St Mirren's league campaign got off to a sticky start as two Liam Kelly wonder saves ensured 10-man Motherwell escaped Paisley with all three points.
The Buddies created several gilt-edged chances to fire themselves into the lead in the first half, with Jonah Ayunga denied by a brilliant point blank one-handed Kelly save.
Despite dominating the first half it was Motherwell's Kevin Van Veen who opened the scoring from the penalty spot just before the break, with Scott Tanser rightly penalised for a hand ball.
The Buddies battled hard for a leveller after the break, with Kelly again coming to the Steelmen's rescue, producing an incredible reaction stop to deny sub Curtis Main from heading the hosts level.
Despite their dominance, the Paisley side were left to rue even more missed chances with the visitors holding firm - despite losing Ricky Lamie to a red card late on.
Stephen Robinson handed Premiership debuts to six summer recruits, with keeper Trevor Carson, Keanu Baccus and Ryan Strain all passed fit to start.
The latter didn't take long to pick up his first yellow card of the campaign, wiping out Kevin Van Veen in a dangerous position after the striker burst past Joe Shaughnessy.
Motherwell's Sean Goss produced the first meaningful effort of the match, scuffing a low drive wide from a promising spot on the edge of the box.
There was a break in play as former St Mirren defender Paul McGinn clashed heads with Mark O'Hara as both battled to win a header.
McGinn was unable to continue, with Scotland international Stephen O'Donnell replacing him at right back.
Strain was providing a threat down the right flank. He fizzed in a teasing cross that was destined for Jonah Ayunga. He fell under pressure from the defender, with referee John Beaton waving away the penalty shouts.
The Buddies were increasing the pressure on the visitors, with Baccus splitting the defence with a lovely through ball. Ayunga raced clear of the retreating defence but wastefully blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
It wasn't long before St Mirren pierced the Motherwell defence again, with Strain robbing a defender on the right before teeing up Alex Greive.
The New Zealand international's shot was blocked as far as Strain, who just couldn't keep his effort down to open the scoring.
The home side had Motherwell on the ropes, with Strain cutting inside before curling a superb cross with his weaker foot straight into the path of Ayunga.
His header drew an excellent one-handed stop from Liam Kelly, with Sondre Johansen just clearing away from Greive in time to keep the scores level.
St Mirren's first half profligacy came back to bite them just before the break
Scott Tanser was deemed to have deliberately handballed in the box, with Kevin Van Veen stepping up to send Carson the wrong way and open the scoring against the run of play.
The Buddies mixed it up at half-time, with Ryan Flynn replacing Mark O'Hara in the middle of the park.
Shortly after the restart Tanser hobbled off after pulling a muscle stretching for a long ball, with Richard Tait replacing him at left wing-back.
After a sluggish start to the second half the Buddies upped the tempo. A corner was cleared as far as Baccus, who pinged off a low shot that was blocked to safety.
Tait then floated a cross to the far post that broke to Strain, who again blazed over the bar from a promising position.
Robinson turned to former Motherwell striker Main off the bench to provide more physicality up front, with the ineffective Greive making way.
St Mirren were battling hard to level. Flynn did well in the middle of the park to find Main on the left wing. The sub swung a brilliant ball into the box that Baccus headed straight into the grateful arms of Kelly.
Main was then inches away from getting on the end of another superb Strain cross, as Motherwell's lead looked increasingly fragile.
Despite their dominance Declan Gallagher had to produce a brilliant block to deny Motherwell sub Joseph Efford after he beat the offside trap and burst into the Saints' box.
The Buddies thought they'd finally picked the lock when Tait's excellent cross set up Main with a gilt-edged chance. Kelly produced another world-class save to keep his side in front.
The Saints wouldn't give up the fight, with Ayunga seeing a shot deflected before the home side were handed a late lifeline.
Ricky Lamie was given his marching orders for a late challenge on Baccus, with Kelly producing yet another fine stop from Main's resulting free-kick.
Skipper Shaughnessy volleyed well wide before Ayunga headed tamely at Kelly as the full-time whistle eventually dashed the hosts' hopes of a late equaliser.
