Ross County make Motherwell pay the penalty as Staggies move 10 points clear of relegation zone with win
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Scottish Premiership
Motherwell 0
Ross County 1
Scorer: Hungbo (15 pen)
Ross County have moved 10 points clear of the Premiership relegation zone with a massive victory at Motherwell.
Joseph Hungbo’s goal midway through the first half proved to be the difference at Fir Park on Wednesday night.
The Staggies are only two points off a place in the top six with four games left before the split.
Ross County made one change to team that beat St Johnstone 3–1 on Saturday as Kayne Ramsay came in for Keith Watson who was out of the squad.
The Staggies took the lead after 15 minutes when they were awarded a penalty when Jake Carroll tugged Kayne Ramsay’s shirt in the box which sent him to the ground.
Hungbo stepped up and fired the ball past Liam Kelly to put the Staggies in front.
Ross County were in control in the opening half hour and Ross Callachan fancied his chances from 20 yards out to double County's lead.
He fired a decent effort but was straight at the goalkeeper who ended up with a comfortable save.
Motherwell should have equalised at the start of the second half when Kevin Van Veen’s cross found Connor Shields in the six-yard box unchallenged, but he fired wide of the right post.
Van Veen continued to pose a danger early after the break and had a decent shot from outside the box which Laidlaw dealt with comfortably.
Motherwell continued to press and Kaiyne Wollery beat the offside trap with only the goalkeeper to beat midway through the second half.
But Laidlaw stood firm to pull off an excellent save to keep Ross County in the lead.
Motherwell almost levelled in injury time when Jordan Roberts was allowed a free header in the six-yard box but Laidlaw pulled off a superb save.
Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Solholm (Slattery 78), Lamie, Carrol, Goss (Roberts 68), O’Hara, Donnelly, Shields (Efford 57), Woolery, Van Veen.
Substitues: Fox, Mugabi, Shaw, Djala, Cornelius, Tierney.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, H Paton (Burroughs 63), Callachan, Iacovitti, Charles-Cook (D Samuel 85), Ramsay, Tillson, Hungbo (Spittal 57), White.
Substitutes: Vokins, Drysdale, B Paton, Wright, Mackinnon, Munro.
Referee: John Beaton
Attendance: 3597
