Jamie Murphy and Chris Humphrey set Motherwell on the road to victory against United, just as they had done seven days earlier when the Steelmen beat the Tayside club 3-0 to go through to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. This contest was much closer with Johnny Russell heading home for United 11 minutes from the end of a far better second-half display.
"If we came here and didn't create chances, like last week, I would be really disappointed," Houston said. "But the last half hour was like the Alamo and just bad luck and good goalkeeping means we took nothing."
He added: "If there are positives to take, it's the fact we got (Garry) Kenneth on the park and (Scott) Severin for 90 minutes so we got two centre-halves and we can try and work on the defence rather than lose silly, cheap goals.
"I think third is beyond us, I thought it was before. You always hope you can take it to seven points, single figures.
"We have won six games on the trot in the league, 18 great points and not to take anything is a big disappointment. But we can't get too down."
Motherwell boss Stuart McCall praised his players for hanging on despite being without the suspended Steve Jennings and injured trio Stevie Hammell, Gavin Gunning and Francis Jeffers.
McCall did not bring on a substitute until injury-time with little experience to call upon from the bench and his jaded players clung on during a nervous final 10 minutes.
"We were hanging on, no doubt about it, big Daz (Darren Randolph) made a great save at the end," McCall said. "It was a huge win, I said before the game it didn't matter how we got it, the main thing was the three points.
"If I'm honest I would have settled for a point before the game because they are a good side."
Source: PA
Source: PA