Kilmarnock 0-1 Motherwell

Louis Moult's late winner sunk Kilmarnock

Motherwell earned their first win under Mark McGhee as Louis Moult poked in a late goal at Rugby Park.

The game looked destined to end in a stalemate with neither team looking able to produce sufficient spark up front to earn all three points.

Kilmarnock had enjoyed the better of the overall play but rarely tested the Motherwell goal.

And they paid for that in the closing moments as the ball broke to substitute Moult to fire past Jamie MacDonald.

It was rather cruel on the home side who had looked the likelier to score, though both teams struggled for much of the game to create meaningful opportunities.

Indeed, the only effort on goal of any note in the first half came a minute before the interval when Kallum Higginbotham played a short free kick to Rory McKenzie and the captain rifled a shot goalwards from 20 yards, but Connor Ripley dealt with it comfortably.

Josh Magennis rises to win a header for Kilmarnock

The first test of MacDonald in the home goal didn't materialise until early in the second half but though Theo Robinson's header was powerful enough it was straight into the arms of the keeper.

Higginbotham made Ripley work again midway through the second period with a fine strike on the half-volley from outside the box, but the keeper got down sharply to keep the shot out.

Killie began to carve out shooting opportunities, with Greg Kiltie, Josh Magennis and Rory McKenzie all failing to hit the target from good positions.

And so it fell to Moult to snatch the points; he would have had a second in the closing seconds but for a good save by MacDonald.

The visitors will settle for the narrow victory though as they recorded their first win in five games.