Tuesday's Scottish football - as it happened

1. FT: Motherwell 5-0 St Mirren (Erwin 2, McDonald, Sutton 2)
2. Buddies now 10 points behind at the bottom
3. FT: Ross County 1-0 St Johnstone (Boyce)
4. Seventh win in eight-game unbeaten run for Staggies

Good night.

Please join us again tomorrow evening for more live Scottish football coverage. Highlights of tonight's games will be available on the BBC Sport website on Wednesday.

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright

"I don't think we passed the ball well enough. We didn't do enough to win the game."

Almost time for me to go...

#bbcscotfootball

john grant: "St Mirren are doomed to life in the Championship next season. Shouldn't have got rid of Danny Lennon! #bbcscotfootball"

As well as the Premiership games, there are four Championship fixtures on Wednesday evening.

Promotion hopefuls Hibernian visit Dumbarton, champions Hearts host Alloa Athletic, who have just appointed Danny Lennon as manager, fourth-place Falkirk travel to face bottom side Livingston and Raith Rovers take on Cowdenbeath.

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre

"Absolutely delighted for Liam Boyce to get his goal. He's been a big part of this run. We showed great desire to keep grinding. We kept at it and we got our just rewards in the end with great perseverance."

Partick Thistle now find themselves only a point above 10th-place Ross County and the Jags face the Scottish Premiership leaders at Celtic Park.

Second-place Aberdeen host third-place Inverness Caledonian Stadium. An eight-point gap currently exists between the sides.

And there's a Dundee derby at Dens Park with United looking to arrest a run of nine matches without a win.

Let's look at tomorrow evening's fixtures...

Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough

"I'd have taken one but the boys performed very well. We've got to match [Ross County] stride for stride. The three strikers are all firing and it's pleasing for a manager to have selection headaches like that."

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Anonymous: "Massive game for the jags on Saturday"

Anonymous: "I think St Mirren are gone,but who goes into the play off place,County,Motherwell,Thistle even Kilmarnock ,going to the wire"

St Mirren manager Gary Teale

"Extremely disappointed. Schoolboy errors for the goals. It's going to be nigh on impossible to get out of it. I'm hurting."

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Craig: "Horrendous display from saints. Never going back to Dingwall again, what a waste of time. Mcfadden was no where to be seen."

Ross County 1-0 St Johnstone

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Liam Boyce made the difference for Ross County tonight, netting the only goal against St Johnstone

Motherwell 5-0 St Mirren

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A difficult night for St Mirren manager Gary Teale, his side look destined for relegation to the Scottish Championship

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Gordon in Falkirk (and not bitter at all about last year): "Guys. Can Hamilton be caught by Motherwell and County if they lose all their games and the other 2 win all theirs and draw against one another. I made a small wager that the Accies would end up in the playoff place when AlexNeil left."

Andy, concerned Jags fan: "St Mirren gone. Thistle and potentially Killy not out of it. Jags form vs bottom 6 not good. Schedule of post split fixtures could be crucial! Ideally ross co and motherwell play early..."

Motherwell forward Scott McDonald

"We're winning games but we want to get better. I think finally the gaffer's message is getting across. We're a danger for anyone. We're looking onwards and upwards."

Motherwell 5-0 St Mirren

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Viktor Genev's demeanour sums up St Mirren's night at Fir Park

FULL-TIME

Ross County maintain their three-point lead over 11th-place Motherwell and extend their advantage over St Mirren to 13 points with a seventh win in their last eight.

FULL-TIME

It's all over at Fir Park and Motherwell go 10 points clear of sorry St Mirren. Dominant display from the visitors. Bottom place Buddies have a mountain to climb.

GREAT SAVE!

Fine save from George Long at Fir Park as he clutches John McGinn's swerving shot from 30 yards.

#bbcscotfootball

Euan Crabb: "#bbcscotfootball I thought right at the start of the season St Mirren were contenders for relegation & time has proved me right!"

Motherwell 5-0 St Mirren

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John Sutton has had a fruitful substitute appearance, netting Motherwell's fourth and fifth goals

GOAL

Ross County take a late lead at Victoria Park with Liam Boyce looping a header past Alan Mannus following Jamie Reckord's cross.

GOAL

It's a fifth for Motherwell and a second for substitute John Sutton, who toe-pokes over the line after Scott McDonald's shot had been.

GET INVOLVED

What do these results mean for the rest of the season? Let me know your thoughts...

Text 80295 or tweet using the hashtag #bbcscotfootball

HITS THE WOODWORK

It's just not been St Mirren's night. Stephen Mallan finds some space in the box and curls a shot onto the post.

CLOSE!

And then Liam Boyce threatens for County. He twists and turns and elects to shoot rather than pass to Craig Curran and the ball goes wide. The pass might have been the better option...

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

Saints keeper Alan Mannus holds on with a diving save as an awkward, bouncing free-kick takes a nick off team-mate Steven Anderson's head.

GOAL

John Sutton heads Marvin Johnson's inswinging free-kick past Mark Ridgers. Too easy against for Well.

AS IT STANDS

Motherwell will go 10 points clear of bottom side St Mirren. Ross County will be 11 points clear of the Buddies. St Johnstone will go level on points with third-place Dundee United.

GREAT SAVE!

Motherwell close to a fourth as Conor Grant's low strike from the left is palmed away by Mark Ridgers.

GREAT SAVE!

George Long gets down to block Marc McAusland's header. A rare chance for St Mirren.

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

Following a spot of head-tennis, an awkward volley from Martin Woods is deflected over, and from the corner Jackson Irvine sends a header wide. It's just not happening for the Staggies in front of goal.

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

Liam Boyce cuts in from the right to have a lash at goal but finds his path blocked by two sliding St Johnstone defenders.

Motherwell 3-0 St Mirren

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St Mirren manager Gary Teale watches on from the technical area. It's been a miserable evening so far for the visitors

Motherwell 3-0 St Mirren

Stephen Pearson limps off to be replaced by Conor Grant. Pearson received warm applause from the Motherwell fans as he came off.

Motherwell 3-0 St Mirren

Motherwell are comfortable on the ball and are still looking for any opportunity to add to their lead. St Mirren are toiling and the half-time introduction of Steven Thompson and Gregg Wylde has not yet had the impact manager Gary Teale would have been hoping for.

County's Craig Curran dips a shoulder and goes past his marker to flash the ball across goal. Rafa Da Vitta dives in at the back post but cannot steer his header on target from close range.

Saints skipper Dave Mackay is next to be cautioned for upending Rafa Da Vitta inches from the penalty box. The home players' appeal half-heartedly for a spot-kick and the free-kick, played in low from the left, is easily mopped up by the visitors.

Steven MacLean and now James McFadden have been booked for late challenges. It's been a frustrating night for the St Johnstone forwards, who have been living off meagre scraps.

What can St Mirren do to salvage something from this game? Their situation at the foot of the table looks perilous...

Craig Curran connects with a low cross from the left on the slide near the penalty spot but the County forward can only scoop the ball high over the crossbar.

KICK-OFF

And they're up and running again at Fir Park too.

KICK-OFF

The match in Dingwall resumes.

St Mirren make a double change at half-time with Steven Thompson and Gregg Wylde coming on for James Dayton Kieran Sadlier.

Motherwell 3-0 St Mirren

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Everything seemed to go Motherwell's way in the first half, St Mirren have it all to do

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

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No goals so far in Dingwall with County shading it in terms of chances

HALF-TIME

Motherwell have taken St Mirren apart in the first half and the gap between the two sides will extend to 10 points unless the bottom-place Buddies can drastically change their fortunes in the second half.

HALF-TIME

The home side have had the best of things as both sides harangue referee Kevin Clancy on the way up the tunnel. Martin Woods curled an early free-kick wide and his low shot was then well saved by Saints keeper Alan Mannus.

GOAL

Motherwell make it look so simple as Marvin Johnson takes down a Lionel Ainsworth chip at the back post before cutting back to Scott McDonald, who applies a low finish.

Saints defenders are back-pedalling furiously as Jackson Irvine strides forward in the middle of the park but the Australian midfielder balloons his shot from 25 yards high over the target.

Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren

St Mirren seem to be second to every ball at Fir Park. They are shorn of confidence and desperately need a big turnaround in this match.

Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren

Motherwell striker Scott McDonald is clean through on goal as he runs on to Lee Erwin's pass but the Australian made his run just a little too early and is flagged offside.

The visitors are a threat on the counter-attack and Michael O'Halloran shows good speed to break from the left only to skew his lofted effort wide when inside the penalty area.

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St Mirren have been second best so far at Fir Park, can they recover?

Ouch!

Saints' Alan Mannus is at full-stretch to keep out a low shot from Martin Woods, the ball is loose for a second, and the goalkeeper takes a sore-looking dunt from the sliding Craig Curran as he recovers to smother inside the six-yard box.

Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren

It looked for a moment as if Craig Thomson had awarded Motherwell a penalty following a challenge on Scott McDonald but an offside flag had already been raised against the striker.

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A committed challenge between St Johnstone's Frazer Wright and Ross County's Liam Boyce

What a start for Motherwell. They are on course to extend their lead over bottom side St Mirren to 10 points.

GOAL

It's two for Motherwell and two for Lee Erwin. His second was remarkably similar to his first, retrieving the ball with his back to goal, turning and firing low past Mark Ridgers.

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

Paul Quinn's long-range shot is deflected wide of the St Johnstone goal. The hosts look purposeful in possession but Saints are working hard to protect keeper Alan Mannus.

Fairly set pattern at Fir Park. Motherwell ell on top against St Mirren.

Much more even at Victoria Park between Ross County and St Johnstone.

GREAT SAVE!

St Mirren goalkeeper Mark Ridgers parries wide after Marvin Johnson sends in a volley following a corner. From the next delivery, Stephen McManus heads wide amid more poor defending from the visitors.

Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone

Howls of derision from the home fans as referee Kevin Clancy inadvertently breaks up a County attack, failing to get his legs out of the way. St Johnstone break away but cannot take advantage of the unusual assist.

Lee Erwin's first goal of the season and indeed for the club was also against St Mirren way back at the start of the season.

GOAL

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Motherwell have the lead. Lionel Ainsworth gets to the byline and cuts back to Lee Erwin who, with his back to goal, is allowed to turn and drill low into the net.

CLOSE!

Ross County win a free-kick in a central position 25 yards out and Martin Woods curls an effort narrowly wide.

PENALTY APPEAL

Faint cries for a penalty after James Dayton is closed down by Scott McDonald in the Motherwell box. Referee Craig Thompson was in close proximity and simply shook his head.

Motherwell 0-0 St Mirren

Motherwell win an early free-kick following a foul on striker Lee Erwin. Josh Law steps up to take but his effort does not pose too many problems for goalkeeper George Long.

REVISED LINE-UPS

Motherwell: George Long, Law, Laing, McManus, Straker, Ainsworth, Lasley, Pearson, Johnson, McDonald, Erwin. Subs: Ramsden, Sutton, Twardzik, O'Brien, Moore, Dominic Thomas, Grant.

St Mirren: Ridgers, Naismith, McAusland, Genev, Kelly, Goodwin, Dayton, Sadlier, Mallan, McGinn, Arquin. Subs: Gow, Thompson, Wylde, Reilly, Brown, Sonupe, Wilks.

Referee: Craig Thomson.

St Mirren lost Jeroen Tesselaar to injury pre-match.

KICK-OFF

And the games are off...

Players out on the pitch and the games are almost underway.

Gilmour also spoke to BBC Scotland pre-match...

"We want to be a Premiership club and it's been a very frustrating and disappointing season," he said. Yes the board of directors of St Mirren have obviously made a wrong decision in the appointment of our manager [Tommy Craig] earlier in the season and that's unfortunate.

"But it's still in our hands and if we get a win tonight and and another on Monday against Ross County, the pendulum swings and we're the form team."

And the St Mirren chairman responded to Celtic manager Ronny Deila's view that Scotland's pitches are hindering player development.

"I just can't believe it - I don't know where he's coming from with that," said Gilmour.

St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour has issued a statement on his club website ahead of tonight's vital Scottish Premiership visit to Motherwell urging the Paisley club's fans to get behind the team.

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"On behalf of The Board of Directors of St Mirren FC we hope that our supporters will travel in good numbers to Motherwell tonight for this very important match and give the players your full backing," he said. "It has been a very frustrating season but one which can be recoverable starting tonight.

"In past years St Mirren teams have reacted to the fantastic support they have received for big matches at Motherwell and Falkirk, twice, and the teams have come away with the results at crucial times so we would ask if you can be there tonight to attend and give the players your 100% backing throughout the game."

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre

"Winning six and drawing one in the last seven games has been a fantastic effort from the players. It's important that we just keep focussing on the next game that's in front of us."

A pre-match injury blow for St Mirren. Jeroen Tesselaar has pulled up with an injury and Sean Kelly will replace him in the starting line-up. Thomas Reilly takes Kelly's place on the substitutes' bench.

St Mirren manager Gary Teale

"I think we've got enough in the side to go and get a result tonight. We have been playing reasonably well - we haven't been carrying a lot of luck. We've just lacked that cutting edge, that goal threat."

Newly-appointed Alloa Athletic manager Danny Lennon has been giving his thoughts on the Paisley club's plight.

"I went into that football club on very good foundations built by Gus MacPherson and I think the proof is there that I added to that a little bit," he said. "To see them where they are at this moment in time, I feel as if they've taken a step backwards.

Click here to read more from former manager Danny Lennon on St Mirren.

Ross County: Brown, Fraser, Boyd, Paul Quinn, Reckord, Gardyne, Irvine, Woods, De Vita, Boyce, Curran. Subs: Reguero, Meite, Cardle, Jervis, Kiss, Sernas, Palazuelos.

St Johnstone: Mannus, Mackay, Wright, Anderson, Easton, Millar, Lappin, Wotherspoon, O'Halloran, McFadden, MacLean. Subs: Scobbie, Swanson, Graham, Banks, Miller, Croft, Kane.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.

Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough

"[A win] would take us 10 points away from them, which is massive at this stage of the season. I don't know what to expect from the opposition. For us, it's all about doing the basics."

Motherwell: George Long, Law, Laing, McManus, Straker, Ainsworth, Lasley, Pearson, Johnson, McDonald, Erwin. Subs: Ramsden, Sutton, Twardzik, O'Brien, Moore, Dominic Thomas, Grant.

St Mirren: Ridgers, Naismith, McAusland, Genev, Tesselaar, Goodwin, Dayton, Sadlier, Mallan, McGinn, Arquin. Subs: Kelly, Gow, Thompson, Wylde, Brown, Sonupe, Wilks.

Referee: Craig Thomson.

There is live Sportsound commentary of Motherwell v St Mirren on BBC Radio Scotland 810MW, on DAB digital radio and here online using the 'Live Coverage' tab or by simply clicking the media player. Sportsound will also provide updates from Ross County v St Johnstone.

You can text 80295, tweet using the hashtag #bbcscotfootball or leave comments at the BBC Sport Scotland Facebook page.

So, a lot at stake this evening, particularly at the bottom of the Premiership. Let me know your thoughts on tonight's games...

Saints could move above Dundee United into fourth place, at least until tomorrow evening. I'll look ahead to tomorrow evening's games a little later...

Up in Dingwall, third-bottom Ross County will attempt to extend their seven-match unbeaten run against visitors St Johnstone, who are looking to preserve their top-six place.

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Saints have beaten County three times in all competitions so far this season

However, most of St Mirren's wins this seasons have been away from home. Tonight's game in Lanarkshire could be pivotal.

The Steelmen won at the weekend to increase their advantage after St Mirren lost to Celtic on Friday evening.

The bottom-place Buddies are seven points adrift of Well with seven games left.

Tonight, it's the battle of the Scottish Premiership's bottom two at Fir Park, Motherwell v St Mirren.

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Motherwell and St Mirren will meet for a third time this term

It's the beginning of a busy midweek of Scottish fixtures scheduled for this evening, tomorrow and Thursday.

Good evening and welcome to Tuesday's live Scottish football coverage.