91Èȱ¬

Ross County won at home for just the second time this season to move within three points of Motherwell at the foot of the Premiership.

Martin Woods hammered the hosts in front with a stunning volley, with Conor Grant levelling from a free-kick.

Former 'Well defender Paul Quinn thumped in a header to restore County's lead and Raffaele de Vita added another impressive volley for the Staggies.

Fraser Kerr knocked in a header on 78 minutes but the Highlanders held on.

Motherwell did not lose any ground on 10th-placed St Mirren - who lost at home to Inverness CT - but the Steelmen remain in the play-off spot, having picked up just one point from their last seven outings.

The visitors had started brightly and Fraser Kerr should have capitalised on a number of of free headers from Grant deliveries.

But the home side gradually gained control and crucially capitalised as their influence on the match peaked.

An intricate move ended with Woods playing a neat one-two with Liam Boyce to fire a tremendous dipping volley low past goalkeeper George Long.

County were determined and posed a real attacking threat but Motherwell found a route back early in the second half.

Debutant Grant sized up a free-kick and curled in a lovely left-footed effort which eluded the defensive wall and keeper Mark Brown.

It was a head-in-hands moment for home fans who presumably feared the worst given County's home record this season.

However, County demonstrated real character by surging ahead in a period of the match which proved decisive.

Quinn rose above everyone in the area to connect with a flighted De Vita free-kick and powered a header home against his former club.

91Èȱ¬ fans were now ecstatic, and further so, when their third goal arrived in fine style as another cross from the right flank evaded a despairing defensive leap.

De Vita came surging in from the left with perfect timing to connect with a thunderous volley which proved unstoppable.

Just when it seemed Jim McIntyre's side might ease to a rare victory, Motherwell upped the ante with their second goal.

A simple corner arrived in the six yard box, where Kerr was on hand to nod in off the underside of the crossbar.

That goal came with 12 minutes remaining and set up as tense a finish as you could imagine, with County willing the ball away from their goal as the seconds ticked away.

And the hosts held out for just their third win of a frustrating campaign to breathe life into their bid for top flight survival.