YESTERDAY was an occasion for the clashing of titans. A date for contests between two untameable forces who would draw the eyes of the world and capture the imagination of all who witnessed their titanic battles in the flesh.

In London, Anthony Joshua and the Highlands’ very own Gary Cornish dominated the boxing pages up and down the country for their Commonwealth Heavyweight title tussle, while the enigmatic force of Floyd Mayweather in his last fight against Andre Berto was the only show in town in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, in Motherwell, a different calibre of coming together was taking place. It wasn’t as much Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier but two bald men fighting over a comb. In a bout that seemed destined to go Ross County’s way from when Michael Gardyne drew first blood on 33 minutes, those of a claret and amber persuasion were left waiting for a knockout blow to be landed to put them out their misery. That should have come on 90 minutes when Liam Boyce blazed just over from 18 yards.

As it transpired, those who went the distance and hung on to the end were rewarded with a most unexpected leveller from Louis Moult who tapped in from just a couple of yards out for his fourth goal in four games. Given the quality on show, or lack of, it was perhaps fitting that neither team took all three points. For the neutral, it was just a shame that either of them got any.

“It was two points thrown away,” said Jim McIntyre, the Ross County manager. “I thought the first half was a scrap between both sides without a lot of quality. We both went at it but the final ball was missing.

“We had to improve our quality and I thought we did that. In the second half we were wasteful in the final areas and it came back to bite us.”

Leaving the tedious boxing references to the side, for the 3545 who had paid to watch this game, it was beyond dire. Both goalkeepers had very little to do out with the odd straightforward save or the task of picking the ball out of their respective nets. In front of them, two groups of players struggled to create anything of any great not while shot after shot was frantically thrashed here, there and everywhere but at goal.

Despite the malaise that swept over Fir Park, it seemed inevitable that County would leave with something. While McIntyre’s team were as blunt as a Frankie Boyle punchline, they still showed an instinctive edge that their opponents lacked. They were first to the second ball, won the majority of 50/50s and managed to recycle the ball well in difficult positions to then build from the back.

The fact Motherwell helped gift them the opener only helped matters. A deep free-kick from Jamie Reckord to the back post was inadvertently knocked back across this own goal by Stevie Hammell into the path of Gardyne. He was given time just eight yards out to turn on the spot and slip a calm finish under Connor Ripley.

The home side looked ineffectual in attack during a stagnant first half and a poor Scott McDonald was replaced at half-time by Theo Robinson. The recently-signed striker did add more directness to Motherwell’s play, but even he would have been surprised that Ian Baraclough’s team managed to salvage a point from this one.

Deep into injury time, Motherwell were camped on the edge of the County box as they shuffled the ball left and right in a bid to create space. It was eventually worked to Keith Lasley on the near touchline, who played a slide-rule pass into substitute Marvin Johnson. The winger sprinted for the byeline before slamming a low ball across goal for Moult to side foot by Scott Fox.

“I felt we kept knocking on the door and asking questions,” said Baraclough, who left it late to score their first second-half goal in the Ladbrokes Premiership this season. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games. We have character in the dressing room and don’t give up.”