Motherwell were handed a Premiership reality check in their top six quest as 10-man Ross County swept past them 3-1.
A dull first half ended in disappointing circumstances for 'Well boss Graham Alexander as defender Sondre Solholm Johansen put one into his own net.
Neither team had created anything of note prior to that but things all kicked off in the second half when Jordan Roberts levelled for Motherwell and Jordan Tillson's red card reduced County to 10 men.
Just when the Steelmen thought they had a foothold in the game, Regan Charles-Cook put on the afterburners, pouncing on defensive lapses to score twice and seal a County win.
Alexander's side remain fourth while County are in 10th.
Motherwell had lost top scorer Tony Watt to rivals Dundee United a day earlier, but as he wasn't included in the Steelmen's 2-1 Boxing Day win over Livingston, Alexander made just one change from the last 'Well game.
Roberts - who made his loan from Hearts permanent prior to the game - came in for Connor Shields but there was no space for new signings Ross Tierney and Liam Shaw, who both missed out with minor knocks.
Ross County meanwhile made two changes from their defeat at Hearts, Harry Clarke moving on to Hibs and replaced by Declan Drysdale and Ross Callachan in for Dominic Samuel.
Alexander's side headed into this fourth in the Premiership and with the most points out of anybody outside Celtic and Rangers in 2021 - but more was needed if they were to sustain their bid for European football.
The game started with a nasty collision of heads between 'Well's Liam Donnelly and County's Blair Spittal on four minutes, both players thankfully coming out of it unharmed.
There were plenty of aerial duels in the first 10 minutes as very little football was played on the ground. Kevin Van Veen had the game's first proper shot on 13 minutes but it deflected wide.
Sean Goss' free-kick created another good 'Well chance but Solholm's header dropped over the bar and onto the net's roof.
Nathan McGinley had to be alert on 21 minutes when County got in behind through Dominic Samuel but the Steelman did exceptionally well to get across and block the shot.
In truth, the first half was an ugly affair that few will want to watch back as both teams struggled for any attacking rhythm.
Joseph Hungo and David Cancola had gone off injured for the home side and those disruptions set the tone for a disjointed half.
It ended in terrible fashion for the Steelmen too in the third minute of stoppage time. Bevis Mugabi slipped as he tried to tackle Charles-Cook, who's cross was turned into the net by Solholm.
Motherwell started the second half with more menace but the same end product - very little. But the game soon took a dramatic turn.
Van Veen showed some sublime footwork to tee up Roberts, who netted a sizzling 25-yard strike into the top corner on 55 minutes. Three minutes later and the striker was the victim of a fierce Tillson tackle.
Referee John Beaton brandished the red card as both players squared off. The away tails were up and Van Veen showed more good feet to get a shot - albeit an unsuccessful one - away on 64 minutes.
Motherwell still had to be on their guard on 68 minutes when Goss had to get in the way of Callachan's shot, which was heading on target.
And they were punished on 72 minutes when Nathan McGinley's slack play on the ball allowed County behind before Charles-Cook buried his chance.
More pain was to be inflicted on Motherwell by Charles-Cook. The winger had given the away side a torrid time and Mugabi was deemed to have handled the ball inside the box.
County's star man buried it 11 minutes from time and stunned Alexander's side, who are left heading back to Fir Park wondering how it ended up the way it did.
Ross County XI: Maynard-Brewer, Randall, Iacovitti, Drysdale, Vokins, Cancola (Tillson, 29) Spittal, Callachan, Charles-Cook (Ramsay, 81), Hungbo (Samuel, 18) White (Burroughs, 81).
Subs: Laidlaw, A Samuel, B Paton, Wright, MacKinnon.
Booked: Tillson (red), Charles-Cook
Motherwell XI: Kelly, O'Donnell, Solholm, Mugabi, McGinley, Donnelly, Maguire (Shields, 77) Goss, Roberts, Van Veen, Woolery (Amaluzor, 86)
Subs: Fox, Morrison, Carroll, O'Connor, Slattery, Cornelius, Grimshaw.
Booked: O'Donnell, Roberts.
Referee: John Beaton.
Attendance: 2523
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