Mothwerwell 2 Ross County 2

Tony Dingwall denied Motherwell a welcome victory for new manager Ian Baraclough when he struck his second goal of the game - and his senior career - in the final seconds at Fir Park.

Baraclough was named boss hours before the Fir Park encounter and watched from the stand as two goals in six second-half minutes from John Sutton and Henrik Ojamaa edged Motherwell towards a five-point gap over the bottom side.

However, Dingwall fired home from 14 yards exactly three minutes into injury time to seal a 2-2 draw and deny Motherwell a hat-trick of positive news, while lifting County above St Mirren.

The club had announced on Friday night that a deal in principle had been agreed for Lanarkshire-born businessman Les Hutchison to complete a takeover in the coming weeks in a partnership with the Well Society fans group.

But there were only 3,193 supporters inside Fir Park, with Baraclough among those watching from the stand as Kenny Black brought his caretaker stint to an end.

There was little between the sides in the first half, with neither able to find the creativity needed to translate possession into chances.

Sutton flashed an early header wide for the hosts following a good break and cross from Ojamaa and the striker had another decent effort when he turned and shot just inside the box, but Antonio Reguero comfortably saved.

County's movement was slightly superior to Motherwell's and the home defence, missing the injured Craig Reid, Fraser Kerr and Steven Hammell and suspended Simon Ramsden, were occasionally looking stretched.

And it was disorganisation at the back that saw them concede a goal on the stroke of half-time.

Zaine Francis-Angol was drawn into the middle when opposing left-back Jamie Reckord flighted a cross to the back post, leaving Dingwall free.

The winger fired a powerful strike that was well stopped by Dan Twardzik but he still had the time to control the rebound and fire a low shot into the far corner.

County could have put the game to bed in the opening stages of the second half as they continued to make space inside the Motherwell half.

Jake Jervis and Graham Carey fired just wide from long range and Twardzik spilled a shot from distance from Dingwall, with Mark O'Brien perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Jervis from the follow-up.

Paul Quinn then missed an open goal after Twardzik had parried a Jervis volley.

County soon paid the price in the 53rd minute. Ojamaa got the ball out wide for Lionel Ainsworth - a half-time replacement for pre-match injury doubt Iain Vigurs - and the winger crossed over Reguero for Sutton to head home from close range.

Motherwell soon went ahead when Ojamaa raced on to Josh Law's flick and fired a low shot into the corner from 18 yards.

Twardzik and Stuart Carswell combined to stop County sub Michael Gardyne converting from close range following a corner, and the goalkeeper saved Jackson Irvine's looping header as the visitors pressed.

They were leaving gaps at the back and Ainsworth fired just wide after running from his own half.

Gardyne looked set to level in the 85th minute when a cross fell for him on the edge of the six-yard box but he hit the post and Motherwell looked to have survived the late pressure until Dingwall arrowed a first-time finish into the corner following a lay-off.