Caley Thistle produced another dominant display without reward, with a killer instinct again deceiving them on a blustery night at Caledonian Stadium.
Inverness carried the greater threat through large spells of the match, with Motherwell goalkeeper Craig Samson making several fine saves to keep them out, but a wind-assisted opener by Craig Clay was followed by a late strike from Scott McDonald, with Greg Tansey’s late goal coming as mere consolation.
The result keeps Inverness bottom of the table, and although they are still just five points away from sixth-place, concerns will be raised at other teams gradually starting to pick up victories.
Caley Thistle produced one of their best performances of the season in spite of their 1-0 defeat at Ibrox on Christmas Eve, so it was no surprise that Richie Foran kept faith with the same starting line-up.
While the display was encouraging, Inverness needed wins. They came into the game against the Steelmen having not won any of their eight previous games, since a 3-0 victory against Mark McGhee’s side at Fir Park on October 26. An alarming run and one which had seen Caley Jags slip to the bottom of the table, however a section of supporters in the North Stand were keen to show their backing for the side by unfurling a banner saying “keep up the fight.”
The swirling Highland wind made it difficult for both sides, and there was little goalmouth action in the opening stages. Motherwell came closest on three minutes when Steven Hammell’s deflected free-kick initially looked to have wrongfooted goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams, however the Welshman managed to steady himself to gather at the second attempt.
Caley Jags showed occasional promise, with the recently impressive Larnell Cole and Liam Polworth both making decent runs, however they struggled to conjure up a final product. It was the visitors who threatened again on 23 minutes when Scott McDonald spun on the edge of the box before drilling a left-footed effort wide of target.
Inverness’ first real glimpse at Craig Samson’s goal came on 26 minutes when the ball eventually dropped for Cole after a flick from Lonsana Doumbouya, but the on-loan Fulham man saw his shot deflected wide by Ben Heneghan.
Motherwell initially continued to look more menacing with their attacks however and Lionel Ainsworth, who had just came on for the injured Chris Cadden, whistled a shot inches wide of the far corner from a wide right position.
Inverness picked up their threat as the first-half wore on though. Greg Tansey, who has told Foran he will not sign a new contract, brought Samson into action for the first time on 33 minutes with a free-kick which the goalkeeper turned around his post.
The best chance of the half fell the way of Iain Vigurs however, when the ball landed unexpectedly for him at the far post after a Brad McKay delivery was inadvertently brought into his path by a touch from Well defender Stephen McManus, however he steered his header off the outside of the post.
It was the hosts who ended the first-half well on top, with skipper Gary Warren hooking an effort wide on the turn before Tansey saw a deflected strike spin towards goal, with Samson doing well to beat it away.
Foran’s men picked up from where they left off and they created another chance just two minutes after the restart, with Polworth dancing through the midfield before releasing Doumbouya, but the Guinea international dragged his shot wide of Samson’s right-hand post.
Motherwell took the lead in fortuitous circumstances on 50 minutes though, when Clay took on a shot from 25 yards which looked to be heading well over, but held up in the wind before sailing in at Fon Williams’ top left-hand corner.
Having been undone by McKay’s own goal on Saturday, it was another bitter blow for the hosts but there was no time for hard luck stories. Vigurs came close to catching out Samson with an opportunist free-kick from the right flank which was palmed wide by the goalkeeper, while Tansey struck an effort wide from the edge of the area, but their attacks lacked incisiveness.
The introduction of Aaron Doran made a big difference to the sharpness of Caley Jags’ attacks and he was desperately unfortunate not to draw his side level on 81 minutes when Doran struck the underside of the bar with a thumping strike from 20 yards.
Costly it proved, as Motherwell wrapped the points up when the ball fell for McDonald to plant a low strike past Fon Williams from 12 yards.
Tansey scrambled home a late goal from a corner, but it was too little, too late for Foran’s side.
