Caley Thistle’s Scottish Premiership campaign got off to a disappointing start with a 2-0 defeat by Partick Thistle.
Chris Erskine gave the hosts the lead nine minutes before the break before David Amoo bundled home a second on the hour mark.
It was a poor display from Richie Foran’s side after scoring 12 goals in their previous two Betfred Cup matches against Arbroath and Dunfermline Athletic.
Unsurprisingly, Caley Thistle stuck with the same line-up that started in last weekend’s 7-0 trouncing of Arbroath in the Betfred Cup.
Former Inverness defender Danny Devine and Steven Lawless, a transfer target for the Caley Jags, both started for the hosts.
Chances were few and far between during the opening exchanges, although Billy King and Jake Mulraney both tried their luck from distance but failed to find the target.
It took 36 minutes for the game’s first shot on target but it produced a goal. Steven Lawless fed Erskine who cut inside before curling beyond Owain Fon Williams to break the deadlock.
The visitors had a great chance to restore parity two minutes before the break when Liam Polworth picked out Scott Boden but the former Newport County attacker dragged his shot wide.
Inverness upped the tempo after the break and the unmarked Greg Tansey had a chance to test Tomas Cerny when he found space on the edge of the area but his effort flew wide.
But it was Partick who doubled their advantage on the hour mark when Abdul Osman nodded a Sean Welsh free kick into the path of Amoo who scrambled the ball home from close range.
The home side thought they had a third soon after when Amoo found Lawless whose powerful effort whizzed by.
Partick defender Liam Lindsay limped off after coming off second best in a forceful challenge from Ross Draper before Fon Williams was called into action to deny Kris Doolan increasing the lead.
