Boss Duncan Ferguson reckons Caley Thistle played their best game of the season – yet walked off with a damaging 1-0 Championship loss to second-top Raith Rovers.
In a result which means Dundee United cannot be officially be crowned champions against Ayr United, it means ICT will fall back to ninth spot should Queen’s Park defeat Dunfermline at East End Park on Saturday.
ICT had countless chances, but away keeper Kevin Dabrowski and the woodwork were the hurdles they could not clear.
Ferguson said: “We were absolutely fabulous – if anyone thinks we didn’t play well there’s something wrong with them.
“We battered the second best team in the league. I thought it was our best performance of the season, all we missed was the goal.
“We could have been playing for two days and not scored, but other than that we were brilliant.
“Unfortunately we don’t pick up the points, so we rely on other results now and we need to make sure we pick up maximum points in our last two games.”
Vaughan took chance to sink ICT
Lewis Vaughan’s 16th goal of the season made the difference, with a lethal finish just after the interval.
Last weekend, ICT gained a massive lift as their 1-0 win against Queen’s Park at Hampden saw them move out of the relegation play-off spot at their hosts’ expense, opening up a two-point advantage.
It was also the first time Duncan Ferguson’s team had posted back-to-back league wins.
Just one win in nine games, including six losses, had also dragged Morton from promotion-chasers to being in the drop-zone mix.
ICT’s slightly better goal difference offered them the chance to overtake the Ton on goal difference with a win tonight.
They faced a second-placed Raith side trying to at least make champions-elect Dundee United wait one more day to be confirmed as the league winners.
They trailed the Tangerines by six points with just two games to go after their trip to the Highland capital. Only an away win would delay the seemingly inevitable.
Strong start by energetic Inverness
ICT began on the front foot as Billy Mckay forced a save from Kevin Dabrowski just before flashing a long-range drive wide.
Dabrowski was called into action on 14 minutes when he dived at full stretch to push away a net-bound Cammy Harper free-kick just six days after his Hampden winner from a similar 25-yard range.
Aaron Doran, who looked lively, went off with a knee injury and was replaced by Sean McAllister, the Everton loanee, who is just back from treatment back at the Toffees.
Harper came close again on 21 minutes as he stuck the crossbar with a shot when he met a Mckay cross then Dabrowski reacted quickest to paw away the follow-up.
The remainder of the first half failed to live up to the early spark, so we awaited the second half to deliver.
Winner came with cool clincher
And just three minutes after the restart, Rovers got the breakthrough when, from Euan Murray’s flick-on, Vaughan lifted a shot past the out-rushing Mark Ridgers after a set-piece was not mopped up allowing a second bite at an attack.
Alex Samuel almost levelled when he steered a swerving shot goalwards, but his effort from just outside the box came off the post.
Home goalkeeper Ridgers was alert on 69 minutes when he got down to save from Sam Stanton just before McAllister’s shot was saved at the opposite end.
Dabrowski then saved superbly from Samuel before Danny Devine then James Carragher had headers come off the bar as the pressed for the leveller.
On-loan Luton forward Aribim Pepple was brought on for defender Devine as Ferguson tried everything to make an attacking difference, however it was not to be.
Caley Thistle fans will now sit and watch the scorelines from Dunfermline and Arbroath on Saturday to see whether Queen’s Park or Morton have shed points.
Next Saturday, ICT penultimate game takes them to Dunfermline before finishing at home to Morton on Friday, May 3.
Boss apologises for Arbroath jibe
Before the game, Ferguson, meanwhile, apologised for suggesting relegated Arbroath had downed tools ahead of successive games against their relegation rivals against Morton and Queen’s Park.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, he said: “Maybe I didn’t use the correct words. I didn’t want to show any disrespect to Arbroath or their players.
“I’m sure they are trying extremely hard. Just at that moment, when you saw the result (5-0 defeat against Ayr), you thought the motivation wasn’t quite there.
“But I’m sure they are motivated and will do their club and their manager proud until the end of the season. So, I must apologise for the words I used, certainly.”
Player ratings
CALEY THISTLE (3-5-2): Ridgers 6, Carragher 6, Devine 6 (Pepple 80), Boyes 6, Kerr 6, Longstaff 6 (Lawal 60), Anderson 6, Doran 5 (McAllister 19), Harper 7, Mckay 6, Samuel 6.
Subs not used: Cammy Mackay (GK), Duffy, MacGregor, Brooks, Savage.
RAITH ROVERS (4-1-4-1): Dabrowski 8, James Brown 6 (Byrne 46), Corr 6, Murray 6, Dick 6, Scott Brown 6 (Easton 46), Mullin 6, Stanton 7 (McGill 86), Hamilton 6 (Rudden 55), Smith, Vaughan 7 (Matthews 78).
Subs not used: McNeil (GK), Watson, Connolly.
Referee: Euan Anderson.
Attendance: 2385.
Man of the match: Kevin Dabrowski.
