A dramatic late Kevin McBride winner for Motherwell sent Livingston back to the foot of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table.

Well midfielder Richie Foran opened the scoring for the visitors when he capitalised on a slack Richard Brittain pass on the half-hour mark.

But, seven minutes later, the Livi midfielder atoned for his error when his flighted cross was headed home by defender Harald Pinxten.

However, a tremendous drive from McBride from the edge of the penalty area with seconds remaining gave the visitors three valuable points.

And, with Dunfermline winning at Falkirk, Paul Lambert's team will start 2006 at the bottom of the SPL.

The first real effort on goal came in the eighth minute with Livi keeper Roddy McKenzie parrying a Phil O'Donnell shot from close range.

In the 13th minute, McKenzie pulled off an even better save after Jim Hamilton had bulleted in an in-swinging McBride free-kick from eight yards out.

At the other end, as the Steelmen made hard work of some simple defensive duties, Paul Dalglish just failed to reach a Robert Snodgrass cross and the ball ran wide.

In the 29th minute, Snodgrass drove a shot from the edge of the Well penalty area which dipped and hit the bar before Martyn Corrigan headed to safety.

A minute later however, the visitors were ahead.

Brittain's slack pass was picked up by Foran in the centre-circle and the Irishman immediately drove for goal chased by Livi midfielder Allan Walker.

The Motherwell midfielder kept his cool, shrugged off Walker's despairing challenge and confidently slid the ball under McKenzie.

But Livingston fought back and, in the 37th minute, Brittain made up for his earlier error when he set up the home side's equaliser.

Motherwell could not escape their own area following a Snodgrass corner and, when Brittain's cross from the left came to the back post, Pinxten headed past Well keeper Graeme Smith from close range.

In the 43rd minute, Livi midfielder Jason Dair took a Snodgrass flick and set up Dalglish, but Smith was quickly off his line to block the shot.

Motherwell midfielder Brian Kerr also drove a wonderful 30-yard shot inches wide of the post.

Livingston made the initial running after the interval but unforced errors by both sets of players gave the game a fragmented look.

The Fir Park side won a couple of early corners, but failed to take advantage of some nervy Livingston defending.

Neither keeper was seeing much action with the play confined to the middle of the pitch.

Motherwell forced another series of corners just after the hour mark, but, again, McKenzie was not tested.

Livi player-manager Paul Lambert brought on Martin Scott for Dair in the 65th minute to reinvigorate his team.

But the home side were retreating further and further towards their own goalmouth.

In the 71st minute, there was at last an attempt on goal but McKenzie was more than a match for Scott McDonald's angled shot from close range.

However, in the 90th minute, McBride scored a dramatic winner to sink Livi.

The Well midfielder made some space for himself at the edge of the Livi penalty area and shrugged off Paul Tierney before drilling a shot past McKenzie.

It was a bitter blow for the home side who now face a tough 2006 looking up at the rest of the SPL table.

Teams

Livingston McKenzie, Mackay, Strong, Pinxten, Tierney, Brittain, Vincze, Walker (McNamee 89), Dair (Scott 65), Snodgrass, Dalglish.

Subs Not Used: Roy, Dorado, Tesevic, Boyd, McPake.

Booked: Scott.

Goals: Pinxten 37.

Motherwell Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Hammell, Kerr, Craigan, Scott McDonald, Foran, O'Donnell, Hamilton (Clarkson 73), McBride, McLean.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Fagan, Kinniburgh, Fitzpatrick, Coakley, Darren Lee Smith.

Goals: Foran 30, McBride 90.

Att: 4,431

Ref: C MacKay (Scotland).