Motherwell scored two goals within a minute late in the first half to dent St Johnstone’s dwindling survival hopes in a 3-2 win.

Saints took an early lead through Makenzie Kirk’s eighth William Hill Premiership goal of the campaign.

However, a change of tactics from Michael Wimmer sparked a revival and helped secure a home victory that lifts Well up to seventh.

Rock-bottom St Johnstone are six points adrift with only four games left to try and clamber their way into the play-off spot.

Josh McPake was handed his first league start of the season as Saints boss Simo Valakari stood by his vow to throw caution to the wind.

The bold move paid an instant dividend as the winger set up Kirk for a sixth-minute opener.

McPake took a lofted Graham Carey pass in stride to dart in from the left flank. Options awaited across goal but the clever cutback for Kirk’s late arrival was best, with the former Hearts striker burying an emphatic first-time finish into the roof of the net.

Saints saw enough of the ball without threatening before Motherwell gradually got on top after switching to four at the back.

Callum Slattery had two cracks at goal without success, Andy Fisher doing well to divert one round the post, while Dan Casey fired a free header over from the corner.

Saints then conceded twice in quick succession from the 39th minute. From the left, Tony Watt picked out Slattery who nudged in front of Sven Sprangler to drill low beyond Fisher.

In a snapshot of their season, Saints failed to regain composure and another bustling Watt run opened them up again moments later.

His ball to the back post was met by Johnny Koutroumbis whose effort cannoned off the luckless Sprangler and over the line.

St Johnstone went close before the break through Carey’s free-kick and a McPake header but could not get back on level terms

The home side then picked up the pace again after the interval and opened up a two-goal lead after 48 minutes.

Dom Thompson overpowered Stephen Duke-McKenna as the Saints wing-back dwelt on the ball inside his own penalty box and Tom Sparrow was able to steer home from seven yards from his team-mate’s assist.

Valakari turned to substitutes Uche Ikpeazu and Elliot Watt in the 58th minute, and the latter was the surprise route back into the game.

Comeback striker Ikpeazu was denied in a close-range scramble by Ellery Balcombe but Watt made it 3-2 in the 66th minute after gathering from McPake and finding the bottom corner with a fine strike from the edge of the area.

Motherwell boss Wimmer fumed at the amount of stoppage time but six minutes was not enough for the visitors.