Inverness CT 3 Motherwell 1

Inverness remain level on points with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership after defeating Motherwell 3-1 at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

The home side had taken the lead in the 29th minute when Billy McKay ran clear of the Motherwell defence, but the managerless Steelmen levelled just two minutes later through Henrik Ojamaa.

But Caley Thistle displayed more of the qualities that see them share top spot in the second half as they went back ahead through Marley Watkins close-range header on 70 minutes before Josh Meekings secured the points eight minutes later as he slid in to meet a corner-kick at the back post.

Caretaker Motherwell manager Kenny Black named an unchanged side from the one which defeated Dundee United 1-0 in their last outing, while Caley boss John Hughes welcomed back impressive youngster Ryan Christie into his starting XI after he returned from international duty with the Scotland Under-21 side against Switzerland in midweek.

The early stages of the match were played at a low tempo, with neither side creating anything of note until the 24th minute when Greg Tansey's 30-yard free-kick sailed just wide of the post.

But five minutes later Billy McKay put the home side ahead after being sent clear on the right by Ryan Christie and he finished coolly beyond Dan Twardzik in the Motherwell goal.

That sparked the game into life - and just two minutes after going ahead, Caley were pegged back to level terms by Ojamaa after the Estonian got on the end of a John Sutton cutback before keeping his composure to blast the ball beyond Dean

Brill and score his first goal since returning to the Steelmen on loan from Legia Warsaw.

Ryan Christie almost put Caley back ahead with half-time beckoning, but he was denied by a tremendous Twardzik save to keep the scores level. Inverness began the second half well and should have retaken the lead inside two minutes of the restart as the usually deadly McKay again broke clear before rounding Twardzik, but his shot, albeit from an angle, was high over the goal.

The Northern Irishman wasted yet another chance when he lofted a ball over the bar from just inside the area after escaping the attentions of Craig Reid.

The home side kept plugging away however, and they were rewarded with 20 minutes left when Graeme Shinnie sent a ball into the box and it was headed home from close-range by Marley Watkins.

And on 78 minutes, the points were secured as Josh Meekings got himself on the end of a Tansey corner at the back post as he caught Motherwell's John Sutton napping.

There should have been even more for the vast majority of the 3,037 crowd to cheer as Watkins hit the bar from just six yards out after Caley broke at pace and substitute Aaron Doran played him in.

However, the final whistle signalled a thoroughly merited victory for the home side against a Motherwell outfit who rarely threatened.