Motherwell 1-2 Kilmarnock

David Lilley heads in Kilmarnock's equaliser

A late goal from Rhian Dodds handed Kilmarnock all three points against Motherwell on a miserable afternoon at Fir Park in Lanarkshire.

Motherwell's David Clarkson opened the scoring when he struck for home from a Phil O'Donnell pass in the 23rd minute.

Killie replied in the second half when David Lilley headed in a Gary Locke corner past keeper Graeme Smith.

But it was Jim Jefferies' side who lasted the pace when Dodds netted an injury time winner with a low strike.

Interview: Motherwell manager Mark McGhee

Interview: Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies

It was a poor start at a soggy Fir Park in the pouring rain and almost 25 minutes expired before any significant impact was made on the match by either side.

Motherwell midfielder Keith Lasley could have opened the scoring with just seven minutes played, when Paul Quinn played a neat one-two with Steven McGarry and crossed from the right into the box and Chris Porter laid the ball back to Keith Lasley, but the shot wide of the left-hand post.

Stephen Craigan missed a sterling opportunity for the home side in the 22nd minute when he leapt on to an inswigning corner from James Paterson, but watched as his effort drifted over the bar.

However, Clarkson finally ended the damp spell after 23 minutes when he was released by O'Donnell on the right and sent in a low drive past Alan Combe from 12 yards out.

Killie had their share of the possession in the opening 30 minutes, but rarely threatened the Motherwell goal.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Jefferies' side squandered their first real chance of the match when William Gibson sent in a cross to the head of Colin Nish, but the 26-year-old striker sent the ball wide from just 12 yards out.

Motherwell's David Clarkson is delighted to score his side's opener

Motherwell failed to extend their lead when Marc Fitzpatrick missed an identical opportunity at the other end with a searching header that drifted wide of the mark.

The pace of the match slowed down as half-time approached and the sides headed in for the break with Motherwell holding on to a narrow, but deserved lead.

Motherwell picked up where they left off in the second half with Clarkson speeding down the left to meet a Fitzpatrick pass, but after rounding Combe at the edge of the box none of his fellow-players were available to benefit from the incoming cross.

Five minutes after the restart, Lasley flighted in a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area, but Clarkson's 18 yard shot drifted to the right.

Right on the hour mark, Killie found the equaliser they required to salvage a point when David Lilley headed in a close range effort from inside the six-yard area after Gary Locke flighted in a dangerous corner.

Motherwell replied with a free-kick at the other end taken by Ross McCormack, but again, Clarkson's close-range effort drifted wide.

With 15 minutes left to play, Kilmarnock's confidence grew in strength and despite some good work by Mark McGhee's men, the Ayrshire side proved tough to break down.

A lapse in concentration on Motherwell's part almost caused an upset as the minutes ticked away when Kilmarnock's Jamie Hamill blasted in a 25-yard shot, which Graeme Smith managed to tip around the post.

Kilmarnock were let off the hook in injury time when ref Stuart Dougal blew for an infringement on goalkeeper Coombe after the ball had crossed the line and the Motherwell fans had already started celebrating a victory.

McCormack thought he had scored his second injury-time winner in as many weeks when he bundled home Clarkson's cross in a packet penalty area following Paterson's free-kick.

However, in the confusion, Kilmarnock broke free on the counter-attack and Dodds provided the injury-time upset when he blasted in a low, left-footed strike from the left side of the penalty area after he picked up a slick cross from Gary Wales.

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Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson, McGarry (McCormack 58), Lasley, O'Donnell, Fitzpatrick, Porter (Darren Smith 83), Clarkson. Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Corrigan, Brian McLean, Mensing, Danny Murphy. Booked: Quinn.

Goals: Clarkson 23.

Kilmarnock: Combe, Lilley, Wright, Ford, O'Leary, Naismith, Gibson (Locke 55), Johnston (Dodds 82), Hamill, Nish, Fernandez (Wales 55). Subs Not Used: Harpur, Invincibile, Murray, Di Giacomo. Booked: Hamill, Locke, Lilley.

Goals: Lilley 60, Dodds 90.

Att: 4,985

Ref: S Dougal.