Six of the best at Fir Park

Jose Quitongo scored twice for the Buddies

Motherwell 3-3 St Mirren

Motherwell ruined St Mirren's hopes of leaving the Premier League on a high when they came from behind to secure a draw at Fir Park.

Keith Lasley had given Motherwell an early lead but a Jose Quitongo brace and a Graham Fenton goal meant Saints were on course for the first win against the Fir Park side this season.

But the Paisley side were fortunate to take a point in the end after skipper Tommy Turner was red-carded for handling the ball in the area.

Stuart Elliott slotted home the resultant spot-kick before grabbing the leveller just a few minutes later.

The chances of St Mirren scoring more than 14 goals in this game to stay in the Scottish Premier League were extremely slim.

But manager Tom Hendrie had indicated earlier in the week that he was determined to end the Paisley side's brief flirtation with the top flight on a high.

Stephen McPhee has been outstanding since joining St Mirren on loan from Coventry but has yet to net his first goal since arriving in Paisley.

He had the chance to break that duck when he met Gary Bowman's flick but screwed the shot wide.

If Motherwell had been rattled by such a promising start from the visitors it didn't show and they surged into the lead just one minute later.

Elliott picked out Lasley just outside the six-yard box and he left goalkeeper Ludovic Roy helpless when he drove the ball past the Frenchman.

McPhee again tried to add his name to the scoresheet when he followed up with the rebound but Corrigan was alert to the threat and once again produced the clearance.

It was Quitongo who brought Saints back into the game when he grabbed the leveller.

Rudden swung a long ball into the box that was met by the small hitman, who nodded past the goalkeeper from five yards.

Chris Kerr twice had the chance to add to St Mirren's lead shortly before the break but on both occasions the defender fired over the crossbar.

St Mirren had obviously been boosted by Quitongo's equaliser and, within three minutes of the re-start, they were ahead.

A re-taken free kick from Fenton saw the englishman grab only his second goal for St Mirren when he fired the ball past Woods after 49 minutes.

Saints were dominating most of the play and Quitongo added to their lead when his long low drive from the edge of the 18-yard box slid past the goalkeeper after 56 minutes.

The game took a turn for the worse for St Mirren after 72 minutes. Turner looked to have cleared Elliott's header off the line but the referee ruled that the Saints skipper had handled the ball.

Turner was shown the red card and the referee pointed to the spot. Elliott stepped up to coolly slot home the penlty.

After 77 minutes, the Northern Ireland international added to his goal tally again.

Roy had produced a superb save to deny substitute James McFadden but Elliott was on hand to rifle home the rebound.

Lasley could have snatched the three points for Motherwell with seven minutes to go but fired over the crossbar.

---

Motherwell: Woods, Corrigan, Kemble, Townsley, Hammell, Harvey, Ramsey, Lasley, Pearson, Twaddle, Elliott.

Subs: Oakley, Nicholas, Ouiefio, Connolly, McFadden.

St Mirren: Roy, Rudden, Turner, Walker, Nicolson, Fenton, Bowman, Kerr, Quitongo, McGarry, McPhee.

Subs: Scrimgour, Yardley, Robinson, McKnight, Renfurm.

Referee: W Young