It was Motherwell's first game in 18 days and their first home league
clash of 2008 after a spate of postponements.
And Mark McGhee's side looked rusty in front of goal, with McGarry
shooting wide early on.
Kilmarnock's only good chance of the game came when Lilley's header
drifted narrowly past the post from Paul Di Giacomo's corner.
The Killie man was then caught out by Clarkson's quick feet and
conceded a penalty, which McCormack sent wide.
Well skipper Marc Fitzpatrick latched on to a pass from fellow
midfielder Keith Lasley, but Danny Invincibile made a last-ditch tackle
and the shot from 10 yards missed the target.
Motherwell continued to attack at pace after the break and McCormack
was again inches away from the opener on 54 minutes.
Hammell raced up the left and played in a ball which McCormack
intelligently left for Clarkson, who laid it back out to him on the left,
only for the striker's diagonal shot to sneak wide of the far upright.
A better chance presented itself on 68 minutes when Hammell played a
good ball across the box which landed at the feet of Lasley.
Instead of going for goal he played the ball back to McCormack and the
Kilmarnock defenders threw themselves in the way to avert the danger.
Kilmarnock were reduced to 10 men when a Motherwell attack up the left
was halted in its tracks by fouls seconds apart on Clarkson and McCormack
by James Fowler and Lilley respectively.
Both visiting players were booked and Lilley, cautioned for conceding
the earlier penalty, had to take an early bath.
Fitzpatrick bulleted a header past the post from Paul Quinn's cross and
the points looked certain to be shared after Hammell's 89th-minute
free-kick from 25 yards was clawed away by Alan Combe.
But Motherwell secured all three points two minutes into injury time
when substitute Lappin crossed from the left and Clarkson headed home,
with Combe a little slow to react.
Sandy's Match Pic's are
HERE
