James Wilson broke his duck as Aberdeen secured their first home league win of the season and consigned Motherwell to a fourth Premiership defeat.

The on-loan Manchester United forward showed class and composure to mark his first Dons start with an early goal.

His replacement Bruce Anderson passed up a great chance to seal victory, shooting too high.

It was a frustrating day for Well, Carl McHugh hitting the bar and Chris Cadden denied by Joe Lewis late on.

Aberdeen are now two points behind second-placed Hibernian while Motherwell slip to third bottom after a fourth defeat in six league matches.

Both sides face tricky midweek League Cup quarter-finals in Edinburgh with Aberdeen away to Hibs and Well visiting Premiership leaders Hearts.

Dons much more like themselves

After one win and three draws from five league games, Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said beforehand the Dons needed to offer more of an attacking threat and, with that in mind, Wilson was installed up front with Sam Cosgrove and Stevie May left on the bench.

Wilson made a perfect run to latch on to Niall McGinn's reverse pass and fire across Trevor Carson to get off the mark in the sixth minute.

But it was a largely quiet performance thereafter from the 22-year-old who still looks short of match sharpness and was replaced by Anderson after the hour.

McGinn threatened with efforts from outside the box, Cosgrove headed wide and Gary Mackay-Steven's shot was spilled wide by Carson before Anderson fired over after going clean through, while at the other end Aberdeen looked solid enough with Michael Devlin back from suspension.

The visitors did come close to an equaliser once in each half. McHugh took aim from distance and watched in anguish as the ball cannoned off the top of the bar on its way out, while substitute Cadden tested Lewis from outside the box in stoppage time.

Stephen Robinson's side also gave the Dons cause cause for concern in the first half when Elliott Frear threatened to get away from Andy Considine and went down following the defender's challenge. A corner was awarded but Frear's reaction indicated he felt he had been fouled.

Mackay-Steven is Aberdeen's star man - analysis

BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin at Pittodrie

There was a sense of relief around Pittodrie when referee Nick Walsh blew the full-time whistle to ensure the home side all three points - not that Aberdeen were in any real threat of losing the game, especially after they took the lead so early on.

But this was their first league win since beating bottom side Dundee at Dens Park on the second Saturday in August and the confidence this may give the players should now begin to show in their performances.

Wilson was given a standing ovation when he was replaced on the hour mark by Anderson, but the man of the match was undoubtedly Mackay-Steven.

At times the winger toyed with the Motherwell rearguard and he looks as if he is returning to the type of form that could get him back in the Scotland squad.

Robinson will be incensed that no penalty was awarded when Frear tumbled inside the box after what looked like a rash challenge by Considine.

But Aberdeen just about deserved the victory despite a spirited second-half performance by Motherwell.

'Things are not going for Well' - reaction

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "When you look back at the game it will maybe feel a lot more comfortable than it seemed at the time. We all know the competitive nature of Motherwell and they are never going to give it up and at 1-0 the game is not dead.

"There is no doubt we deserved to go in front. We scored a very good goal from James Wilson and I thought we were in charge in that first half. I enjoyed watching us.

"Today we had to try to get the balance right of having enough attacking flair but also enough robust players to deal with set-plays. We lost a goal last week at McDiarmid Park from a set-play and I thought today we were very comfortable. That pleases me in getting a clean sheet."

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "I didn't think there was a whole lot in the game. We started poorly. We let a runner go in the box and we had the ball. It was under Elliott Frear's foot and they score from it and it's an uphill task.

"We were very much in the game and dominated large parts of it but we just lacked a little bit of belief in that final third.

"We did create half-chances. Tom Aldred at the end had a header that has blatantly hit someone's hand and it's going in the net. Things aren't going for us and perhaps a penalty in the first half. We are just not getting the rub of the green in the final third."