Lukas Jutkiewicz scored his first goal in two-and-a-half years to give Motherwell a narrow victory against Falkirk.

The on-loan Everton striker headed home Chris Humphrey's near-post corner in the 18th minute of a low-key Clydesdale Bank Premier League encounter at Fir Park.

Falkirk substitute Mark Stewart missed an open goal after Scott Arfield had struck the bar as the visitors extended their run without scoring to five games.

Jutkiewicz had not scored since netting for Swindon at Bury in April 2007 and his breakthrough came in a match otherwise lacking in goalmouth incident.

Jim Gannon had reshuffled his strikeforce following his first domestic loss against Hibernian with Chris Humphrey and Jamie Murphy brought in to inject some pace.

But it was his defensive switch that proved more effective as Stephen Craigan helped Well keep a clean sheet after replacing Steven Saunders following four games on the bench.

Both sides kept the ball on the ground in windy conditions but there was little goalmouth action from the start.

Carl Finnigan glanced Danijel Marceta's free-kick just wide in the 16th minute, although Motherwell goalkeeper John Ruddy looked on unconcerned.

With chances from open play at a premium, it was no surprise the goal came from a set-piece.

Jutkiewicz met Humphrey's corner just before Thomas Scobbie and headed the ball inside the near post.

Humphrey soon set up another chance but his ball to the edge of the box gave Giles Coke a difficult volley and Robert Olejnik made a comfortable save.

The hosts remained in the ascendancy with right-winger Humphrey at the hub of their attacking play. Murphy made a tremendous run on the other flank but no-one could take advantage of his cutback.

Falkirk came back into it but the offside flag was raised the only time Ruddy was seriously threatened in the first half as Finnbogason shot after a positive break by Arfield.

Vitor Lima replaced Sean Lynch at half-time and his 30-yard strike forced Ruddy to scramble as it skimmed the side-netting.

Falkirk enjoyed decent territory and possession but they were struggling to make any impact in the final third and May made another change in the 62nd minute when Stewart replaced Finnbogason.

Stewart soon missed their best chance when Arfield's brilliant curling strike from 25 yards beat Ruddy and bounced off the bar back out to the striker, who headed it on top of the bar and over from 10 yards.

Gannon brought on Jim O'Brien and Saunders with Yassin Moutaouakil pushing up in a bid to spark his team back into life, but Falkirk continued to edge play.

Finnigan turned well and fired across the face of goal and just too far in front of Stewart, and the pair soon combined for the substitute to fire beyond Ruddy's far post from a difficult angle.

Motherwell took more of a grip of the game in the final 15 minutes to see out the win but they suffered a blow when O'Brien left the field on a stretcher after suffering a leg injury in a challenge by Jackie McNamara.

Teams:

Motherwell Ruddy, Moutaouakil, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell,Humphrey (Saunders 66), Coke, Hateley (O'Brien 70), Forbes,Jutkiewicz, Murphy, O'Brien (McHugh 90).

Subs Not Used: Kosiorowski, Jennings, Sutton, Lasley.

Goals: Jutkiewicz 18.

Falkirk Olejnik, McNamara, Barr, McLean, Scobbie, Marceta,O'Brien, Arfield, Lynch (Lima 46), Finnbogason (Stewart 62),Finnigan (MacDonald 81).

Subs Not Used: Wagenaar, Twaddle, Mitchell, Robertson.

Booked: Lynch, McNamara.

Att: 4,337

Ref: E Norris (Scotland).