A host of chances were passed up by Alfred Johansson’s men during a dominant display, which would have brought greater reward had they discovered a clinical touch in front of goal before the spot-kick as they moved into ninth spot on the table.

Saints dropped down to eighth as Craig McLeish’s side, whose recent poor run of form continues.

The Lanarkshire side should have been ahead in the 10th minute when Tawanda Maswanhise was allowed time and space to fire in a shot from 18 yards, but he wildly blasted the effort high over the crossbar.

Another golden opportunity arrived moments later when a low cross from Emmanuel Longelo had Maswanhise racing towards the far post and the Zimbabwean was inches away from converting.

That sustained pressure on the Saints goal continued unabated in an impressive opening by Well, who forced a series of corners with the Buddies being swamped by waves of attacks.

Tom Sparrow then reacted first to a loose ball at the edge of the box and his shot was parried wide by visiting goalkeeper Jacob Chapman as the hosts piled on the pressure.

It may have been wasteful by the hosts, but the invention and creative spark down the flanks and from midfield was a much-needed return to the style which the Fir Park side had been serving up earlier in the campaign.

Ibrahim Said was next to miss a glaring chance when he steered a shot straight at Chapman when clean through in the 24th minute.

Saints had been let off the hook, but the Paisley side struggled to get themselves properly into the contest in a first half of little promise that they could breach the Motherwell goal as Joe Hodge went into the book for a lunge on Ryan Carr just before the break.

Martin Moormann rattled a volley inches over the top just seconds after the restart as the traffic continued to flow towards St Mirren’s goal before Marcus Fraser saw yellow for a professional foul in the 52nd minute.

Another clear Motherwell miss came on the hour mark with Said swivelling inside the box and, from 16 yards, dragged the effort wide when he should have been busting the net.

St Mirren began building some pressure of their own in a bid to claim a smash-and-grab three points, but those hopes ended eight miutes from time as referee Don Robertson pointed to the spot after a VAR check for a Henry Fieldson handball.

Fadinger slammed home to secure a long-awaited for Motherwell and their under-pressure manager.