Dan Casey scored twice to earn new Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer a winning home debut against Dundee.
The Irish defender was totally unmarked as he headed home from six yards following Andy Halliday’s 12th-minute corner.
Motherwell looked more forward-thinking and aggressive in their press in the first half as German Wimmer built on an encouraging second-half performance at Tannadice.
Dundee pegged Motherwell back after the break and Simon Murray equalised from close range with their only effort on target in the 79th minute.
But defender Casey snatched Motherwell a 2-1 win five minutes later when he supplied a striker’s finish to volley home substitute Harry Paton’s cross.
The result ended a six-match losing run for Motherwell and moved them two points off the top six while Dundee’s fifth consecutive defeat leaves them just three points above bottom club St Johnstone.
Wimmer made four changes for his Fir Park bow and got his side on the front foot early on with his 3-4-3 formation. Wing-backs Tom Sparrow and Dom Thompson were taking risks and both Lennon Miller and Callum Slattery revelled in advanced roles either side of centre-forward Luke Armstrong.
Motherwell were rewarded for a lively start when Casey headed home and the centre-back continued to threaten from set-pieces. Miller came close several times from long range before setting up Armstrong with a perfect through ball that the striker could not control.
Stephen O’Donnell then forced a decent stop from Jon McCracken after leading a counter-attack and combining well with Miller and Slattery.
Dundee had occasionally got midfielders running at the Motherwell back three in the first half but they still struggled to create chances after getting more on the front foot after the interval.
Motherwell’s energy levels began to dip before the hour mark but Sparrow threatened with a diving header after meeting Thompson’s cross.
The home side survived a lengthy VAR check after loud appeals for handball against O’Donnell from the Dundee fans and players and the Steelmen remained solid under pressure until Casey failed to cut out Joe Shaughnessy’s long ball.
Charlie Reilly played the ball across goal and Murray slid in to score before surviving a long VAR check for offside.
But Motherwell showed the sort of response that will have delighted Wimmer. They were quickly back on top and Casey finished brilliantly before the home side survived seven minutes of stoppage time without major scares.
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