The French connection combined to lift Kilmarnock off the foot of the Premier League at Fir Park on Tuesday night.

Christophe Cocard cracked home two first-half goals and substitute Jerome Vareille bagged a pair in the second as the visitors celebrated only their third - and biggest - win of a troubled season.

The fourth strike, and the form of on-loan striker Samassi Abou, brought a long-awaited smile from Killie boss Bobby Williamson.

The visitors had managed only 19 goals in 21 league outings before tonight but their flagging forward line was brought to life by Abou, who moved north from West Ham earlier this week, and Cocard profited to lift Killie above Aberdeen.

For Motherwell, the defeat wrecked their chances of putting a four-point cushion between themselves and fourth-placed Dundee United in the chase for a UEFA Cup spot.

And, after many more performances like this, Well boss Billy Davies can forget about Europe altogether.

Had it not been for an outstanding display from Andy Goram, Motherwell would have been out of the contest at the interval.

Three times the former Scotland goalkeeper tipped over his bar as Kilmarnock laid siege to the home goal.

Ian Durrant pulled the strings in midfield as the visitors produced their trademark flowing football.

Abou, Ally Mitchell and Cocard all went close before the Frenchman finally broke the deadlock.

After playing a neat one-two with Durrant, Cocard spirited into the penalty box as the former Rangers man pushed the ball to Abou.

The Ivory Coast player held off two defenders then lashed in a shot which cannoned against the near post.

All Cocard had to do was tap the ball into an empty net but his initial control was poor and the Kilmarnock fans were gasping before he finally finished it off.

Cocard had earlier been booked in what appeared to be a clear case of mistaken identity by referee Willie Young.

Stephen McMillan was left writhing on the turf after going up for a header with Gary Holt but Young chose to brandish the yellow card in the direction of Cocard, even though he was discreetly told by a number of Kilmarnock players that he had got the wrong man.

McMillan was responsible for failing to convert Motherwell's best chance of the opening period, although his run into the box and shot had been all his own work.

But the Motherwell defence were sleeping to allow Cocard his second shortly before the interval, Durrant curling a free-kick to the far post where the Rugby Park top scorer had peeled into space.

The anger of the home fans was matched by that of Motherwell manager Billy Davies, who took the dramatic step of introducing all three substitutes at the break.

His gamble almost paid dividends immediately when one of the new-boys, Derek Townsley, crossed for another, Kevin Twaddle, whose firm header went straight at Gordon Marshall.

The former Celtic keeper was making his first start of the campaign following a knee injury but could barely have imagined he would enjoy such a quiet evening.

Though the home side improved markedly after the interval, much of their attacking moves were brought to an end by their own indiscipline.

Twice dangerous free-kicks were lofted into the visitors' area, only for the offside flag to be raised almost immediately.

When Twaddle did pull a cross back from the by-line, an unmarked Townsley should not have given Marshall the opportunity to turn the ball away.

But it was the type of luck which has been absent for Killie this term and manager Bobby Williamson no doubt wasn't complaining.

However, before Williamson could sit back in satisfaction at a job well done, he saw Abou carted off to the dressing room on a stretcher.

Young had waved play on when the forward was dumped onto the floor by a challenge from Greig Denham.

But the damage was sufficient to see him replaced by Vareille, who sealed the game within two minutes of his arrival.

Holt's shot was deflected away from Goram and cannoned onto a post.

With the Motherwell defence gazing into space, Vareille ran into the six-yard area and beat Goram, whose effort to save from a prone position wasn't good enough.

And Vareille wasn't finished, rattling home in the second minute of injury-time after Frederic Dindeleux had sent him clear with a perfect ball across the pitch.

Teams

Motherwell: Goram, Corrigan, McGowan, Kemble (Valakari 45), Denham, Harvey (Twaddle 45), Brannan, Davies, McMillan, Spencer (Townsley 45), McCulloch.

Subs Not Used: Nicholas, Woods.

Booked: Brannan, Davies.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, Lauchlan, Dindeleux, McKinlay (Hessey 46), Reilly, Durrant (Mahood 87), Holt, Mitchell, Cocard, Abou (Vareille 80).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McCutcheon.

Booked: Cocard, Hessey.

Goals: Cocard 28, 42, Vareille 85, 90.

Att: 5,813

Ref: Willie Young (Scotland).