2nd December 2006	Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC	0
Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods , Munro, Hastings, Wilson (Rankin 82), Duncan (Hart 68), Black, McBain, Dargo (McAllister 63), Bayne Subs: McCaffrey, Wyness, Sutherland & Fraser
MOTHERWELL	1 (Foran 90pen)
Team: Meldrum, Quinn, Craigan (Kinniburgh 89), Reynolds, Paterson, McGarry, Lasley (Corrigan 74), Kerr, Foran, Clarkson (Elliot 72), McDonald Subs: D Smith, Connolly, Fitzpatrick, & G Smith
Referee	Eddie Smith
Attendance	3668
Man of the Match	Darren Dods (ICT)

Not a game to write home about and with neither side showing any real cutting edge it looked like ending goalless. All that changed two minutes from the end of normal time when Darren Dods upended Scott McDonald and Richie Foran netted from the penalty spot to give Motherwell three precious points.

Dods received a second yellow card and headed for an early shower, just minutes after being named ‘Man of the Match’. It was no consolation that Foran was booked for his celebrations in front of the small but vocal travelling support.

Charlie Christie made just one change to the starting line-up with Dennis Wyness making way for Graham Bayne. There was heavy overnight rain, and more in the hour leading to kick-off, but it was dry overhead for the match although the surface was slippy. Scott McDonald was always a threat for the visitors and he had two chances from kick-off. First he shot miles wide from 25 yards then he ran for half the length of the park before hitting over the bar.

In the fourth minute an excellent ICT move nearly paid off. A Richard Hastings header reached Craig Dargo via Graham Bayne and it was knocked on for Barry Wilson to chase. He did enough to ensure that ‘keeper Colin Meldrum missed it and it fell for Dargo. He hit it across goal from wide left and, with Meldrum stranded, a defender cleared off the line. It was to be a rare moment of excitement in a lacklustre game.

A Hastings cross in 14 minutes was volleyed first time by Dargo but Colin Meldrum held it confidently. Meldrum dived to hold a Bayne header in 21 minutes then the move and result were repeated on the half hour mark.

Two Dods shots were blocked five minutes from the break then came the best chance of the half. A poor ball out of defence was pounced on by Wilson and, with just Meldrum blocking his route to goal, he hit an angled shot from the right. Meldrum did well to scramble it clear.

Motherwell shots were rare in the first half and most were off target. They did create danger seconds before the half time whistle when a low ball from the left skidded across goal and was missed by everybody. Strangely a corner was awarded.

Half Time: 0-0

Into the second half and a flurry of activity from the visitors. They still rarely found a route to goal but a David Clarkson header did go just wide in 49 minutes.

At the other end Meldrum dealt with anything that came his way and there was little to enthuse about. In 70 minutes Keith Lasley fouled Ian Black and was injured in the process. After a four minute delay, during which Motherwell made two substitutions, Lasley was booked and stretchered off.

By now ICT had introduced Rory McAllister and Richie Hart but still nothing came off. Motherwell came close in 78 minutes when McDonald shot over from close range.

With two minutes left McDonald was bearing down on Mark Brown’s goal with Dods in pursuit when the defender tackled him and he went down spectacularly. There were half-hearted protests but it was a penalty. Richie Foran gave Brown no chance and the goal proved to be the winner despite five added minutes.

Full Time: 0-0

A worrying four games without a goal but seventh spot retained.