Inverness Caley Thistle’s fine start to the season continued in style as they beat Motherwell to go top of the league after three games
Goals from Greg Tansey and Aaron Doran secured all three points for the Highlanders in a one-sided encounter.
Caley Thistle manager John Hughes made one enforced change for the trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell with James Vincent missing out after he failed a fitness test on a groin injury.
He was replaced by Marley Watkins for the game against the Steelmen.
Well boss Stuart McCall named new loan signing Henrik Ojamaa on the bench following his six month move back to Fir Park from Legia Warsaw.
Fellow newcomer David Ferguson was given a place in the starting 11 against the Highlanders.
Caley Thistle dominated the opening exchanges at Fir Park but it was Well who came closest to opening the scoring with Inverness defender Gary Warren doing well to head a Lee Erwin shot off the line.
Well’s early chance made no change to proceedings, however, as Caley Thistle dominated and it took two fine saves from Well goalkeeper Dan Twardzik to deny Greg Tansey and Marley Watkins from giving the Highlanders the lead.
But the Steelmen’s resistance was finally broken three minutes before the break when the terrific Watkins cut inside from the right wing before laying the ball off to Tansey who fired past Twardzik with a low drive from 25 yards.
Manager McCall sent on Ojamaa for the ineffective Lionel Ainsworth for the second half and immediately the threat against the Caley Jags goal increased.
But the Inverness defence were in no mood to let their lead slip and they duly snuffed out the home side’s threat, reducing Well’s attacks to long range and set-piece efforts.
Indeed, it was the visitors who grabbed the crucial second goal in the final minute when substitute Aaron Doran cut inside Well right back Reid before curling a terrific shot high past Twardzik from the edge of the Motherwell box.