Murphy (left) broke the deadlock for Motherwell for the second week running

Jamie Murphy's second-half header gave Motherwell the three points against Kilmarnock in a tight Fir Park affair.

Killie had forced the first saves of the match, with John Ruddy denying Craig Bryson from long range and touching over a Kevin Kyle header.

Cammy Bell's fine save thwarted Murphy on the stroke of half time.

But the striker glanced home a Tom Hateley free-kick after 68 minutes as Well finished the stronger to end Killie's eight-match unbeaten run.

Craig Brown's side stretched their own run without a loss to eight games and boosted their chances of a top-six finishing by opening up a 12-point gap on Aberdeen, who started the day in seventh and lost to Hearts earlier in the day.

Motherwell were warned in midweek by the Scottish Premier League that their "inadequate" pitch had to improve and a sizeable square in front of the dugouts was cordoned off during the warm-up following work to flatten and strengthen the ground.

With Chris Humphrey, who came into the Motherwell midfield for the ill Jim O'Brien, looking lively on the right wing, Motherwell made the early running but were unable to capitalise on a number of set-pieces.

Jamie Murphy, playing just ahead of Lukas Jutkiewicz, had started ahead of Giles Coke and caused problems with his pace.

And Manuel Pascali was forced into a risky shoulder charge on the striker after misjudging Keith Lasley's searching ball, but Iain Brines dismissed penalty claims.

The Fir Park pitch has been much criticised in recent weeks

Pascali's centre-back partner, Scott Severin, cleared Stevie Hammell's dangerous low cross as John Sutton prepared to pounce, while Cammy Bell comfortably held three long-range efforts from Jutkiewicz.

Kilmarnock, who had brought in Iain Flannigan and Tim Clancy for injured pair Jamie Hamill and Simon Ford, emerged as an attacking force in the 26th minute when John Ruddy pushed wide Craig Bryson's 25-yard volley and then touched over Kevin Kyle's back-post header from Flannigan's corner.

Another Hammell cross caused concern in the Killie ranks before being cleared and Kyle's cross just evaded Chris Maguire at the other end.

Coke replaced Jutkiewicz in the 39th minute after a recurrence of the forward's knee injury and Murphy missed the best chance of the half in the 42nd minute.

Pascali again lost a long ball, this time from Stephen Craigan, to leave Murphy clear on goal, but Bell dived to his left to push away the Scotland Under-21 striker's effort.

Motherwell broke the deadlock when Hateley's fine free-kick was nodded into the net by the head of Murphy from eight yards.

The home side took heart and Coke and Murphy both tested the goalkeeper with drives that were well dealt with by Bell.

In between, McGuire sent a shot wide of the Well post, but Killie were finding it difficult to exert any pressure.

Murphy sliced six yards wide from a good position, losing his boot on the muddy surface in the process, but his single goal was enough to give Well victory for a second week in a row.

Kilmarnock manager Jimmy Calderwood:

"I thought we were poor in the first half. Motherwell are obviously used to the pitch and played to their strength and we had problems adjusting to it.

"The second half was much more even and we were in the ascendancy before giving away a cheap free-kick - I don't think it was one - but Motherwell got it and they got the break.

"It was always going to be one goal that made the difference and we went for it, but couldn't get the break.

"I think Motherwell probably deserved to nick it."

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