This was Inverness' final opportunity to halve Well's six-point lead and keep alive their slim bid for a top-six place in the SPL, although the visitors were playing with ten men for much of the game.
Boss Craig Brewster left himself out of the starting line-up and decided to give Ian Black his second successive start. Motherwell, fresh from their 3-1 win at Aberdeen, made no changes for another trip north. Caley Thistle, meanwhile, were also brimming with confidence after their 1-0 victory at Kilmarnock.
Barry Wilson was the first player to have a crack when his long-range drive dipped over the top after a fine surging run.
David Partridge went close for the Steelmen when his downward header was grasped gratefully by Mark Brown.
Wilson again tested keeper Gordon Marshall with a decent shot, but the big man turned it round the post for a corner that came to nothing. Moments later Darren Dods' effort was held by Marshall.
Well suffered a setback when a pulled hamstring forced Scott McDonald off, and he was replaced by David Clarkson. Caley Thistle then took the lead on 22 minutes when skipper Stuart Golabek released ex-Celt Bryan Prunty and his cross deceived Marshall and Graham Bayne coolly tucked the ball home.
The visiting defence were posted missing but it didn't matter to the Highlanders. Then the drama intensified when Prunty appeared to be brought down by Marshall outside the box and he received his marching orders from referee Brian Cassidy. Substitute keeper Barry-John Corr came on for Shaun Fagan and took his place between the sticks.
Terry Butcher's men's troubles continued when Kevin McBride sustained an injury after a Golabek challenge and had to be replaced by third substitute Brian Kerr.
Bayne almost doubled the lead just before the interval but his header from Wilson's cross flashed wide of the right post.
After the break, Wilson almost punished a slip-up at the back when two defenders collided and he swerved his shot round the post.
Chances became few and far between and Partridge forced a save from Brown.
Wilson went for the spectacular with 15 minutes to go but his shot curled wide with the keeper beaten. Steven Hammell's superb free-kick at the death forced a first-class save from Brown as Inverness held on.