5.05pm

Today's result: Motherwell 1, Inverness CT 4.

Motherwell were thrashed 4-1 at home this afternoon by an ICT side who before today had not won a league game this season.  And with Dunfermline winning, we find ourselves back at the bottom of the SPL tonight.

Maurice Malpas named the same side which won at Falkirk a fortnight ago, and we actually started the match quite brightly with McBride missing a gilt-edged chance to give us the lead.  It was completely against the run of play when the visitors went in front midway through the half, and once again Graeme Smith was at fault when he failed to get enough distance on his punch, which allowed Tokely to head into an empty net.  Kerr and Elliott both went close before the break, but we found ourselves going in at half time 1-0 down.

I think it's fair to say that the second half was a complete shambles.  ICT made it 2-0 shortly after the restart when Quinn lost possession to Wilson on the edge of his box, and Dargo took full advantage to fire beyond Smith.  Inbetween gifting the opposition goals, we still enjoyed decent spells of possession, and Richie Foran had an amazing miss from three yards when it looked easier to score.  We eventually pulled a goal back when Scott McDonald headed home from a Lasley free kick, but any hopes of a comeback were short lived.  Our defence failed miserably to clear a set piece, and Munro swept the ball home from close range.  There was time for Foran to miss another great chance before Caley added their fourth goal in 85 mins, and again Smith looked none too clever when he failed to deal with a corner and McAllister followed up to score.

What a disaster.  And the sad thing is that Inverness are absolutely murder, but some of the goals we gifted them today were simply laughable.  Goals one and four can be directly attributed to Smith, while Paul Quinn is simply not good enough and his contribution to ICT's second goal merely summed up his performance.  In fact, the only defender I'd give pass marks to today would be young Reynolds.  In midfield, Foran and McBride were little more than passengers, and while Elliott received little service upfront I'd already have to say he looks no better than what we have already at the club (and that's not saying much).

With some fans calling for Malpas' head during the second half today, it is already clear that we can't go on much longer like this.

Team (4-4-2): Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson (McLean 18), McBride (McGarry 53), Kerr, Lasley, Foran, Elliot (Coakley 65), McDonald. 
Subs not used: Meldrum, McCormack , Fitzpatrick, Connolly.

Motherwell scorer: McDonald (72).

Booked: Quinn, Lasley.

Attendance: 4,091.

Maurice Malpas' post-match comments were as follows:
"It was a schoolboy performance defensively. There were big errors for the goals and that lost us the game.  We have lost games before with individual errors, but today we defended poorly as a group. It is a man's league and we need to stand up and be counted.  The crowd were quite rightly upset at the end of the game - I do not think any of us were particularly happy.  They pay their money and can shout what they want, but we will stick together, live and die together and it is important because we are in the trenches and we dig in.  We just have to work hard now but it will be a big ask this week to get the players' confidence up.  They do not like being criticised by their fans and don't like it when the fans leave early.  I would rather the fans had stayed and tried to encourage the players but I understand their feelings."

Stephen Craigan and Scott McDonald were both in International action last midweek.  Craigan won his 24th cap for Northern Ireland in their 3-2 win over Spain in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, while McDonald came on as a 63rd min substitute in Australia's 2-0 defeat in Kuwait.

Admission prices for the CIS Cup match against Queens Park at Hampden on Sept 20 have been set at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.

Time for a new opinion poll

Will we struggle to avoid relegation this season?