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Chris Kane (centre) equalised for St Johnstone

Chris Kane's fortunate equaliser for St Johnstone denied Motherwell a rare win at McDiarmid Park.

Zander Clark has been in fine form, but the keeper looked at fault as Richard Tait's cross ended up in the net.

Well just about deserved the lead, but Saints came close to an equaliser just before the break when Steven MacLean was denied by a Craig Samson save.

That came when Kane's first attempt was blocked by Samson but rebounded off the striker into the net.

The draw ended a sequence of three 2-1 wins for St Johnstone over Motherwell.

But it also ended Well's run of six defeats at McDiarmid Park since November 2012.

Positive and negative

St Johnstone started positively and had three decent chances in the opening five minutes.

Michael Coulson's corner picked out Brian Easton on the run and his left foot strike was deflected wide by a visiting defender.

From the following corner, Murray Davidson looped a header over the bar then Kane connected with an Easton cross to flick it wide of the target.

But for all that positivity, an unexpected negative for Saints appeared at the other end in the shape of goalkeeper Clark.

After two successive clean sheets, he produced a howler of a mistake to give Motherwell the early lead.

As the keeper went to cut out Tait's low cross from the right on his six yard line, he somehow managed to turn the ball behind him into the corner of his own net with an extraordinary fumble.

As Tait took the acclaim of his teammates, Clark, who has been impressive since breaking into Saints first-team, could only look on in embarrassment.

Solid Steelmen

Richard Tait (left) opened the scoring for Motherwell

Tam Scobbie, who replaced Steven Anderson at the heart of the home defence, showed his threat in the opposition box as Saints looked for an equaliser.

His downward header from another corner kick was cleared off the line by Craig Clay.

Motherwell's three-man defence of Ben Heneghan, Stephen McManus and David Ferguson showed they weren't standing on ceremony when the ball entered their area.

Their no-nonsense defending was effective and they were helped out by goalkeeper Craig Samson in thwarting Steven MacLean in the final minute of the first half when he dived to his left to turn the striker's header from a Chris Millar cross round the post.

Fortune favours the brave

Samson produced another fine save early in the second half to keep out a Davidson header at his right-hand post.

However, just after the hour mark, good fortune favoured the home side as they pulled level.

MacLean was found by substitute Blair Alston inside the box and it was headed into the path of Kane six yards out.

The striker's initial effort was blocked by Samson, but Kane got lucky as the ball rebounded back off his body and bounced into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Alston came close to putting Saints ahead, but his shot was well saved by Samson.

Match reaction

St Johnstone Tommy Wright: "We had the lion's share of possession and we used that well with some quality football played getting into the last third and getting in some great crosses.

"Samson's made two or three great saves and we've probably been guilty of not being clinical enough.

"But I always think in this league, when you go one goal down, it's difficult to get back in games, so I was pleased with the character of the team to get back in the game.

"On another day, we could have got another goal and won the game, but the performance excellent and we recovered well from that early setback.

"To be fair, Motherwell might have had a shout for penalty, but we went up the field and equalised and I think it was nothing more than we deserved because we've dominated the game."

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "The first half I was quite content with our approach, our application, everything was good and we got the goal.

"But the second half was excruciating. We never really got out, we never really got a hold of the ball, so it was really hard work.

"A point here is a great point regardless of the circumstances because we've lost here regularly and St Johnstone put you under pressure and work every so hard.

"They have a good way about them and Steven MacLean leads the line brilliantly for them.

"Craig Samson made a few good saves for us. He's had a great season and he continues to make a great contribution."