MOTHERWELL TOOK A big step towards a Uefa Cup place after as good a second half as Fir Park has hosted all season. Third place in the league is now firmly in the grasp of Mark McGhee's side, just as Aberdeen can no longer achieve it.

If Hibernian lose to Celtic today, there will be no need for the final game between the sides to determine the issue. It's a substantial feat of management by McGhee in his first season at the club, and by assistant Scott Leitch.

"If it goes well for us tomorrow, I think it's up there with anything I've achieved," said McGhee after yesterday's win. "It's not a miracle because these boys are good enough. All I've done is encourage them. All of us have worked as a team."

The manager continues to be linked with a summer move to Hearts, but for now McGhee is glad to be the leader of a group of players who have had to deal with the death of Phil O'Donnell.

"The lads gave had to go through a lot," said McGhee. "They've helped each other and shown tremendous spirit. There are boys who are still disturbed and emotional by events and they're still able to produce winning performances. They deserve it."

This game, though, was not all about Motherwell. With the game delicately poised at 1-1, it transpired from replays that a shot by Aberdeen's Barry Nicholson had clearly crossed the line before being clawed out by Graeme Smith.

"I thought it was a great save at the time, but the television people have told me it was three yards over the line," said Jimmy Calderwood. "My players are raging. That happened to us at Celtic Park and it's happened to us again today. If we had gone 2-1 ahead it would have been difficult for Motherwell.

"I don't think it was the referee's decision this time, I think it was the linesman's. It's happened a couple of times with him, but I better watch what I say. Overall, the game was a wonderful advert for Scottish football."

Both sides made three changes in front of a healthy crowd who had taken advantage of Motherwell's £5 ticket price. Aberdeen were easily the more dynamic side in the opening 20 minutes, even if Andrew Considine had to be sharp early on as Chris Porter moved in menacingly on a through ball.

But it was the visitors, with Stuart Duff, Josh Walker and Darren Mackie taking every chance to get forward and support Lee Miller, who were playing the more enterprising football. The best chance fell to David Clarkson when he was set up by Porter before sending a shot over the bar, as Aberdeen's pass-and-move play began to catch the eye.

Calderwood was forced to make an early change when Dave Bus replaced the injured Considine, but their play finally converted into something more tangible when Graeme Smith was forced to make a brave save at Walker's feet following a neat build-up.

However, although there were further chances for Walker and Miller, there were already signs that the visitors lacked a finishing punch.

Worse for Calderwood's side, Motherwell also decided to stop playing second fiddle and started to press forward with more urgency. Bus was forced to clear a Porter header for a corner, and then Jamie Langford had to do the same as a fierce 25-yard free kick from Steven Hammell arrowed toward goal.

McGhee sent on Darren Smith for Marc Fitzpatrick at the start of the second half and his side spent the opening minutes camped in and around the Aberdeen box, testing the recast Aberdeen defence. A measure of this was five corners in a short period. The pressure was relentless and, although the visitors were defending well, something had to give. It did in the 61st minute. Stephen Hughes sent another cross into the Aberdeen box, Porter nodded it down and Darren Smith, despite his first attempt being half-blocked, poked the ball into the net to give Motherwell the lead.

Six minutes later Aberdeen replied with an unexpected, and stunning, goal. Sone Aluko had not long come on as a substitute when he struck a fine low volley past Smith to cut short the home fans' celebrations.

The second half was already a much better one than the first, and not just because of the goals. Both sides stepped up their efforts and Nicholson looked to have given Aberdeen the lead, but Smith made a fantastic save to claw the ball away from the net - not, as it transpired, before it had crossed the line. Pleasingly for the crowd, which must have included non-regular fans, the game developed into an end-to-end affair with the feel of a cup tie.

Ross McCormack, another Motherwell substitute, forced Langfield to make a late save from a free kick and later slid a shot past the goalkeeper's right-hand post.

With the effort being put in by both teams, the game demanded a winner and it arrived in the 81st minute. Aberdeen lost possession in their own half and Hughes ran down the wing before again providing the cross which allowed Porter to convert and give Motherwell what is surely a passport to Europe. Even so, they had to survive a major scare in injury time when Chris Maguire's delicate free kick floated above the Motherwell defence only to strike the bar, denying the visitors a second equaliser.

Motherwell substitutes: D Smith for Fitzpatrick 46, McCormack for McGarry 66, Lappin for McCormack 85 Not used: Daniels, Lasley, Murphy, Meechan Booked: None
Aberdeen substitutes: Bus for Considine 16; Aluko for Walker 64, Maguire for Mackie 81 Not used: Soutar, Lovell, De Visscher, Ross Booked: Touzani 78
Referee: C Thomson
Att: 8574