Graham Alexander was pleased to secure a late point against St Johnstone but he felt Motherwell deserved all three.
Tony Watt’s excellent equaliser on 80 minutes salvaged a draw for Motherwell after Zander Clark’s heroics had thwarted them on several occasions.
The Steelmen had five shots on target and Saints stopper Clark made an outstanding one-handed save to deny Kaiyne Woolery in the first half.
The Perth side grabbed the lead on 34 minutes when David Wotherspoon’s cross found the bottom corner via a deflection from Stephen O’Donnell but Alexander insists his side should have already been ahead.
He said: “On chances, we are a bit gutted that we didn’t take three points because of the chances we created. The saves that Zander had to make, and did make, were top drawer.
“We should have been in the lead from our opportunities before we conceded. I’m disappointed with the goal from an unfortunate deflection but I thought in the second half, we came into it really well.
“We had to be aware of their counter-attacking skills, which they are really good at, and they have some good threats.
“I thought we showed how good a team we are when we trusted each other and passed that ball.”
Motherwell threw caution to the wind in the final twenty minutes after Alexander introduced Watt and Steven Lawless.
The Steelmen had four attacking players on the park and the gamble paid off as the two substitutes combined in style.
The brilliant move started with Watt in his own half before Slattery played a cutting pass between the lines back to the 27-year-old.
Watt popped the ball off to Lawless who returned the favour with a sublime clipped pass for the former Saints striker to fire home emphatically.
“It was worked really well between the team,” Alexander enthused. “ I thought Tony Watt, Stevie Lawless and Callum Slattery linked really well.
“When we passed it well through the lines, we caused them problems. When we passed sideways, I thought we caused our own problems.
“You saw the quality of the goal - it was a great finish.”
Alexander was proud that his team kept persisting despite Clark’s stunning performance for St Johnstone.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke was in the stands and Liam Kelly also produced a strong performance in a boost to his international ambitions.
He said: “You can think like that or you can refuse to think like that and keep going. That’s what the team did so you have to keep knocking on the door and throwing punches.
“We did that and we deservedly got an equaliser. We had another great opportunity after that but he [Clark] was on top of his game today.
“It took a very good goal to get past him.”
“Liam made that save towards the end down to his left. I can’t remember many apart from that but we know what Liam has got.
“He’s a top goalkeeper and we are delighted to have him with us. On the balance of chances, I think he had the most but you saw two good goalkeepers on show today.”
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