THERE was a trick or two, but no treat last night for Motherwell as their losing streak was extended to six games in Perth.

No league wins in five and just two points above bottom spot in the SPFL Premiership was the backdrop to the Fir Park club's potential fright night only for them eventually to go down 2-1.

Despite a performance that deserved all three points, never mind one, the demons which have haunted last season's runners-up for the majority of the campaign failed to be exorcised as Michael O'Halloran's double cancelled out Lionel Ainsworth's opener.

Stuart McCall's men were almost unrecognisable in the way they played in what is easily their best 90 minutes of football this campaign.

Bizarrely, for a team who have shipped 11 goals in their last four games, they looked assured in defence with a back three, while their midfield four provided great width and pace down the wings as Well came flying out the blocks.

Their passing was accurate, their movement intuitive, their swagger unshakable as they dictated the play with conviction.

After several corners and efforts on goal, they eventually made the breakthrough after 13 minutes. Henrik Ojamaa did well to charge down the ball on the edge of the area before feeding Ainsworth.

The wide man initially looked to struggle to get the ball under control before it rebounded back to him eight yards out for him to lash it fiercely into the roof of the net.

Fraser Kerr, who was operating on the right side of midfield, should have doubled their advantage just two minutes later. Saints made a hash of a clearance as the ball looped up in the air for the Well ace, only for him to head straight at Alan Mannus from 12 yards.

Stevie Hammell was next to try his luck. St Johnstone, again, were at sixes and sevens as Motherwell pressed them with purpose, causing a loose ball to spring out to the Motherwell defender 25 yards out, his left-foot swipe skittling across goal and just by the far post.

As shambolic as the home side were in the first half, they somehow managed to haul themselves level five minutes before the break just 20 seconds after almost going two down.

Tenacious work by Ojamaa, who was a constant pest all night, saw him wriggle free in the box which allowed him to square for Ainsworth, only for Mannus to parry the Englishman's drive from 10 yards.

St Johnstone immediately collected the ball and rampaged forward. It was spread out to Lee Croft on the right, and his surging run and cross into the visiting box was met by Michael O'Halloran on the penalty spot for the forward to sweep the ball low beyond Dan Twardzik.

Still, McCall's side flooded forward with John Sutton and Ainsworth both passing up great chances.

It took Motherwell almost 20 minutes into the second half before they began to find their stride, Ojamaa hammering a drive straight at Mannus on a quick breakaway from Ainsworth.

St Johnstone, featuring ex-Fir Park ace James McFadden, also weren't without their threat as they game became stretched as Twardzik was required to pull off a stunning point-blank save to deny Frazer Wright's header.

It was a sign of the sucker punch which was coming.

With 10 minutes to play O'Halloran broke into the visitors' box only for Stephen McManus and Kerr to trip each other up.

This slip allowed the Saints forward to jink inside, beyond another Motherwell body, and slam the ball under Twardzik.

McCall found their fifth consecutive league defeat difficult to take. He said: "The harsh reality is we have lost a game that, if we take our chances, we win.

"For a team down where we are, supposedly lacking in confidence, I thought we played some great football.

"We had a good chance and the goalie makes a diving save with his legs, and they break away and score.

"We have had good chances to go ahead. The second half was more even but I thought it was unjust to go into half-time level.

"The winner sums it up, Fraser Kerr ends up sliding into (Stephen) McManus and takes him out and the boy O'Halloran dances around us and puts it in.

"I can't be critical of the players whatsoever. I've been banging on all week about creating chances, and we did, but just didn't take them."