A brace from George Oakley sealed a dramatic comeback win for 10-man Caley Thistle as they squeaked past Brechin City 3-2.
Oakley scored twice in 15 minutes in the second half to turn the game on its head, amid the sending off of Carl Tremarco, as Inverness sealed their fourth victory over Brechin this season.
An own-goal from Euan Smith had given Caley Jags the lead but they were behind by half-time, with a brace from Jordan Sinclair giving them the advantage.
Ex-Wimbledon man Oakley got his first from close-range before Tremarco was given his second yellow card. With 10 minutes to go he found himself unmarked in the six-yard box, tapping home his second for the win.
The victory cuts the gap to the play-offs to three points with Dunfermline’s game against Livingston postponed. Brechin remain rock-bottom.
Caley Thistle made one change from the 1-0 defeat to Morton, with the suspended David Raven replaced by Collin Seedorf. Brechin made three alterations from the 2-1 loss at Dunfermline, with Finn Graham, Connor McLennan and James Dale in for Dan Orsi, Liam Watt and Paul McLean.
The visitors wasted little time in continuing their dominance over the Glebe Park side, having put 11 goals past them already this season. The opener came in comical fashion with Graeme Smith punching a Liam Polworth corner straight into a crowd of players, with the ball rebounding back over the line. Both John Baird and Iain Vigurs claimed credit for it, although Brechin’s Euan Smith may have got the final touch.
Both sides came close on the quarter-hour mark, with Seedorf misjudging a long clearance by Smith and allowing Isaac Layne to run clear. He was forced wide enough to narrow the angle and his shot was straight at Mark Ridgers. Inverness went straight down the other end and drew a low save out of Smith, with Baird firing across the goalkeeper from Vigurs’ pass.
Brechin were level on 18 minutes but despite scoring, were still furious. Connor McLennan’s shot was blocked by the arm of Carl Tremarco on the slide but as referee Gavin Duncan blew for the spot-kick, Layne had the ball in the net. City management duo Darren Dods and Lee Bailey protested angrily that the wrong decision had been made and the goal should have stood. It mattered little as Sinclair sent Ridgers the wrong way with the penalty.
Caley Jags had a shout for a penalty of their own two minutes later as Connor Bell got in front of Sean Crighton and as he went to round Graeme Smith, went down from what appeared to be a push. Duncan had none of it though and booked the Durham-born forward for diving.
A feisty encounter was unfolding and Inverness were not having it as easy as they did in the three previous encounters. Smith, however, was being kept busy in the Brechin goal, keeping out a Bell header and diving at the feet of Jake Mulraney to keep the scores level.
John Robertson’s side looked to have weathered a tricky spell of pressure from Brechin and looked the most likely side of breaking the tie. Smith was quick off his line to deny Bell again and a Tremarco header bounced off the top of the bar 10 minutes before the break.
At times the hosts did not help themselves, giving the ball away in their own half and allowing Seedorf to break in tandem with Mulraney. But when the Republic of Ireland under-21 international weaved his way past three red shirts, Smith was there again to block.
Determined not to be outdone by his team-mate Smith’s contribution, Sinclair conjured up his own moment of brilliance on 39 minutes. On-loan Aberdeen striker McLennan stood the ball up to the right side of the area where Sinclair met it first time, angling a sumptuous volley beyond Ridgers into the top corner.
It was all Inverness at the start of the second period but despite frequent balls into the box, no white shirts were getting on the end of them. Baird had a couple of shots wide as Mulraney continued to frustrate, dancing past multiple Brechin players before screwing a shot wide or smashing a cross straight at an opponent.
A change of system following an injury to Seedorf brought instant reward on 66 minutes. Robertson went to three at the back and played a front three of Baird, Bell and the recently-introduced Oakley, with the latter scoring with his second touch from a Baird flick-on.
Any momentum was curbed as within 90 seconds of going level, Tremarco was given his second yellow card for dragging back McLennan. City should have gone in front again three minutes later after positive work by Graham fed McLennan but he could only watch as his shot was deflected wide.
The all-action encounter continued to entertain and it was Oakley again who threatened, rolling Euan Spark to get on to Coll Donaldson’s through ball but was met by the on-rushing Smith who denied his effort.
But with 10 minutes remaining the tide turned in Caley Thistle’s favour once again and Oakley was in the right place at the right time. Donaldson superbly pirouetted past Watt and played in Vigurs, who made the decision to cross instantly for Oakley to have a simple tap-in from close range.
Layne had a pair of late chances – one blocked by Warren and another by Ridgers – as Inverness held out for a memorable three points.
