Great importance was placed on this trip to Fir Park - and St Johnstone delivered.
This feels like a very big three points and, no doubt about it, Perth players were totally deserving of them.
Drey Wright had opened the scoring early doors before Melker Hallberg wrapped up the victory in the second half.
The team-sheet had signalled two changes from the weekend’s defeat to Rangers with Alex Mitchell and Stevie May getting the nod from the start. James Brown and Connor McLennan dropped out.
Nicky Clark was available to help the cause in the forward department after having his red card from Ibrox downgraded to a yellow - following an appeal - earlier in the day.
Deservedly so and just as well. The experienced striker, after just five minutes, produced a magical piece of hold-up play and trickery inside the box before teeing-up Wright.
The wing-back, very neatly it must be said, fired across goalkeeper Liam Kelly and into the back of the net. Kissing the post on the way in for good measure.
Saints’ first 30 minute performance was rather slick and quite possibly their best start to a match so far this season. They just really could have done with a second goal.
Motherwell were forced into a change just shy of the half hour mark when defender Shane Blaney pulled up. He was replaced by Max Johnston.
Perth pressure continued and soon Adam Montgomery hit the deck in the box and was claiming - strongly - for a penalty. Referee Don Robertson paused to listen in for a second opinion but allowed play to continue.
The Steelmen wanted a spot-kick of their own later in the half when Olly Crankshaw went down under pressure from Dan Phillips but, again, play resumed.
Phillips, by the way, was fantastic in the first half. As was Cammy MacPherson. Their energy and ability to keep the ball moving was again proving beneficial.
Talking of keeping the ball, Clark, it appeared, had glue on his boots. His first touch was on the money in the opening 45 minutes and that helped Saints gain territory.
Motherwell made a couple of changes for the start of the second half and appeared keen to crank up the energy.
But on 49 minutes, Callum Davidson’s visitors doubled the advantage.
Tenacious play from Hallberg on the slide sent the ball in the direction of May who, repaying the favour, slipped the Swede through on goal. He finished with terrific composure from deep inside the box.
Montgomery, not so long after, almost caught Kelly out with a looping right-footed cross which required a backtracking touch over the crossbar.
The hosts were gifted the opportunity to pull one back on 65 minutes when Wright’s chest back to goalkeeper Remi Matthews - a spectator for the majority until this point - was short. Crankshaw nipped in but was unable to guide the ball into the back of the net.
From here, Saints looked comfortable, assured and always in control of seeing out this match.
