A last-gasp penalty from Kevin van Veen earned Motherwell a 1-0 win against Ross County to keep the Staggies in 11th spot.
They remain two points ahead of Dundee United and one behind Kilmarnock with two Premiership games to go, so the heat is still on Malky Mackay’s Highlanders.
For van Veen, his ninth successive league goal makes it a stand-alone club record for Well in top-flight football. He is the first player since Celtic’s Mark Viduka in 2000 to achieve such a scorching run.
An early Paul McGinn piledriver stung the palms of visiting goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw, but County were not rattled by that and enjoyed some time on the ball and tested their opponents on either flank.
Laidlaw was called into action again on 16 minutes after Blair Spittal played in van Veen, but the County no.1 blocked the striker’s shot with his feet.
Follow-up appeals for a spot-kick when the big forward went down under a challenge from Connor Randall didn’t lead to anything.
Randall then made a perfectly-timed interception to nick the ball off van Veen in the next attack, winning the Dingwall team a corner.
Laidlaw continued to earn his money when he dived smartly to hold a low McGinn effort then saved from a Dan Casey effort as the North Lanarkshire side kept asking questions.
County sparked back into life on the attacking front when a swift move ended with Alex Samuel’s low deflected shot going out for a corner.
It looked like County were going to be given the chance to take the lead just after the break when Randall seemed to be taken down by defender Calum Butcher.
A penalty was initially granted, before a VAR check involving an agonising wait ended in a decision of no foul and no penalty, as Butcher was judged to have made slight contact with the ball.
Sean Goss flashed a shot wide of target with 15 minutes to go before van Veen fired one over the top as Motherwell probed once more.
Owura Edwards made a contribution of the wrong kind when, not long after coming on as a sub, he was given his marching orders for collecting two swift bookings. This was the 22-year-old Bristol City loanee’s third red card of the season.
The telling moment, however, came deep within 12 minutes of stoppage-time when a VAR check led to a spot-kick for a handball against Keith Watson.
Up stepped van Veen in the 100th minute and he guided the ball into the net to seal the win for Well.
County are back at the Global Energy Stadium on Wednesday for the visit of St Johnstone, while Motherwell will seal seventh position if they win at Livingston.
Talking points
VAR hogs the headlines once more as County lose out
Video assistant referee technology and the officials operating it continues to play a central role in its first season in Scottish football.
It causes confusion all round, with fans as perplexed as players and managers with what is going on.
The opinion seems to be it gets it more often right than wrong, but on a day like this, the margins are fine and stakes are high.
The outcomes were agonising for Mackay and County.
Goal difference could be worth a place in the end
With every point so vital now, County remain two points above rock-bottom Dundee United in the Premiership.
As they try to also catch Killie over the next week, they have the best goal difference of the battling trio.
That might be crucial, depending on how they fare against the Perth Saints and Killie.
Away fans in full voice to give Staggies great backing
Ross County don’t have the biggest backing in the league in terms of numbers, but the 190 at Fir Park were making themselves heard from right before the game and throughout it
With St Johnstone at home and Kilmarnock away rounding off this season and, with work to be done, that vocal support will be greatly appreciated by players and management alike.
Talking tactics
There was a return to the starting 11 for County captain Watson and on-loan Hibs playmaker Nohan Kenneh. Josh Sims dropped to the bench, with David Cancola missing out altogether due to illness.
There was just one change from Kettlewell as he pitched ex-Staggies midfielder Harry Paton into starting action, replacing Callum Slattery. However, a knock for Paton saw him replaced just before the break by Dean Cornelius.
Referee watch
Man in the middle Euan Anderson’s afternoon was busy with the two VAR checks, one given, one not. He also dished out the red card for Edwards for good measure.
Player ratings
MOTHERWELL (3-1-4-2): Kelly 6, O’Donnell 6, McGinn 6, Butcher 6, Casey 6 (Aitchison 71), Furlong 6 (Blaney 65), Goss 6, Paton 5 (Cornelius 44), Spittal 6, Mandron 6 (Obika 71), van Veen 7 (McKinstry 90+11).
Subs not used: Oxborough (GK), Lamie, Mugabi, , Tierney.
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw 7, Randall 7, Baldwin 6, Iacovitti 6 (Smith 55), Watson 6, Harmon 6, Kenneh 6 (Edwards 77), Dhanda 6 (Sims 90), Loturi 6 (Tillson 65) , Samuel 6 (Murray 65), White 6.
Subs not used: Munro (GK), Purrington.
Star man
Ross Laidlaw: The man between the posts for County pulled off some key saves at key moments and was gutted to finally find himself beaten by a last-gap penalty.
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