Motherwell target Craig Dargo scored twice against the Lanarkshire side as Inverness secured a comfortable Bank of Scotland Premier League win.

Dargo, out of contract in the summer, opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a deflected effort and slotted home at the end of a first half the visitors dominated.

Motherwell had the territorial advantage after the break but never looked like scoring.

Both sides have offered Dargo a contract and he proved to be the difference in a game that will have supporters looking forward to the close season.

Motherwell recalled fit-again Jim Paterson and Celtic-bound striker Scott McDonald after leaving him out of the defeat at Parkhead but the Australian and strike partner David Clarkson were devoid of service in the first half.

Inverness coped well without suspended trio Ross Tokely, Ian Black and Barry Wilson with skipper Darren Dods returning from a ban and Markus Paatelainen coming in.

With both sides having just seventh place to play for now the league has split, the game began in predictably low-key fashion.

But Dargo put Inverness ahead when his powerful 20-yard strike appeared to come off Danny Murphy's boot and the wicked deflection beat Graeme Smith.

The Motherwell keeper had saved his team seconds beforehand when he beat away Paatelainen's shot after a long throw from Grant Munro.

And Smith was called into action within a minute when he got down to his left to save Richie Hart's testing free-kick.

Motherwell were forced into a 20th-minute substitution when Steven McGarry replaced Kevin McBride, who had taken a kick behind his knee. When Motherwell did find McDonald inside the box he twice saw his shots blocked and trundle into Michael Fraser's hands. Inverness showed more urgency than their opponents and Ian Rankin's 20-yard effort was saved by Smith after a good move.

Dargo was instrumental as Inverness cut the visitors open with a superb passing move down the left but Hart blasted over after being set up by Munro when the big defender had a good shooting chance himself.

And the striker slotted his second in the 45th minute when he latched on to Graham Bayne's header from a long free-kick by Stuart McCaffrey. Well brought on Paul Quinn for Murphy at half-time and switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

The visitors pushed forward but still struggled to put the Inverness defence under pressure and the hosts had the first opening of the half when Smith saved easily from Bayne's 20-yard shot.

Inverness retreated further but Fraser was only called into action to deal with crosses.

Dargo came off in the 70th minute with his job done as Roy McBain went on. Bringing a midfielder on for a striker indicated Inverness boss Charlie Christie was happy for his side to sit in for the remainder of the game to ensure his side's first win in five games.

And they held on without much worry. Fraser was forced into a save when Krisztian Vadocz did well to get his volley on target from Paterson's cross but he was too far out to trouble the keeper. Well's attempts to get back in the game - lacklustre as they were - fizzled out in the final 15 minutes.

Inverness were hardly pushing for a third but they had two efforts on goal when Bayne headed over from a driven cross by Rankin, who later volleyed just wide from 25 yards.

Teams

Inverness CT Fraser, McCaffrey, Dods, Munro, Hastings,Paatelainen, Hart, Duncan, Rankin, Bayne, Dargo (McBain 69).

Subs Not Used: Ridgers, McSwegan, Soane, Sutherland,

McAllister, Duff.

Booked: Duncan.

Goals: Dargo 14, 45.

Motherwell Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Craigan, Reynolds,Danny Murphy (Quinn 46), Kerr, Vadocz, McBride (McGarry 20),Paterson, McDonald, Clarkson (Darren Smith 76).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McCormack, Molloy, Fitzpatrick.

Booked: Paterson.

Att: 3,804

Ref: C MacKay (Scotland).