Livingston scored for the first time in five games to beat Motherwell and climb to sixth place in the Scottish Premiership.

Steven Lawless netted the 22nd-minute opener from a long throw-in, soon after spurning a huge chance from six yards.

Ninth-placed Motherwell were better after the break but a brilliant Liam Kelly stop denied Barry Maguire with their only chance of the game.

And home captain Craig Halkett sealed the win with a powerful late header.

It was a deserved victory for Gary Holt's side, who were hungrier, slicker and created the better opportunities.

Livingston find form again

This was much better fare from Livingston, back to their snarling, effervescent selves after a bleak recent spell.

They dominated the first half and were strong and canny enough to stand up to Motherwell's limited aerial assaults in the second.

Lawless should have ended their goal drought when he collected a long throw six yards out, but prodded straight at the advancing Mark Gillespie. A fabulous save but a glaring miss.

Motherwell did not heed the warning. From another hurled throw-in, Lawless pounced on a flick-on and drove low beyond Gillespie with his left foot.

Livingston have only conceded twice at the Tony Macaroni Arena all season and, with a lead to protect, getting through the muscular ranks of home defenders was a monstrous undertaking for Motherwell.

The visitors looked ungainly on the artificial surface, their close control and distribution shoddy in the face of snapping defenders.

They applied themselves much better after the interval but still created next to nothing until 11 minutes from time, when Maguire ghosted on to Alex Rodriguez Gorrin's curling ball, only to be blocked fantastically by Kelly.

That was as good as it got for Motherwell and Halkett sealed their fate four minutes later, thundering home a header from a corner.

Craig Halkett arrowed his header beyond Mark Gillespie in the Motherwell goal

'A shot in the arm for Livi' - analysis

BBC Sport Scotland's Kenny Crawford at the Tony Macaroni Arena

What a shot in the arm this result is for Livingston. Their start to the season was fantastic, losing only one of their first 10 outings, but they have been chastened somewhat by their recent struggle to find points. So, keeping that winless run to just four games and starting December with a victory shows they still have what it takes to aspire to a top-six finish.

Right from kick-off the hosts looked the likelier to prevail and the West Lothian side were comfortable. Motherwell have injury problems, but for one reason or another, virtually nothing clicked for Stephen Robinson's men - odd considering they had won three of their previous four matches coming into this one.

'We could have had a couple more' - reaction

Livingston manager Gary Holt: "I'm delighted for the boys. We turned in a performance again and we had chances. With a wee bit of luck we could've had a couple more.

"Alan Lithgow's long throw is one of the tools in our toolbox. Why would we go away from it when it works for us. Craig Halkett's run for the header was great. It's something we work on."

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "We got what we deserved out of the game. Players can make you look silly at times. All we've worked on all week is long throws and set plays. For the first goal a player runs off [his marker] from the long throw and scores. The second one a players runs off again a scores.

"It's so frustrating. When players think they've cracked it and don't need to do the free stuff, you get a performance like that. When they have something to prove, you get a performance like the Aberdeen one. Perhaps that's why some players are where they are here at Motherwell, they are up and down."