Motherwell 3-2 Inverness CT (aet)

Motherwell progressed to the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with a battling win over Inverness.

Robert McHugh headed the Steelmen into the lead on 33 minutes and Dani Sanchez pulled one back in the 70th minute, before David Proctor was dismissed.

A Nauris Bulvitis extra-time own-goal handed the hosts the lead, with Grant Munro's looping header levelling the scores for Inverness 17 minutes later.

Ross Forbes sealed the win with a solo run in the dying minutes of extra-time.

Dan Stratford shot wide after Motherwell had lost the ball from their own free-kick and Richie Foran's first-time volley flew well wide after a Jonathan Hayes cross.

Inverness kept Motherwell at arm's length until the half-hour mark when Proctor was booked for a cynical foul on Jim O'Brien.

Forbes curled in the free-kick and Lukas Jutkiewicz saw his downward header blocked by Ryan Esson.

O'Brien then sent Jutkiewicz clear through the middle but the on-loan Everton striker found himself too wide after taking the ball round Esson and saw his shot blocked by the goalkeeper.

Well took a 33rd-minute lead from the same passage of play when McHugh - in for the injured John Sutton - guided Yassin Moutaouakil's powerful cross into the far corner.

The visitors got the ball forward quickly and Russell Duncan had a clear sight of goal but the midfielder's shot trundled wide.

The lively former Well striker Foran curled over with the aid of a deflection just after the break but Motherwell soon took a grip.

Jutkiewicz turned and shot straight at Esson and McHugh volleyed wide off a defender, both after crosses by Moutaouakil, who soon cut inside and had a left-footed strike saved by Esson.

Saunders glanced wide from O'Brien's cross but the visitors grabbed a shock equaliser after Forbes had been harshly penalised for a challenge on Duncan.

The home defence slacked off as Hayes curled in the free-kick and the unchallenged Barrowman headed into the corner from eight yards.

Four minutes after levelling, Inverness found themselves a man down when Proctor received his second yellow for chopping down O'Brien for the second time in quick succession.

But Esson forced extra-time with two excellent stops from chances created by Forbes.

The Inverness goalkeeper tipped Saunders' header over and somehow kept out McHugh's 82nd-minute header as the ball bounced along the line and spun out for a corner.

Motherwell continued to push forward as extra-time began. Moutaouakil had a shot parried over after being set up by Giles Coke and they went in front when Bulvitis sliced Hammell's low cross into his own net.

Well kept possession without threatening and they were again hauled back in the 110th minute when Grant Munro looped a header over John Ruddy following Hayes' corner.

Esson kept out Forbes' strike at his near post but he was soon beaten at the exact same place when the midfielder cut inside and lashed the ball into the roof of the net from 16 yards.

Esson still had time to save well from Jamie Murphy, Moutaouakil and Forbes as Well finished with a flurry.

Motherwell manager Jim Gannon:
"We threatened to play good football, but we looked tired at times.

"But we did enough to get our noses in front and we were content to keep ourselves in front.

"There's always a danger the opposition can get back into the game. And credit to Inverness, even with 10 men they were able to get back into the game."

Inverness manager Terry Butcher:
"We asked for everything, and we got more than that. We were absolutely magnificent.

"For nearly 50 minutes we played with 10 men and got done in the last minute of extra-time.

"We were thinking about penalties, and we've got a good record this far with penalties, but the pressure we were put under at the end was just too much.

"But it was encouraging - we came down with an attacking side and went for it, so I'm very proud of them and pleased with their attitude."