With the final match of the season here, Motherwell would round off their campaign in front of the Fir Park faithful.
Security might have already been in the bag for the hosts but St Johnstone needed a win and hope other results went their way in order to avoid the relegation playoffs.
The Perthshire side took the lead when Nicky Clark got on the end of a cross into the box.
It looked as if the script had been written when Theo Bair was awarded the chance to score from the spot against his former side, but the St Johnstone keeper guessed the right way to make the stop.
St Johnstone doubled their lead before the break and despite allowing Motherwell to create chance after chance in the second half, it would take until the 94th minute for Moses Ebiye to find the back of the net, but it was too little too late.
