Motherwell took a major step towards securing a seventh placed Premiership finish with a solid 2-0 win over relegation-haunted Kilmarnock at Fir Park.
Blair Spittal sent them on their way to victory after just four minutes, with Kevin van Veen having a 'second' goal disallowed for offside, but the Dutchman got his goal in the last minute.
The win leaves Motherwell in eighth place, two points behind Livingston, following their surprise defeat to basement side Ross County, which is a remarkable turnaround from only a few months ago when they and Dundee United were bottom of the table.
It also leaves Kilmarnock in real trouble, with results going against them today, while they simply didn't pose much of a threat up front.
Blair Spittal sent Motherwell on their way after just four minutes and it was no more than they deserved.
Kevin van Veen had the ball in the back of the net as well, but fell foul of an offside flag in the first half.
Kilmarnock didn't offer much up front, and more or less displayed why they have found themselves in trouble at the bottom end of the table.
The second half was actually an improvement, with Killie forced to come out and attack their hosts, while Motherwell were content to hit on the counter-attack, but still created the better chances.
That took its toll in 90 minutes when van Veen was sent through on goal and he blasted his shot low into the left corner.
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell made one change from their 1-1 draw at Celtic a fortnight ago, with Mikael Mandron in for Harry Paton, who dropped down to the bench.
Killie gaffer Derek McInnes made two changes from the side that won at St Mirren last time out, as Joe Wright and Scott Robinson came in for Lewis Mayo and Kyle Vassell.
There was an early chance for Motherwell when Max Johnston tore down the right and picked out Kevin van Veen, who in turn tried to find Mandron, but Killie cleared their lines well.
However, Motherwell opened the scoring with their next attack in four minutes when a neat move down the left saw James Furlong pick out Spittal, and he sent a low, angled shot into the bottom right corner.
Motherwell tried to score essentially the same goal five minutes later when Mandron made his way down the left and found van Veen, who played it on to Spittal, but this time his angled shot was defected past the right post.
When the corner came in, Callum Slattery sent a low shot inches past the left post from about 20 yards.
Killie went close in 14 minutes when Danny Armstrong's free kick whistled past the left post from just outside the box, with Liam Kelly a helpless bystander.
Motherwell had the ball in the net in 17 minutes when Slattery and Mandron combined to set up van Veen and he smashed the ball into the net, but the offside flag was up straight away, which VAR agreed with.
Confusingly, we were told they were also looking at a Sean Goss tackle on Killie captain Alan Power at the start of the move, which simply seemed to be waved away after a lengthy delay.
Van Veen had a shot well blocked in 37 before Mandron headed over in a challenge on keeper Sam Walker moments later, from a Paul McGinn cross.
Van Veen set up Spittal for a second in 49 minutes, but Walker made a good stop with his foot, with van Veen curling the rebound over the top right corner.
Spittal tried to return the favour in 64 minutes with a fierce low cross over the face of goal, but van Veen was held off by a defender and couldn't connect.
Van Veen tried to double Motherwell's lead a minute later as he checked inside the box before curling a shot towards the bottom right corner, but Walker made a fine save to deny him.
The Dutch striker was sent through on goal in 79 minutes and though he was surrounded by four defenders, tried a shot that earned his side a corner.
Killie could have equalised in 83 minutes when Ryan Alebiosu's cross from the right was headed by Christian Doidge and it momentarily deceived Liam Kelly, but Callum Butcher booted it off the line. The former Hibs attacker didn't meet it cleanly, and Kelly gathered comfortably enough, though.
McGinn had a golden chance to double Motherwell's lead in 88 minutes but hit the inside of the post after a corner wasn't cleared, with Walker gratefully grasping the rebound on the line.
Kelly sent van Veen through on goal in the last minute and he raced in before smashing a low shot into the left corner of the net for his 25th goal of the season.
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, Johnston, McGinn, Butcher, Casey, Furlong (Blaney, 90), Goss, Slattery (Paton, 70), Spittal, Mandron (O'Donnell, 85), van Veen.
Subs (not used): Oxborough (GK), Lamie, Mugabi, Aitchison, McKinstry, Blaney, Miller.
Booked: Goss (30), Slattery (58)
KILMARNOCK: Walker, Wright, Taylor (Alston, 89), Chambers, Armstrong, Donnelly, Power (Alebiosu, 57), Watson (Polworth, 57), McKenzie (Jones, 76), Robinson (Wales, 76), Doidge.
Subs (not used): Hemmin (GK), Mayo, Dorsett, Lyons.
Booked: Wright (42), Doidge (44)
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Attendance: 6168.
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