Motherwell 3 Dundee 0

David Clarkson sent former club Motherwell on their way to a fourth consecutive home Scottish Premiership defeat with a brilliant early finish in a 3-1 victory at Fir Park. Goals from Clarkson, Gary Harkins and Greg Stewart had Dundee three goals ahead before the hour mark amid some lax Motherwell marking and the home side could not find a way back despite Henrik Ojamaa quickly reducing the deficit to two. Clarkson had a trial spell at Motherwell this summer after returning from England but manager Stuart McCall decided he wanted a quicker striker and brought Ojamaa back to the club instead. Clarkson, who hit 49 goals in 219 appearances for Motherwell, eventually ended up at Dundee and has now scored three goals in as many games for his new team.

The goal against his former club took little over two minutes and was among the best he has scored at Fir Park, although he was allowed yards of space on the edge of the box. Motherwell failed to clear an attack and Harkins nodded the ball to Clarkson, who turned and sent a left-foot volley into the top corner. The goal did nothing for the confidence of a side which had conceded seven goals in their previous two games and it was not until the final 15 minutes that they exerted any sustained pressure.

Motherwell were without Steven Hammell, Craig Reid and Lee Erwin after being hit by injury and illness late in the week while Dundee were missing James McPake and saw goalkeeper Kyle Letheren pull out minutes before kick-off, allowing Scott Bain to make his league debut.

Motherwell had some half-chances to level after Clarkson's opener, Ojamaa getting two shots on target but both times Bain got down well to save. Motherwell defender Simon Ramsden had a shot cleared off the line by Jim McAlister after a corner but Dundee generally looked more dangerous when they went forward and they doubled their lead in the 29th minute. Paul McGowan beat Iain Vigurs to a challenge and the ball fell for Stewart just inside the Motherwell box. The forward cut inside and poked a shot that was blocked by Dan Twardzik but Harkins was on hand to power the rebound home from 10 yards.

Dundee, who brought on Cammy Kerr for Paul McGinn in the 42nd minute, had two good chances to add a third before the interval but Twardzik saved well from Clarkson's header after the striker was left completely unmarked at a Harkins corner. Harkins then set up McGowan inside the box but former Dundee keeper Twardzik got down well to save. McCall, who uncharacteristically watched the first half from the stand, made a double switch at half-time with Stuart Carswell and Fraser Kerr replacing Stephen McManus and Jack Leitch.

But Dundee threatened to cut Motherwell open twice inside the first two minutes of the half and went further ahead in the 59th minute thanks to some more dreadful marking. Stewart was all alone inside the box when Clarkson picked up the ball on the left wing and the former Bristol City player managed to get the ball across for his strike partner to stab home.

Some home fans departed but their team got a lifeline three minutes later. Ojamaa forced a corner with an excellent long-range strike that Bain tipped over and the Estonian turned and steered Kerr's header in off the bar following Lionel Ainsworth's delivery. Dundee tried to hit back and Twardzik saved from both Harkins and substitute Kevin Thomson, making his first appearance for two months following a calf injury. They were pressed back in the final 15 minutes, however Bain saved from Ojamaa, Vigurs and Josh Law as Dundee held out to leave last season's runners-up in second-bottom spot.