Well resilience pleases Baraclough

Motherwell were well worth their half-time lead after playing some decent football following John Sutton's 14th-minute penalty but they were pegged back for the vast majority of the second half at Fir Park.

However, goalkeeper Dan Twardzik was untroubled thanks to some committed defending and home substitute Lee Erwin missed the best chance of the half on the counter-attack.

Motherwell clung on to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season to give Baraclough a good platform which he is looking to build on.

"It was hard-earned. It probably wasn't pretty in the second half but I felt the first-half performance was very good," Baraclough said. "We created a lot of good chances, good movement, good use of the ball.

"The second half was probably the total opposite.

"Credit to the opposition, they came and had a go. We probably sat back, there was an anxiousness that we are trying to get out of the players. You are not there to protect a lead, go and replicate that first-half performance then you make it a lot easier for yourselves.

"We got a bit stretched and, when we did win it back, we didn't use it so well.

"But you can't fault the players' endeavour and will to win, and willingness to throw themselves in front of the ball. I don't think Dan has actually had to make too many saves."

Baraclough started his Motherwell career with a 1-0 win at St Mirren Park and their latest victory moved them three points off the Jags, who sit ninth in the Scottish Premiership.

"They are good players," Baraclough said. "You don't get the positions they have in last three years without having talent. We have tried to organise them and get them to understand their roles and responsibilities and started from scratch again.

"But there's a lot more to come, we are not kidding ourselves that that was the perfect performance because (the) second half was far from it. We have told them that but the players understand that."

Thistle had several penalty appeals after the break turned down as referee Brian Colvin was unmoved after giving the hosts a spot-kick when stand-in left-back Stuart Bannigan pulled down Lionel Ainsworth.

Bannigan's move back into midfield helped Thistle dominate after the break but they could not find a cutting edge.

Manager Alan Archibald said: "I thought our second-half performance merited at least a point. We were in the final third a lot and it is concerning that we are taking the wrong option too often.

"I have no complaint about Motherwell's penalty as I thought it was a foul.

"We just weren't sure if it was inside the box as the boys felt the first contact was outside."