Boyce goal bad news for MotherwellLiam Boyce kept Motherwell deep in relegation danger as the Ross County striker's equaliser at Fir Park maintained the visitors' six-point lead in the race to avoid a play-off.Boyce netted his fifth goal in four games with four minutes of the first half remaining to earn County a 1-1 Scottish Premiership draw.Scott McDonald had given Motherwell a 20th-minute lead and the hosts were looking comfortable but some poor decision-making from centre-back Mark O'Brien - who was in for the injured Louis Laing - gifted Boyce his opportunity, although he took it brilliantly.Motherwell pushed for the winner they badly needed but they lacked composure and the bounce of the ball as the visitors held on, and the Highlanders might even have grabbed a winner on the counter-attack.Motherwell need a major turnaround in the remaining three games but they still have another chance to give themselves a lifeline when they host Kilmarnock on Friday night after the Ayrshire side's defeat by Hamilton saw their lead cut to six points.Motherwell had the brighter of the early exchanges and Marvin Johnson and McDonald both got powerful strikes on target, although from positions that were always unlikely to trouble Mark Brown too much.And the hosts were clinical when they carved out their first clear chance.County failed to deal with a high ball and Conor Grant held it up for Josh Law's overlapping runThe right-back crossed low and hard and McDonald was in plenty of space to slide in and force the ball home from six yards.County were getting men forward in response but Motherwell continued to look the more dangerous, notably through some Grant corners across the face of goal and a Johnson cross that was dealt with well by Jamie Reckord under pressure from Lee Erwin.Motherwell had a scare just before the equaliser when McDonald lost possession to Martin Woods, whose shot was stopped by George Long but not clear of the danger area
Steven Hammell, making his first appearance since aggravating a groin injury on New Year's Day, reacted quickly to prevent Craig Curran converting the rebound.But Motherwell's other recalled defender did not do nearly so well moments later
O'Brien had a speculative ball down the left covered, facing his own goal, but he elected to attempt a risky clearance over his head.The gamble backfired as the ball rebounded into the path of Boyce, who turned inside Stephen McManus and curled into the far corner.County twice came close to another just after the break, Scott Boyd shooting just wide after a short corner and Michael Gardyne's effort forcing Long to get down well.The half settled down into an extremely nervous affair with Motherwell pushing forward but County looking dangerous when they began to break
Chances were few and far between though until the final 20 minutes.Motherwell had a decent penalty shout when Boyd's desperate challenge sent Stephen Pearson to the floor as he tried to convert a pass from substitute Lionel Ainsworth.Grant soon had a well-struck volley stopped by Brown and Pearson saw two efforts saved in seconds after anotther Ainsworth pass.Substitute Rocco Quinn had a chance to nick it on the break with Motherwell exposed but he could not find a shot to seriously test Long and County survived five minutes of injury-time without a scare
Source : PA
Source: PA