Ten-man Motherwell compounded Killie's relegation fears with two second-half goals from John Spencer and Stephen McMillan.

Kilmarnock had skipper Ian Durrant back following their shock exit in midweek in their Scottish Cup against Alloa.

Former Celtic star Tosh McKinlay also started his first match in a Killie shirt.

Killie showed the early initiative and Andy Goram was in early action as the home side went in search of an early goal.

Twice in the opening few minutes the Motherwell keeper made good saves from Ally Mitchell and Gary Holt.

But the Killie defence had a let-off in the ninth minute when Holt's misguided header fell to Spencer. Colin Meldrum was off his line quickly to clear the danger.

But it was Kilmarnock who always looked the more likely to score. Mitchell came close with a powerful shot from 20 yards that whistled over Goram's bar.

At the other end, Lee McCulloch beat Meldrum to Don Goodman's cross but his header was well off target.

Then an angled drive by Michael Jeffrey flew just wide of Goram's right-hand post with the keeper struggling to reach the ball.

Kilmarnock opened strongly after the interval with Durrant and Jeffrey both firing shots at Goram.

But in a breakaway shortly afterwards McCulloch should have given the visitors the lead. After being sent clear by Spencer he hit his shot against Meldrum's legs with the goal at his mercy.

On 53 minutes, Motherwell were reduced to ten men when Goodman was yellow-carded twice in three minutes for fouls on Durrant and Gus MacPherson.

Kilmarnock continued to dominate but they could not find their way through.

Christophe Cocard almost did the trick in 65 minutes but Goram dived to his left to save the Frenchman's deflected shot.

A minute later Motherwell took the lead when Spencer drove the ball through a ruck of defenders low into the net.

A disputed free-kick 25 yards out led to Motherwell's second goal in 73 minutes, Stephen McMillan's shot taking a deflection and leaving Meldrum with no chance.

The result leaves Killie a point adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

Now manager Bobby Williamson has a big task in raising his players' morale for Wednesday night's League Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden.

Teams:

Kilmarnock: Meldrum, MacPherson, Lauchlan, Dindeleux, McKinlay, Mitchell (Burke 86), Durrant, Reilly, Holt, Jeffrey (McCutcheon 69), Cocard.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Hessey, Bagan.

Booked: Mitchell.

Motherwell: Goram, McMillan, McGowan, Brannan, Corrigan, Valakari, Goodman, Denham, Davies (Twaddle 62), Spencer (Nicholas 72), McCulloch (Doesburg 89).

Subs Not Used: Woods, Townsley.

Sent Off: Goodman (53).

Booked: Davies, Goodman.

Goals: Spencer 66, McMillan 73.

Att: 7,057

Ref: John Rowbotham (Scotland).