the wind and threw bodies towards, put (Ryan) Edwards on up front so it’s always going to be tricky but we defended really well.
“If I’ve got a gripe, it would be that we could’ve scored more. We had 17 shots. That’s 14 shots and 17 shots in the last two games which is good but we want to keep building.
“I’m delighted. The players have reacted well and I’ve got a reaction out of them but it’s only one game.
“We’re in tomorrow and we’re going to prepare for Motherwell and we’re going to do everything right.”
MacLean also insisted he has not had any conversations with chairman Steve Brown about his long-term future, with his focus firmly on Saints’ fight against the drop.
He added: “There’s been nothing. Hopefully he’ll be happy with me for getting a result. I’m sure I’ll speak to him. I spoke to him on Thursday.
“He was good – he asked me how it had been and I thank him for giving me the opportunity. Hopefully he can sleep well tonight.
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin, meanwhile, rued Fletcher’s late miss as he praised his side for staying in the game.
He said: “Credit to the players, they never gave up. We tried to get as many offensive bodies on the pitch as possible towards the end and we knew we’d leave ourselves light and we were hit on the counter on a couple of occasions.
“I think if Fletcher’s effort at the end goes in then, over the piece, a draw would have been a fair outcome.”
The United boss also said he has not decided if his club will appeal against the red card shown to Mulgrew.
The defender was beaten to the ball by Hallberg and he caught the midfielder who was through on goal, although the offence did take place out wide towards the touchline.
Goodwin added: “I haven’t had the chance to watch it back so I’ll wait and see, and sit with the analyst. Then we’ll give a response.
“I’m reluctant to comment (on the prospect of losing Mulgrew) but of course Charlie has been a very important player.
“We’ll have a look back at the situation. Was there a covering defender? Was it a clear goalscoring opportunity? And we’ll assess that on Monday morning and decide which way we want to go.”
Standard set for Clement as Rangers tee up Old Firm final clash
Phillipe Clement said Rangers' performance against Motherwell must serve as a reference for the rest of their season after they teed up a Scottish League Cup final clash with Celtic.
Rangers fought back for a 2-1 victory on Sunday, with Cyriel Dessers and Nedim Bajrami on target one day after Celtic trounced Aberdeen 6-0 in the first semi-final.
Dessers converted Connor Barron's cross to level things up in the 49th minute, then Bajrami saw his strike deflect home nine minutes from time to ease the pressure on Clement.
The Gers have endured a difficult Premiership season to date and trail rivals Celtic, who they will face in the League Cup final on December 15, by nine points in the table.
Clement, however, believes they can achieve big things if they replicate the performance they produced at Hampden Park on a regular basis.
"We can go where we want to be, which is the final," he told Premier Sports.
"We had that amazing feeling together with the fans last season and we can battle for that again.
"This needs to be also a reference game for this squad, for this new squad.
"To do what we've been doing a lot last season, to dig in and in every situation to keep our belief, to keep on going, to keep on fighting and to break the wall if we go behind...
"This can be a massive game at the end of the season to have this one as a reference. I want to see, every three days, this mentality."
Aberdeen deliver statement win over Rangers to keep pace with Celtic
Shayden Morris' winner helped Aberdeen defeat Rangers 2-1 to maintain their unbeaten run and stay level on points with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
The hosts took the lead through Nicky Devlin after 31 minutes at the Pittodrie Stadium before Nedim Bajrami's individual brilliance saw Rangers back on level terms 18 minutes into the second half.
Celebrations soon resumed in Aberdeen as substitute Morris crashed in the winner 11 minutes later.
Victory sees Jimmy Thelin's side move nine points clear of Rangers, who sit in third, as they remain level on 28 points with Celtic, only behind on goal difference.
Celtic continued to add to that superior goal difference with a 2-0 win over Dundee at Celtic Park.
Two goals inside 10 minutes in the second half from Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels gave them a routine victory to keep them unbeaten at the top of the table.
Celtic return to Premiership summit, Rangers edge past St Mirren
Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership table with a routine 3-0 victory at Motherwell, putting them back above Aberdeen on goal difference.
Brendan Rodgers' Bhoys had been knocked off the summit by the Dons' 1-0 win over Dundee United on Saturday, but they responded by easing to their eighth victory in nine games at Fir Park.
Luke McCowan steered in the opener on his first Celtic start, after Lennon Miller had twice struck the woodwork in the early stages.
Stand-in captain Alistair Johnston then ghosted in to score their second at the back post shortly before the hour mark, with Adam Idah adding a third before Motherwall's Liam Gordon was sent off in stoppage time.
That result piled the pressure on Rangers, who could have ended the weekend nine points adrift of the top two, but they claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St Mirren at Ibrox to stay within six.
Mohamed Diomande's powerful close-range finish put the Gers ahead, but Alex Gogic rose to nod in a St Mirren equaliser midway through the first half.
Vaclav Cerny spared their blushes, though, as he scored the winner following good work from Cyriel Dessers in the 69th minute.
Rangers go to second-placed Aberdeen, who are yet to lose this season, for a huge fixture in the title race on Wednesday.
In Sunday's other Premiership game, teenager James Wilson struck three minutes from time to rescue a point for Hearts in a 1-1 Edinburgh Derby draw at Hibernian.
Mykola Kuharevich had put Hibs ahead on the rebound after Marvin Ekpiteta headed against the crossbar just after the hour mark, but Wilson got the final touch to divert James Penrice's long throw home with stoppage time looming.
The result keeps Hibs rooted to the foot of the table with six points, though they are only behind 11th-placed Hearts on goal difference and still have a game in hand to come.
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