The points were shared at Fir Park as Motherwell drew 3-3 with Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.
It was a thriller in Lanarkshire as a late comeback from Stuart Kettlewell’s men led to a game-of-the-season contender.
Here are five things we learned from the fixture.
A goal fest
Eamonn Brophy caused problems for the hosts all afternoon and he was unlucky not to score in the first half after being unable to get on the end of a couple of dangerous crosses. His movement, in particular, was something Motherwell’s defence struggled to cope with as he dragged the back five all over the pitch. The striker opened the scoring on 65 minutes as he turned his man well on the edge of the box and fired the ball into the right-hand corner of Liam Kelly’s goal. And not long after it was 2-0 to the visitors as his strike partner Simon Murray rifled home into the opposite corner with clinical precision. However, the game was far from over as firstly, Arsenal loanee Mika Biereth scored from the penalty spot on his return from injury, then Ross County made it 3-1 after Victor Loturi got in behind, his first attempt was saved but he fired home the rebound. The hosts were not deterred as substitute Conor Wilkinson netted before the last-minute drama unfolded as Luca Ross benefited from a goal-line scramble to score right at the end and earn Motherwell a draw.
Fir Park side’s losing run ends
Stuart Kettlewell’s team ended their four-game losing run in this fixture. It looked like they were dead and buried after going 3-1 down with eight minutes to go but they showed remarkable powers of recovery to end the match with a point. The fight shown in the dying stages is something the Motherwell boss will be hoping to see replicated for longer spells but given the circumstances of his team staring down a defeat for large periods of the second half, he will be delighted. They had a good start to the season but the recent drop off would have been a concern for the 39-year-old. On a few occasions recently, such as against Celtic and St Mirren, they played well and were unlucky not take anything from the game, but it is results that are paramount, and the defeats were starting to add up. The fact that the rot has now stopped will be a relief for both the players and the manager.
Dhanda's creativity
The midfielder put on a strong showing as he dictated play in the middle of the park. His poise and control allowed the visitors to get forward and he is clearly someone playing with a lot of confidence. He seemed to bend the game to his will at times and it feels like whether he stays fit or not will play an important role in where his side finishes this season. While he did not have any direct involvement in any of the goals, he was a real standout for Ross County. Dhanda really did look a cut above everyone else at times and despite Mackay's team losing their lead, his performance was a real positive takeaway.
Murray continues to impress
The striker scored his 10th goal of the season for the visitors in all competitions as he continued his strong start to the season. Having a lethal finisher is vital for a club like Ross County in terms of them being able to stay in the division and Murray looks like he is more than up for carrying that moniker. The 31-year-old has been at the club for less than a year but after playing an important role in their survival last season he looks set to do same in the current campaign. It is not just goalscoring though, the experienced player is also a calm head on the pitch as he could be seen coaching many of his younger team-mates through the fixture at times.
A new hero for Motherwell
17-year-old Ross scored the equaliser for the hosts, and it also just so happened to be his first professional strike. He anticipated the goal-line scramble well to fire the ball home. It could be a vital finish come the end of the season, and it feels like a moment that could be a real turning point for Motherwell. The striker did not look overawed by the occasion at all and seems poised to be another breakout star from the club's academy. He carried himself with real maturity and slotted seamlessly into what was a high-pressure situation with his team chasing a goal.
