Caley Thistle slipped deeper into the relegation mire following a 4-2 defeat to Motherwell at Fir Park.
Inverness fought back from 2-0 down to level only to concede two more goals to suffer a loss which leaves them five points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
Caley Thistle manager Richie Foran made four changes to the side which lost 3-0 at home to St Johnstone last weekend with captain Gary Warren and Larnell Cole missing out due to suspension following their red cards against the Saints.
Kevin McNaughton dropped to the bench while forward Billy Mckay missed out due to injury. Brad McKay, Liam Polworth, Iain Vigurs and Billy King came into the starting 11.
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson made three changes to his side with Louis Moult, Stevie Hammell and Allan Campbell starting in place of Shea Gordon, Zak Jules and Craig Clay who dropped to the bench.
Well made a dream start as they raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
Craig Cadden raced into the Inverness penalty area unchallenged before curling a fine shot past Owain Fon Williams to make it 1-0 in the seventh minute before Inverness failed to clear Louis Moult’s cross into the box and it beat Fon Williams at his far post.
When Carl Tremacro limped off it looked ominous for Foran’s side but they handed themselves a lifeline when Alex Fisher deflected a Vigurs’ shot past Craig Samson in the Well goal to reduce the deficit.
Both goalkeepers made fine saves to ensure there was further scoring before half-time with Fon Williams making a double save to deny Ryan Bowman and Elliott Frear before Samson repelled Fisher after he found himself one on one with the Motherwell goalkeeper.
There was nothing Samson could do to deny Fisher when the forward found himself through on goal again in the second half with the attacker collecting Greg Tansey’s pass before lifting the ball over the advancing Well goalkeeper to make it 2-2.
Caley Thistle’s joy soon turned to anger, however, as Well regained the lead in contentious circumstances when Scott McDonald’s header from Elliott Frear’s cross truck the post before being pushed away by Fon Williams only for the goal to be given with officials deeming the ball had crossed the line.
Inverness were furious but there was no arguments about Well’s fourth goal with McDonald turning creator with a ball across goal which was headed home by Allan Campbell to secure victory for Stephen Robinson’s side.
