It was hard to believe that Caley Thistle and St Mirren are in the same division, such was the gulf in class at the Caledonian Stadium this evening.
Inverness progressed to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup thanks to the most comfortable of victories against a dire St Mirren in the replay in front of a meagre crowd of just 1,326.
Caley Thistle will face a trip to Partick Thistle in the next stage of the competition in February which will surely prove to be a much tougher test.
A header from Gary Warren and Greg Tansey penalty gave the hosts a two goal lead at the break before Danny Williams’ first goal of the season ended any hopes of a St Mirren comeback and Graeme Shinnie added a fourth in injury time.
The result heaps pressure on Buddies manager Tommy Craig, whose side have not won for seven matches.
When the sides met at St Mirren Park on Saturday, Caley Thistle were unfortunate to not go on and win the tie after Josh Meekings had cancelled out Marc McAusland’s early strike.
The teams have made contrasting starts in the Scottish Premiership with the pre-match favourites Inverness sitting second top, while the struggling Saints sit second bottom.
Caley Thistle, last season’s League Cup finalists, welcomed back Greg Tansey and Marley Watkins who both missed the 1-1 draw on Saturday because of suspension, with Ryan Christie and Nick Ross making way.
Combative Saints midfielder Jim Goodwin, who admitted he was on his last chance after serving another ban, this time for elbowing Dundee United’s Aidan Connolly, returned for the visitors with James Marwood left on the bench.
A paltry crowd turned up at a chilly Caledonian Stadium and it was the visitors who were first to threaten. Graeme Shinnie was booked after only two minutes for a late tackle on the advancing Kenny McLean and, from the resulting free kick, the St Mirren midfielder tested Dean Brill with a well-struck effort from 30 yards.
Caley Thistle soon settled and their first foray forward culminated in Danny Williams trying his luck from inside the area but Mark Ridgers, the former Ross County stopper, was equal to it.
Caley Thistle needed a goal to settle any nerves and central defender Warren duly obliged with a powerful header from a Greg Tansey corner which flew past Ridgers with 20 minutes on the clock.
And John Hughes’ side had an opportunity to double their advantage only three minutes later when Marley Watkins was bundled over by Goodwin – who else – and Tansey coolly sent Ridgers the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Caley Thistle were in full flow and should have made it three on the half hour mark when Watkins sent Williams through on goal but the midfielder’s effort was too close to the over-worked Ridgers.
An unbelievable miss was to follow when Watkins crossed for the unmarked James Vincent to nod home from two yards out but the Englishman headed the ball straight into the arms of the grateful Ridgers.
That should have been 3-0 and game over.
The pressure from the home side was incessant and another chance went begging four minutes before the break when Billy McKay floated the ball to the unmarked Watkins at the back post but his attempt was blocked on the line by Goodwin, with the home side’s appeals that the Irishman had used an arm waved away by referee Calum Murray.
Tommy Craig, the St Mirren manager, didn’t wait long to make his first change, replacing the ineffective Thomas Reilly with on-loan Manchester City midfielder Adam Drury eight minutes into the second half.
To their credit, the Buddies upped the tempo after the break with Steven Thompson heading over as they searched for the goal that would get them back in the tie.
Inverness still looked capable of augmenting their lead whenever they reached the final third and Meekings, on the scoresheet at the weekend, went close with a powerful effort that found the side-netting.
And the decisive third goal to kill off St Mirren came in the 67th minute when Watkins crossed for McKay whose effort smashed off the crossbar but Williams slotted home the loose ball.
The visitors were completely deflated but Caley Thistle were in no mood to show any mercy with Warren hitting the bar soon after.
Shinnie added a fourth in injury time with a composed finish to make it a long journey home for the 73 St Mirren supporters, while manager Craig will have been left with plenty to ponder after another desperate showing from his side.
