Kilmarnock 0-1 Motherwell
O'Donnell's second-half goal was enough to win the game
Phil O'Donnell scored the only goal of the game as Motherwell edged out Kilmarnock at a rain-soaked Rugby Park.
Ross McCormack tormented the home side throughout with several great runs but the end product was lacking.
Well took the lead directly after the break when O'Donnell's left-foot shot from 25-yards took a wicked deflection and flew past a helpless Alan Combe.
The visitors dominated as Killie struggled to make an impression and held on for a deserved three points.
Motherwell had an early chance after two minutes when a wind-assisted free-kick from Stephen Craigan reached McCormack but he sent a dipping volley over the bar.
That was before both sides adapted to the difficult conditions which saw rain and a swirling wind engulf Rugby Park around kick-off.
Kilmarnock's best early move arrived after 12 minutes when Danny Invincibile dispossessed David Clarkson inside his own half.
The midfielder played it inside to Mehdi Taouil who drove forward but his pass wide was not quite right for Grant Murray who failed to get the cut-back into the danger area.
McCormack then gave a demonstration of his blistering pace when he clipped the ball down the line and showed a clean pair of heels to Clancy.
He cut around the assistant referee before seeing his cross intercepted by a defender.
The former Rangers man was at the heart of everything and after 34 minutes took a return pass from a short corner before testing Combe with a fizzing drive from the angle of the box.
Motherwell had a grip of the half by this point, mainly through the endeavours of McCormack, but couldn't make the breakthrough.
After 42 minutes they were almost caught cold in the wintry conditions when Taouil whistled a shot pass Graeme Smith's post before Simon Ford headed just wide from a Murray cross.
Motherwell took the lead just a minute after the restart and there was a huge element of fortune attached to the opener.
A free-kick was cleared to the edge of the box and it broke to O'Donnell who managed to keep his shot low before it took a wicked deflection off defender Ford and wrong-footed Combe.
Just seconds later O'Donnell's close-range header from McCormack went straight to Combe.
On the hour mark the unfortunate Ford clipped a shot over from Gibson's corner kick and the home side increased the tempo.
McCormack still looked busy but was not quite as fluent as in the first half when he had ran amok down the right.
Visiting goalkeeper Smith was sharp off his line to fist away a dangerous cross as a Killie onslaught gained momentum.
Substitute Aime Koudou had the best chance to nick a point for Killie at the death but his angled effort was poor and hit the side-netting.
Dodds then blazed over from 30 yards to the jeers of the home support and the delight of the Motherwell fans.
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Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler, Ford, Lilley, Murray, Invincibile (Gibson 54), Dodds, Taouil, Clancy (Fernandez 55), Wales, Nish (Koudou 79). Subs Not Used: Harpur, O'Leary, Hamill, Bryson.
Booked: Wales, Dodds.
Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan, Paterson, Lasley (Fitzpatrick 74), O'Donnell, McGarry (Hughes 67), Porter, McCormack (Murphy 89), Clarkson. Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Brian McLean, Grabban, Darren Smith.
Booked: O'Donnell.
Goals: O'Donnell 46.
Att: 5,016
Ref: S Conroy (Scotland).
BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | Kilmarnock 0-1 Motherwell