Caley Thistle slipped to their first defeat of the season as Partick Thistle leapt to the top of the Championship with a stirring 4-1 victory at Firhill.
ICT would have hit the summit had they scored the win, or even a draw, in Glasgow ahead of the weekend’s other games.
However, it was the hosts who took their chances, cashing in on slack play when it mattered most and they are now one point ahead of Dundee, who go to Morton on Saturday.
Inverness are now fourth, two points behind their evening rivals, and level with Ayr United, who travel to Cove this weekend.
A Brian Graham first half double put Partick in control and a Kevin Holt penalty and a a diving Anton Dowds header floored Caley Jags.
George Oakley’s late consolation was just that.
The well-matched rivals met six times in total last term, with their four regular fixtures ended in one win each and two draws.
ICT, who finished one place higher in the Championship than fourth-placed Partick, beat the Glasgow Jags in the promotion play-off quarter-finals before, ultimately, losing the final against St Johnstone.
Inverness were on a high as they arrived in Maryhill, with their 4-1 victory over Cove Rangers last week being their first league win amid an unbeaten start overall to their season.
Draws against Queen’s Park and Arbroath, allied with their win over Cove, offered them the chance to round off this week top of the pack before the rest of the sides play on Saturday.
Partick were looking to strike back following their 3-2 defeat against newcomers Queen’s Park.
Home manager Ian McCall made three changes from last week, with Scott Tiffoney, Stuart Bannigan and on-loan Kilmarnock defender Lee Hodson given starts.
Caley Jags head coach Billy Dodds has several players sidelined through injury, but were boosted with David Carson and Wallace Duffy named as substitutes, with the starting 11 as you were.
The Glasgow men roared into an early attack and should have been ahead inside a minute, but Cole McKinnon poked a close-range shot wide of the right post after a run and cut-back from Tiffoney.
Inverness responded when Scott Allardice let fly with a shot from outside the box which had just too much height to test goalkeeper David Mitchell.
However, former Ross County front-man Graham fired Thistle ahead on 20 minutes when loose midfield play allowed an attack and, from McKinnon’s pass inside, he slotted it calmly past Mark Ridgers into the net.
Caley Thistle needed a reaction and it almost paid off in a move on 32 minutes where Aaron Doran lined up Billy Mckay for a shot, but Mitchell turned it behind for a corner, which was then dealt with.
However, the task became much harder a few minutes later when Thistle marched 2-0 ahead, stemming from an error.
Robbie Deas tried to play the ball back to Ridgers, but it was laid on a plate for Tiffoney, who beat the keeper to the ball and Graham raced in to finish.
Dodds pitched Carson and George Oakley into action at the start of the second half as they replaced Lewis Hyde and Doran.
A misjudged Carson header allowed Graham in on goal again, but his lob didn’t have enough on it to beat Ridgers for a third time.
However, Partick put the game to bed just before the hour mark when Carson was adjudged to have felled Graham in the box and a penalty was awarded.
After Inverness disputes, Graham stood aside and Holt slammed the spot-kick into the net.
With six minutes left, the final goal arrived when sub Dowds crashed home the header from a Milne delivery to inflict the last piece of damage.
There was just enough time in the final moments for Oakley to rifle home a header from Cammy Harper’s corner for a consolation.
Inverness will aim to strike back next weekend when Dougie Imrie’s Morton come calling, while Partick host Raith Rovers.
PARTICK THISTLE (4-2-3-1) – Mitchell 6, McMillan 6, Milne 6, Holt 6, Tiffoney 6 (Fitzpatrick 74), Bannigan 6, Graham 7 (Dowds 69), Lawless 6 (Weston 81), McKinnon 6, Hodson 6 (Turner 46), Docherty 6 (Brownlie 46). Subs not used – Sneddon (GK), Akinola, Mullen, Lyon.
CALEY THISTLE (4-4-2) – Ridgers 6, Harper 6, Deas 6, Billy Mckay 6, Doran 5 (Oakley 46), MacGregor 5 (Shaw 69), Hyde 5 (Carson 46), Daniel Mackay 6 (Boyd 69), Allardice 6, Delaney 6, Samuels 6. Subs not used – Cammy Mackay (GK), Duffy.
Referee – Grant Irvine.
Attendance – 2632.
Man of the match – Brian Graham.
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