Every league win comes with three points but the celebrations at the end of the match at Rugby Park demonstrated that the Motherwell players and fans saw a greater value in the victory.
After the much reported four February losses (including the concession of seventeen goals) and the departure of the manager, the team was under enormous pressure to get a result against Kilmarnock.
With Steve Robinson taking temporary command three changes were made. Lasley, Hammell and Tait were recalled but none were on the park when the winning goal was scored.
We started well enough but Kilmarnock had the best of the first half. They seemed better able to cope with the pace and bounce of the artificial pitch. We had a couple of efforts - a powerful drive from Cadden and a near post flick from McDonald but it was Boyd that opened the scoring.
After the match Robinson was modest about the game changing half-time substitutions and referred to "adding positivety" to the team. He praised Bowman and Frear for their contributions but it was McHugh who starred. He played a full part in the three man central defence and was in the right place to score the equaliser. It could be that we have found a strategy to cope with the continuing loss of McManus.
Five stars for McHugh
The delight on the face of Jules as he celebrated the winner was mirrored by the 766 Motherwell fans behind the goal. There can be no better way to bounce back from last week's poor game.
The drama in the final minute added an extra twist. The penalty award seemed soft and our protests earned bookings for McHugh and Cadden. It seemed inevitable (in the collective Motherwell mind) that the penalty would be converted and that two points were about to disappear. The cheers that greeted Boyd's miss continued until the final whistle
Robinson was asked about any ambition he might have for the vacant post but we were told that the enjoyment of a Saturday night and a chat with his family was the priority.
Time will tell if he needs no make a plan for next Saturday's team.