Brian Graham's double sent Motherwell crashing out of the William Hill Scottish Cup as Ross County won 2-1 at Fir Park.
The Ladbrokes Championship leaders bounced back from successive defeats to record a well-deserved win over last year's double cup runners-up.
Ross McCormack made the first appearance of his second spell with Motherwell following his loan move from Aston Villa but he looked short of fitness and was taken off at half-time, before Graham netted twice in eight minutes, both from Declan McManus crosses.
Substitute Jake Hastie headed a goal back just into stoppage time but County saw out the victory.
While Motherwell were on their winter break, County lost against Morton and Queen of the South, the latest defeat a 4-0 thrashing.
But the visitors made the brighter start without troubling Motherwell goalkeeper Mark Gillespie with several shots from outside the box and some crosses across the face of goal.
Motherwell looked sluggish as they adapted to a new formation with McCormack playing just behind Danny Johnson.
They livened up as wingers Elliot Frear and Gboly Ariyibi delivered some decent low crosses, but County dealt with them well.
McCormack had a poor effort from a free-kick and teed up Johnson to shoot wide before being replaced by Curtis Main.
County stepped up the pace and Gillespie made good saves from Jamie Lindsay and McManus before the latter crossed for Graham to get ahead of his marker and nod home from six yards in the 52nd minute.
Lindsay came close from distance before County doubled their lead when Graham turned home a driven McManus delivery from close range.
Stephen Robinson's side began pegging County back with 20 minutes left, but their lack of goal threat was summed up when nobody attacked two near-post crosses from Frear.
County were still attacking and Graham hit the crossbar from close range before Gillespie saved from McManus.
The majority of Motherwell fans had drifted away before Hastie nodded home from close range after good work from Frear and County wound down the remaining minutes of stoppage time without danger.
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