Battling Motherwell turned in one of their best displays of the season to overcome disappointing Dunfermline at Fir Park and register their first back-to-back victories of the campaign.

The home side overcame Hibernian 2-1 in their last game and once again shocked their more experienced opponents with another brave display.

The visitors, who have not won in Lanarkshire since August 2000, went two goals down before they started to play and although they did get a goal back, the home side dug in for the win which takes them three points clear of Dundee United at the bottom.

The game started quietly and the first effort on goal came in the ninth minute when Well defender Tony Vaughan's header from the edge of the box was easily saved by Dunfermline goalkeeper Derek Stillie.

The home side broke through in the 19th minute when defender Steven Hammell flighted in a corner from the right hand and midfielder Stephen Pearson evaded his marker to glide a header from 14 yards into the top corner.

The home side nearly made it 2-0 seven minutes later when Pearson worked a one-two on the edge of the Dunfermline penalty area with David Clarkson but with only Stillie to beat the youngster's shot bounced off the goalkeeper's legs and on to the roof of the net.

Pars striker Craig Brewster should have equalised two minutes later when he latched onto Stillie's long clearance but his angled shot from 12 yards was tentative and Motherwell goalkeeper Francois Dubourdeau cleared with his feet.

Pars midfielder David Grondin crashed an angled shot from the edge of the box against the post in the 38th minute and the ball ricocheted off Dubourdeau and out for a corner.

The second half started with a bang as the home side doubled their lead in the 50th minute.

Pars defender Gus MacPherson disastrously lost a long ball to Clarkson who ran through and slipped the ball to the supporting Steven Craig.

The youngster took a touch and confidently drilled a low angled shot under the body of Stillie and into the net for his first senior Motherwell goal.

A minute later however, with the home fans still celebrating, Pars top scorer Stevie Crawford pulled a goal back for the visitors when he netted from close range after slack play in the Well defence.

Pars midfielder Gary Mason came close with an angled shot from 20 yards which went just over the junction of post and crossbar in the 62nd minute.

The visitors should have drawn level in the 69th minute Steven Hampshire arrived unmarked at the back post but nodded the ball over the top.

Crawford forced a great save from Dubourdeau in injury time with a thundering shot which the goalkeeper did well to tip over for a corner as Motherwell managed to hang on for the points.

Team

Motherwell: Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Partridge, Vaughan, Hammell, Shaun Fagan, Shaun Fagan, Adams, Pearson, Cowan (Ramsey 67), David Clarkson (Lasley 89), David Clarkson (Lasley 89), Craig.

Subs Not Used: Woods, Khemas, Kinniburgh.

Booked: Adams.

Goals: Pearson 19, Craig 50.

Dunfermline: Stillie, MacPherson (Hunt 82), Scott Wilson, Skerla, Dair (McGarty 69), Nicholson, Mason, Dempsey (Hampshire 51), Grondin, Brewster, Crawford.

Subs Not Used: Ruitenbeek, Walker.

Booked: Nicholson.

Goals: Crawford 52.

Att: 3,741

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).