Motherwell moved into the top four of the Scottish Premiership in time for Christmas with a comfortable win over rock bottom St Johnstone.
Man of the match Dean Cornelius netted his first goal for the club with a stunning first half strike before Kevin van Veen wrapped up the points with a cool finish 10 minutes into the second half.
It marked a third home win on the bounce for the Steelmen as they climbed above Dundee United in the table.
For sorry Saints it inflicted a sixth straight defeat on Callum Davidson's men in all competitions and leaves a point adrift of Ross County at the foot of the table.
'Well gaffer Graham Alexander made three changes from last week's narrow defeat to Celtic. Liam Donnelly made his first start for the Steelmen since August as he came into the starting 11 alongside Sondre Solholm Johansen and youngster Dean Cornelius, as Jake Carroll, Barry Maguire and Callum Slattery all made way.
Tony Watt, who was revealed to have turned down a new deal at the club earlier this week, was up top again alongside van Veen and Kaiyne Woolery in the three-pronged attack.
There was plenty of changes to the visiting side as well following their midweek defeat to Rangers. Callum Davidson made five alterations as Jacob Butterfield, Reece Devine, Ali Crawford, Michael O'Halloran and Eetu Vertainen all dropped out. Craig Bryson came in to make his 600th career appearnce, while Callum Booth, Glenn Middleton, Viv Soloman-Otabor and Stevie May also came into the side.
Both sides struggled to test the goalkeepers in the opening quarter of an hour, but when the first real chance of the game fell to Motherwell they took full advantage in 17 minutes.
A cross into the box was cleared only as far as 'Well academy product Cornelius lurking on the edge of the box. The 20-year-old showed great composure to take the ball down on his chest and then unleashed a thumping half-volley into the bottom corner past a helpless Zander Clark, as fans of "he's one of our own" rang out around Fir Park.
Skipper Stephen O'Donnell caught a half-volley flush on the edge of the box himself seven minutes later and Saints breathed a sigh of relief as it took a wicked deflection wide.
There was then a bit of pinball in the Motherwell box that Liam Kelly manage to help clear with an outstretched leg and Glenn Middleton will feel he should have done better with a volley he blzed over at the back post unmarked.
The opener had brought the game to life and Liam Craig had 'Well keeper Liam Kelly worried with an effort from distance that flashed narrowly wide after 33 minutes.
Three minutes before half-time 'Well almost got their second of the game when Tony Watt burst down the right and fired a ball across the face of goal. The power of the delivery made it difficult for Sean Goss to get a clean connection on it and the ball landed narrowly wide of Clark's left-hand post.
Early in the second half a weak glancing header by May was comfortably collected by Kelly and he then curled an effort over the bar as the Saints searched for an equaliser.
However, in 55 minutes Motherwell doubled their lead.
Solholm Johansen floated the ball down the left for van Veen and when he cut insisde, the Dutchman tunred his marker inside out before firing a low strike past Clark to put 'Well in control.
In 69 minutes Kelly was forced into his customary outstanding save as he tipped Callum Booth's effort away from the top corner after May had teed him up 15 yards out.
But Motherwell comfortably saw the game out to head into Christmas on a high.
The Steelmen are back in action on Boxing Day when they are set to host Livingston.
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, McGinley, Mugabi, Solholm Johansen, O'Donnell, Cornelius, Donnelly, Goss, Woolery (Roberts 88), Watt (Carroll 82), van Veen (Shields 75).
Scorers: Cornelius 17, van Veen 55
Bookings: Goss
Subs not used: Fox, Slattery, Amaluzor, Grimshaw.
ST JOHNSTONE: Clark, McCart, Gordon, Brown (Butterfield 57), Bryson, Booth, Rooney, Craig (O'Halloran 67), May, Solomon-Otabor, Middleton.
Subs not used: Parish, Dendoncker, Crawford, Davidson, Devine.
Ref: Nick Walsh
HT: 1-0
Att: 3,920
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