Miles Storey came off the bench to score the winner as Caley Thistle marked their 25th anniversary with a 2-1 win against Arbroath.
The Red Lichties went ahead after 26 minutes through Bobby Linn but Aaron Doran levelled for the Caley Jags in the final minute of the first half.
The game looked to be heading for a draw before Storey netted with a long-range drive which squirmed past Arbroath goalkeeper Derek Jamieson.
It was fitting that Arbroath provided the opposition for Caley Thistle’s first home game of the season on the day they marked the club’s 25th anniversary.
The Red Lichties were also the opponents for Caley Thistle’s first league fixture in 1994 when Inverness ran out 5-2 winners.
It was also a year to the day since the death of former captain Alan Hercher who scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 win, who was remembered with a minute’s applause before the game and the opening of a new enclosure in the North Stand in his name.
John Robertson made two changes to the side that went down 4-1 at Dundee United with starting berths for Shaun Rooney, returning well ahead of schedule following an ankle injury, and James Vincent. Charlie Trafford and the injured Brad Mckay made way.
The Caley Thistle players wore number four armbands in tribute to Hercher and they almost made the perfect start when Aaron Doran pounced on a mistake by Jason Thomson but his effort was well held by Derek Jamieson.
Arbroath winger Bobby Linn tried his luck with a couple of unsuccessful efforts before Jordan White nodded wide from a Tom Walsh cross as both teams pressed for the opener in an entertaining start.
Doran should have opened the scoring after 19 minutes when he was sent through on goal by a clever James Keatings pass but shot straight at Jamieson.
The hosts had a penalty appeal waved away when Jason Thomson looked to have handled a White pass before a Keatings overhead kick was well saved.
But it was the visitors who made the breakthrough after 26 minutes.
A hanging cross from Thomson was clawed away by Mark Ridgers only as far as Linn who had all the time he wanted to pick his spot in the corner of the net.
The concession of a goal sparked Caley Thistle into life and they got back on level terms just before the break when Keatings set up Doran to roll the ball beyond Jamieson and restore parity.
The hosts continued where they left off after the break and Doran almost grabbed his second seven minutes into the second period when a Tom Walsh cross fell perfectly for him but his low drive was too close to Jamieson.
Caley Thistle had another penalty claim turned down after Keatings tumbled under pressure from Thomson.
Robertson brought on Miles Storey and Nikolay Todorov for White and Doran in an attempt to find a winner.
And it was Storey who delivered with a strike from the edge of the area which deceived Arbroath stopper Jamieson.
