Motherwell 0-3 Inverness CT

Inverness Caledonian Thistle moved into the Premiership top six with a fine victory over Motherwell at Fir Park.

Carl Tremarco gave Inverness the lead with a left footed shot after getting to Brad McKay's cross.

Lonsana Doumbouya made it two when a corner kick fell straight to him right in front of the goal, and he happily poked it beyond goalkeeper Craig Samson.

And Liam Polworth picked his spot just inside the post to make it three.

Scrappy breakthrough

In general play, there was little between the two sides. The sense was of a stalemate, with the teams essentially cancelling each other out. With neither in control of the game, or able to build pressure, it was clear that only a moment of quality or scrappiness would deliver a breakthrough.

It was the latter that befell Motherwell defender Stephen McManus in the second half, since he awkwardly miscued an attempt to clear McKay's cross allowing the ball to run to Tremarco. Even then, the defender was hardly decisive in his finishing, and the ball skewed in off the underside of the crossbar.

There was a similar bout of indecision by Motherwell defenders at the heart of the second goal, since they failed to clear a corner kick, eventually letting the ball drop to Doumbouya. The striker didn't hesitate in stabbing it into the net past the Motherwell goalkeeper Samson.

Toil and endeavour

This was a game built on industry. There was a tireless effort at the heart of both sides, particularly in central midfield. Keith Lasley - who is still capable of neat footwork to leave an opponent trailing - and Chris Cadden worked the midfield for Motherwell, while Greg Tansey and Ross Draper did the same for Inverness.

Their efforts meant that the encounter was always finely balanced - with the two sides also sharing an inability to deliver penetrating attacks. Motherwell would have hoped for more from the strike partnership of Louis Moult and Ryan Bowman, although they did combine neatly in the first half for the former to shoot into the side-netting.

There was still room for a moment of genuine quality, though, with Polworth finally finding his range with a effort from outside the area late in the game. He'd speared a couple of shots over earlier, but when the ball ran to him 22 yards out, he lashed it low, hard and accurately into the bottom corner, past the outstretched arm of Samson.

Fir Park frustration

There was a moment during the first-half when Motherwell manager Mark McGhee turned to a fan in the stand and sharply reminded him that the player the supporter had been grumbling about was still only a teenager. Members of this Motherwell side remain a work in progress, but the fans lacked patience as the game ran away from their team.

When Doumbouya scored the second goal, some of the home fans immediately started heading for the exit. Their team had lacked a cutting edge, and the frustration would have felt more acute because there had been so little between the sides until the second goal.

Under McGhee, the likes of Chris Cadden, Ross MacLean and Jack McMillan will continue to develop. There will be highs and lows along the way.

Manager reaction

Motherwell's Mark McGhee: "First-half I thought it was neck and neck. I thought we just needed to find a bit more accuracy with our final ball, but I thought the second half was diabolical.

"It's difficult to say if there was any difference up to the goal, but after that we just had no unity, no team work, we suddenly became a group of individuals. At that point, it looked to me as if we had no chance of getting back into the game because we'd lost it.

"It's the first time that's happened and I'd say that's probably the most disappointing 45 minutes that I've had since I've been back. I need to find why that was. We've had a good chat in the dressing room, we've spoken about a few things, we'll train tomorrow and Friday and hopefully we'll be ready for Ross County.

"I don't know if I didn't see it coming. I sensed that there's been a little bit of lethargy since the Celtic game, I've hoped it wasn't what I was really feeling, but it surfaced tonight in the second half. We now know and we have to put it right.

"I know they can [bounce back], they're capable of that but they have to do that. Having done it in the past, what they have to do now is reunite, as a group get together and go out and believe in each other, work for each other, and stay united as long as whatever happens out there. That team spirit just evaporated after the first goal."

Inverness CT's Richie Foran: "It was an outstanding performance, a near-perfect performance. We tinkered with our formation a wee bit, I wanted to isolate a couple of our players, to play to their strengths, and we brought in Aaron Doran, a total footballer who's comfortable taking the ball in with his back to goal and he was immense for us.

"I'm delighted all round, a clean sheet for us away from home, at Fir Park, a tough place to come. I can't speak any more highly of the lads.

"I always feel we'll score goals. I was looking for a clean sheet. I questioned the lads, I questioned their ability a wee bit. They'd given us the team spirit, they'd given us the fight, the desire, the hunger, and I said I was looking for quality tonight. They certainly showed that.

"There was some great play all over the park, our fitness levels were spot on, and once again we're finishing the game stronger, we're going right to the final whistle, so it was good. I'm delighted for the back four getting that clean sheet.

"A draw away from home is good in the Premiership, a win is great and gives us a lot of confidence."