Relegation battling Motherwell and Ross County shared the points at Fir Park in a 1-1 draw but it was the Highlanders who left the happier side.
Jim McIntyre’s squad now sit six points off the Premiership play-off spot with three games remaining.
Scott McDonald opened the scoring for the home side but they were left to rue Liam Boyce’s equaliser four minutes from half-time.
Ian Baraclough’s men now look the most likely to take on either Hibernian, Rangers or Queen of the South in the play-off final at the end of May.
But the Motherwell boss isn’t prepared to accept that fate just yet.
“As soon as we came off it was a feeling of disappointment and disbelief, thinking how have we not won that game,” he said.
“We asked a lot of questions of them and competed in all the areas you would have wanted.
“We never stopped going and didn’t come away with what I thought we deserved.
“Of course it can still be done while it’s still possible. Strange things happen.”
McIntyre admitted Motherwell started the stronger but believed it was an even second half.
He knows they can still be caught but said it would be a satisfying journey back up the A9.
“The other teams would love to have that six-point gap but at the same time the pressure was on us today, knowing if we lost it would go back to three,” he said.
“It was a good point though, it always is away from home but especially at this stage of the season.”
