Moult took his season's tally to 16 with a penalty and a neat finish either side of half-time and Marvin Johnson used his pace and skill to add a third on the break. Connor Ripley handed Thistle a lifeline when he let in Callum Booth's harmless-looking effort, but Motherwell held on for their first three points at Fir Park in 2016.Scott McDonald returned from injury alongside Motherwell's goalscorers in a 4-3-3 formation and the hosts had the better of the opening play
But it was a predictably tight first quarter with Motherwell probing unsuccessfully and Ripley claiming the occasional cross from the visitors.Space suddenly opened up for Johnson to shoot in the 26th minute and Tomas Cerny spilled his 20-yard strike but McDonald was flagged offside as he set up Moult to tap home.It looked like it would take something intricate to get past the Jags and Chris Cadden threaded the ball through for Louis Laing but Cerny smothered after the right-back had cut inside a defender.In the end it was a mistake that broke the stalemate in the 37th minute
Aidan Nesbitt got caught the wrong side of Keith Lasley as the Motherwell skipper ran on to Steven Hammell's pass and the on-loan Celtic player inadvertently tripped the midfielder up just inside the box.Nesbitt was booked by Stephen Finnie as he held his head in his hands and his mood deteriorated further when Moult sent Cerny the wrong way from the spot. Thistle brought on Mathias Pogba for Nesbitt in a bid to add more power and directness to their play but their task got more difficult inside seven minutes of the second half
McDonald's reverse pass found Moult in the right channel and the former Wrexham striker dinked the ball over the diving Cerny into the far corner.Motherwell looked comfortable and they went further ahead in the 69th minute
Stephen Pearson's first-time pass beat the offside trap and sent Johnson away down the right
The winger had plenty to do and could have utilised supporting team-mates but he cut inside and drilled a shot into the far corner.Cerny parried powerful hits from McDonald and Stephen McManus as the hosts grew in confidence but Ripley fumbled Booth's swerving effort inside his near post in the 76th minute. Motherwell all of a sudden looked vulnerable and Hammell made a crucial block on substitute David Amoo's counter-attack strike before Pogba headed just wide
But Mark McGhee's side steadied themselves and closed the game out
Source : PA
Source: PA