Ross County 3 Inverness 2

Liam Boyce scored a first-half double as Ross County moved into the top six of the Premiership with a 3-2 win over Inverness.

Boyce ensured County's Highland rivals ended the year on the bottom of the standings after he netted either side of Carl Tremarco's 28th-minute header for Inverness.

Martin Woods extended the hosts' lead just after the hour mark and Alex Fisher's late close range finish gave Inverness hope of salvaging a draw before County saw the game out.

The result ended a sequence of five successive wins in Dingwall for Inverness.

Boyce got County off to a great start with a goal inside two minutes. A Christopher Routis corner was flicked on by Andrew Davies and Kenny van der Weg knocked the ball back over to the far post for the Northern Irishman to head home from close range.

The home side continued to press and when Routis released Alex Schalk in the box the County forward fired into the side-netting.

Lonsana Doumbouya blasted a shot over and Inverness' next attack saw an Aaron Doran effort well held by Scott Fox, after Iain Vigurs' shot was blocked in front of goal by Jay McEveley.

It was end-to-end stuff and when Van der Weg swung a dangerous ball into the box in the 23rd minute, Schalk's header got the slightest touch on its way behind for a corner.

The visitors levelled five minutes later when a free-kick by Greg Tansey from near the touchline fell nicely for Tremarco, who headed past goalkeeper Fox from eight yards.

However, County were back in front 10 minutes before the break. Woods forced visiting goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams into making a fine save before Boyce lashed the loose ball into the far corner of the net from an acute angle.

Boyce had a chance of a first-half hat-trick when Schalk got on the end of a defence-splitting pass from Woods but his cross to the back post was knocked behind by the County forward.

The last chance of the opening 45 minutes came when a slip by Van der Weg let Larnell Cole in for a shot - but Fox made an instinctive save at the near post.

Caley Thistle defender Gary Warren became the first player in referee Bobby Madden's book for a foul on Schalk in the early stages of the second half. Woods' free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box failed to beat the wall.

The home side had a chance to extend their lead in the 54th minute when a deep cross from Schalk was cut back by Routis but Woods ballooned his shot over the crossbar.

The visitors made a double substitution a couple of minutes later with Billy King and Fisher replacing Doumbouya and Cole - but County were to make the next breakthrough.

In the 61st minute Schalk found Woods in space inside the box and the midfielder impressively swept the ball into the far corner of the net.

The game looked to be out of the visitors' reach but substitute Fisher threw them a lifeline in the 81st minute when he netted after Fox failed to hold a King shot.

It set up a frantic finish to an entertaining match - but the hosts held on.