KENNY Black seemed like a man open to dissuasion last night as far as Motherwell's managerial vacancy goes.
Still rattled by Stuart McCall's departure and ongoing behind-the-scenes questions over ownership, the caretaker manager's team were well beaten by a slick and dominant Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
"I don't enjoy football after today," Black offered grimly. "I like the game. I've been in it more than 30 years. But days like today are painful viewing - the total opposite of the last game. There is a lot happening behind the scenes, but that's no excuse. It had nothing to do with the performance."
Given Inverness's sublime run, it may some time before Celtic emerge as absolute shoe-ins for the title, inevitable as it seems. Motherwell had one chance all afternoon and took it, with home goalkeeper Dean Brill otherwise idle. Other than that, it was all about John Hughes' side, these days combining attractive play with relentless winning form.
Inverness took time to warm up, despite some periods of neat build-up play. They took the lead after 29 minutes, but it lasted only two. After patient movement, David Raven's measured through pass caught out the away defence and Billy McKay timed his run to perfection, before slotting past Dan Twardzik.
Slackness from the Highlanders quickly cost them their advantage. A tremendous ball down the left from Iain Vigurs found John Sutton in the penalty box and he had the strength to hold off his marker and tee up Henrik Ojamaa, who smashed the ball high into the net from 10 yards out.
More pressure and intricate passing almost earned an Inverness a second goal four minutes before the break, but Twardzik made a superb save when he dived to fingertip Ryan Christie's netbound attempt round the post.
The hosts' flowing football continued with Greg Tansey's left-foot drive edging past a post before the half-time whistle sounded. McKay missed a couple of decent chances before Graeme Shinnie was architect Inverness's second goal after 73 minutes.
A wonderfully-delivered cross from the left found the energetic Marley Watkins and he glanced a spinning header beyond Twardzik's reach. It was all over bar the shouting when a Tansey corner bounced all the way to the back post where Josh Meekings was waiting to bundle it over the line.
It was the total opposite end of the scale from our victory over Dundee United," Black added: "I don't think we caused them any problems at all."
Shinnie's agent angered Hughes this week by proclaiming publicly that the defender, out of contract in the summer, will not sign a new deal with Inverness.
Shinnie, linked with Rangers and Aberdeen, said: "There's going to be talk probably from now until the end of the season, but in my head I'm just focusing on football and on taking this club to where we want go to.
"The supporters know me and know I'm passionate about the club and passionate about playing and doing well."
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