Caley Thistle moved fourth in the Championship courtesy of an excellent 3-0 win over Queen of the South at Palmerston.
Goals from Kai Kennedy, Roddy MacGregor and Miles Storey capped an excellent display by the Highlanders, securing their first back-to-back wins of the league campaign.
The result moves Inverness into the play-off places, although Ayr United can reclaim fourth place with a victory over Alloa Athletic tomorrow.
Both sides came into the match fresh from a two-week break since their last outing, with John Robertson naming an unchanged Caley Jags line-up from the 2-0 win over Raith Rovers.
Inverness started brightly and spurned a glorious chance to open the scoring after three minutes, with Cameron Harper’s pinpoint cross from the left nodded wide at the far post by James Keatings.
Robbie Deas was next to threaten for the visitors after exchanging passes with Keatings, with his effort blocked by the legs of Jack Leighfield, with Shane Sutherland’s follow up blocked into the path of Miles Storey who struck wide.
Queens’ striker Stephen Dobbie got a sight of goal on 16 minutes after being played through by Connor Shields, however his effort was blocked behind.
Dobbie set up Joe McKee for an attempt on 19 minutes, however his strike was well blocked behind by Deas.
Inverness made the breakthrough on 21 minutes, with Kennedy showing superb skill to cut inside past Willie Gibson following a one-two with Keatings, before the teenager beat Leighfield at his near post with a low strike.
Kennedy tried his luck once again five minutes later, with Leighfield this time equal to the effort from the edge of the box.
Queens pushed for a leveller, with Niyah Joseph turning Shields’ low cross wide from close-range, before Scott Allardice made an excellent block to thwart Dan Pybus who had been played in by Aidan Fitzpatrick.
Although Queens kept pushing for a leveller towards the end of the first half, Inverness doubled their advantage five minutes after half-time. Brad Mckay was released in space down the right flank before cutting back for MacGregor, who thumped a strike high into Leighfield’s top left corner to net his second goal for the Highlanders.
Queens spurned an excellent chance to pull one back on the hour mark, with substitute Euan East nodding McKee’s corner wide at the near post.
Sutherland passed up a great chance to add a third five minutes later when he sidefooted wide from an excellent position.
Inverness were not to be denied 10 minutes from time, with Storey rifling low past Leighfield after being teed up by MacGregor following Mckay’s throw-in.
