Jack Sanders had a stoppage-time equaliser disallowed by VAR as Motherwell beat St Johnstone 2-1 at Fir Park.

The home side bounced back from their semi-final defeat by Rangers by moving level on points with the Light Blues with victory.

First-half goals from Tawanda Maswanhise and Tom Sparrow put the Steelmen in control.

Nicky Clark pulled a goal back in the 58th minute thanks to a VAR-assisted penalty award for handball against Andy Halliday and St Johnstone never really threatened an equaliser until Sanders forced home from Graham Carey’s corner.

The visitors’ celebrations were cut short when video assistant Greg Aitken ruled the defender had used a hand.

It was a third defeat in a row for recently-appointed Saints manager Simo Valakari on his first visit to Fir Park since ending a four-year spell as a Motherwell player in 2000.

Saints could not find the cutting edge to match their possession while Motherwell moved on to 19 points in fifth place in the table, level with Rangers and Dundee United above them.

With Shane Blaney and suspended former Saints captain Liam Gordon absent, Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell was forced into a reshuffle. Steve Seddon dropped into the back three, Ewan Wilson reverted to his normal wing-back position and Sparrow came into midfield. Saints brought in Matt Smith for Benji Kimpioka.

Carey and Halliday threatened from distance as both sides found their feet.

The visitors were enjoying the bulk of possession but Motherwell soon began to display a greater cutting edge and opened the scoring in the 20th minute.

Lennon Miller, back playing in a deeper midfield position, helped the hosts get out of a tight spot deep in their half and Seddon spread an excellent diagonal ball that got Marvin Kaleta beyond the visiting defence. The wing-back checked and delivered a far-post cross which Maswanhise headed home.

Motherwell continued to get joy down both flanks and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos twice came close, although the offside flag was raised each time.

Smith and Carey forced saves from Aston Oxborough but the visitors were not carving out clear-cut chances and Motherwell doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Maswanhise helped the ball on and Sparrow arrowed a drive into the bottom corner.

Valakari made a double change at the break, bringing on Andre Raymond and Lewis Neilson to play in midfield, but Sparrow again threatened after drifting untracked into the box.

The Perth side got a lifeline after Halliday was ruled to have handled Carey’s strike after referee Ross Hardie reviewed footage at the behest of Aitken. Halliday remonstrated with the officials before Clark kept his composure to send Oxborough the wrong way.

Motherwell substitute Tony Watt missed a good chance to put the game beyond Saints when he fired over following a cutback from Kaleta, who was penalised for a foul that might have been overturned by VAR.

The home side got stuck in their own half and nearly paid the price but for VAR’s intervention and Davor Zdravkovski missed a sitter on the break to maintain the tension until full-time.