Ross County 3 Motherwell 2
Ross County ended a seven-match losing run at home with a thrilling victory over fellow Scottish Premiership basement battlers Motherwell at Global Energy Stadium.
Ross County ended a seven-match losing run at home with a thrilling victory over fellow Scottish Premiership basement battlers Motherwell at Global Energy Stadium. County deservedly led at half-time through a superb Martin Woods strike, but Conor Grant levelled from a free-kick early in the second half. The home side looked to have put the game beyond Well with goals from Paul Quinn and Raffaele De Vitam but the visitors made sure of a grandstand finish when Fraser Kerr pulled one back 11 minutes from the end. Motherwell created the first opening when Lee Erwin cut in from the left and took aim but his shot was deflected behind for a corner by County defender Marcus Fraser. Craig Reid let fly in the third minute with a long -ange effort which fizzed past Mark Brown's left-hand post. At the other end, Jamie Reckord swung over a cross which flicked off the top of Craig Curran's head before going out for a goal kick. Reckford put in another good delivery in the 17th minute but Michael Gardyne failed to get enough on the ball. The match came to life again in the 27th minute when Well's new on-loan signing Nathan Thomas took advantage of a Reckord slip and the winger fired in a shot which Brown held at the second attempt. Then it was County's chance to threaten and Well goalkeeper George Long did well to tip over a rasping shot from Liam Boyce. Scott Boyd then tested Long with a pile-driver which the keeper again turned over. But County took the lead in the 34th minute with a wonderful goal from Woods. The midfielder played a one-two with De Vita before finding the corner of the net with a superb left-foot volley. The home side had a chance to double their lead a couple of minutes later when Boyce got on the end of a Woods free-kick but failed to finish. Well tried to get back on level terms before the break and Kerr twice headed into the arms of Brown from set-pieces. County had another good chance to extend their lead in the 47th minute when Jackson Irvine got on the end of Woods' corner but, with the goal at his mercy, he headed well over. Well won a free-kick in a dangerous position in the 54th minute when Reckord fouled Grant. The Well midfielder took the kick himself and curled the ball in at Brown's near post. However, County were back in front five minutes later when Quinn rose highest in the box to head home a De Vita free-kick. Well refused to lie down and they were thrown a lifeline in the 79th minute when Kerr headed a Grant corner in off the underside of the crossbar. But County held on for a vital three points to keep alive their hopes of staying up.