Aberdeen’s dismal winless run extended to 10 games after they lost 2-0 at Fir Park.
Jimmy Thelin’s men have now lost their last five Premiership games and have picked up just three points in a blistering run of results that has all but erased memories of them topping the table during the Swedish manager’s sensational start.
The home side took the lead 11 minutes before half-time through Ewan Wilson’s first professional goal, before a miserable 60 seconds just before the break took a toll on the Dons.
Slobodan Rubezic was sent off after a collision with Tony Watt and soon after the restart Tawanda Maswanhise drilled home to double Motherwell’s advantage.
Aberdeen’s Slobodan Rubezic has been sent off at Motherwell.
The Dons improved in the second half but couldn’t find a way back into the game.
Both managers made four changes to end their respective winless runs.
Nick Walsh was referred to VAR eight minutes after Davor Zdravkovski’s late foul on Sivert Nilsen, but a yellow card was deemed appropriate punishment for the North Macedonia international.
The first chance of note came for the visitors when Kevin Nisbet headed in Ante Palaversa’s corner.
Motherwell responded positively. Maswanhise tested Ross Doohan in the Aberdeen goal with a superb effort from the edge of the box and Dan Casey dismissed a brilliant chance with a header wide after being picked out by Andy Halliday.
Motherwell’s Ewan Wilson celebrates opening the scoring.
Most of the Dons’ threats came from set-piece situations, with Aston Oxborough getting a good stop when Nicky Devlin rose highest to meet Palaversa’s corner.
After half an hour, a promising Well attack featuring Maswanhise and Moses Ebiye was over, with Watt delaying too long before pulling the trigger, allowing Palaversa to return and block.
The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute. The away defense was too easily opened up and Watt’s cut fell to Wilson, who slotted the ball home.
As the game entered half-time, Aberdeen were up the mountain with 60 seconds on the clock.
After engaging Watt, Rubezic was adjudged to have headbutted the Well man and received a straight red card.
When play resumed, the away team’s situation worsened. A simple long ball from Liam Gordon sent Maswanhise through on goal and he made no mistake as he sent an angled drive beyond Doohan.
Congratulations to Motherwell’s Tawanda Maswinhise (R) who scored to make it 2-0.
Devlin went agonizingly close to pulling Aberdeen back into the game, his goal-bound effort being brilliantly deflected behind by Gordon.
Time was running out for the visitors and a superb effort from Palaversa hit the underside of the bar with 18 minutes remaining, but Maswanhise’s shot went just wide and they were able to escape themselves.
Stuart Kettlewell introduced Callum Slattery late on for the first time in over a year in the closing stages, while skipper Paul McGinn also returned from injury.
The last chance of the game fell to Sam Nicholson, who took a strong touch as he raced towards goal.
