Both teams went into this game unchanged after good results at the weekend. Well knew their SPL future was secure but visitors Inverness knew that three points were required to help their survival cause.
It was the visitors who made the more impressive start aided in part by Well keeper Graeme Smith. He chased a long ball out of his area where it fell kindly for Dougie Imrie, whose 30-yard shot was blocked on the line by Mark Reynolds.
Their next effort came from skipper Grant Munro, but his near-post header flashed just wide. This seemed to waken Motherwell from their slumbers and they began to dominate.
Keith Lasley shot wide from 18 yards then Jim O'Brien also shot over from a half clear corner. Then on 27 minutes the home side made their pressure tell by taking the lead.
A Steven Hammell corner was swung to the front post where it was met by the head of Brian McLean, who steered the ball into the net off the inside of the post.
Inverness rallied and were level by half-time, Imrie slipped a ball through the legs of Hammell before picking out Filipe Morais, who left Smith helpless from ten yards out.
Inverness started the second half looking to build on the equaliser and almost scored on 54 minutes but Smith was able to turn Morais' shot wide.
They did score two minutes later when Lionel Djebi-Zadi's cross from the left was spectacularly volleyed by home by Imrie.
Rather than consolidate on their lead, nerves seemed to affect Inverness the longer the second half went on and they were pegged back to level terms with just under ten minutes to go.
David Clarkson gathered a throw in from the right and his cross was played into the six-yard box by Maros Klimpl, where it found John Sutton who swept high past Mike Fraser from eight yards out.
Inverness could have been back in the lead within a minute when Richie Foran was sent clear. He managed to prod the ball past Smith but Reynolds was on hand to clear again.
The Highlanders will now need to wait until Saturday before they can finally secure top-flight football for a sixth consecutive season.