Motherwell confirmed their top-six place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League with a narrow 1-0 win over Dunfermline at Fir Park.

A Derek Adams penalty after only eight minutes was enough to take all three points in a typically hard fought SPL match.

Adams' well-taken spot kick, after Andy Tod had fouled Jason Dair, was all that separated the teams and now Motherwell cannot be caught before the league splits.

Motherwell manager Terry Butcher made one change to the side who drew 1-1 with Hearts, Keith Lasley coming in for David Clarkson.

Dunfermline, in the middle busy fixture list which sees them play five games in 11 days, made four changes.

Craig Brewster, Stevie Crawford and Darren Young all started on the bench with Gary Mason, Aaron Labonte, Billy Mehmet and Andy Tod brought in. An ankle injury kept Scott Wilson out.

In the opening stages, the home side looked that bit more confident and they went into an early lead with a penalty after only eight minutes.

Tod clumsily fouled Dair and Motherwell captain Adams sent visiting goalkeeper Derek Stillie the wrong way for the opener.

The game then sparked into life. Dunfermline midfielder Gary Dempsey should have equalised immediately but shot straight at Gordon Marshall from close range.

In the 23rd minute Dunfermline substitute Richie Byrne, on earlier for the injured Lee Bullen, found Billy Mehmet inside the penalty area. He set up Dempsey with a clever flick but the Irishman was again foiled by Marshall from only 10 yards.

The visitors were well on top but, in the 29th minute, a rare home attack saw Dunfermline defender Andrius Skerla clear a Dair lob off the line after Greg Shields' error.

Half-time arrived without further incident as both sides battled with little success to create excitement.

Motherwell were first to threaten after the restart, a Stevie Hammell corner causing panic in the six-yard box before the ball was cleared.

Dunfermline were now struggling to get their passing game together and their defending was increasingly desperate as the hosts took control.

As the second half wore on, the 3,920 hardy souls inside Fir Park were less than impressed with the fare on offer.

Motherwell, however, should have stretched their lead on the hour when the tireless Alex Burns set up Dair with a free shot on goal on the edge of the box but he blazed his shot high and wide.

Dunfermline made a double substitution immediately after that let-off, regular strike partners Stevie Crawford and Craig Brewster replacing Tod and Mehmet.

The visitors took an immediate boost from the introduction of their two experienced strikers and the game began to open up in the closing stages as fatigue set in.

In the 74th minute Alex Burns came close to sealing the points for Motherwell when his back header from a Steven Hammell free-kick went only inches wide.

Adams fired a speculative 30-yard shot high over the crossbar with only two minutes left on the clock.

Teams

Motherwell Marshall, Quinn, Craigan, Corrigan, Hammell, Lasley (Fagan 87), Adams, O'Donnell, Dair, Craig (Clarkson 82), Burns.

Subs Not Used: Corr, Kinniburgh, Wright.

Booked: Lasley.

Goals: Adams 10 pen.

Dunfermline Stillie, Shields, Skerla, Tod (Brewster 63), Labonte, Bullen (Byrne 13), Nicholson, Mason, Dempsey, Mehmet (Crawford 63), Derek Young.

Subs Not Used: Darren Young, Scott Thomson.

Booked: Byrne.

Att: 3,920

Ref: C Murray (Scotland).