Queen’s Park strike back to defeat Caley Thistle in toe-to-toe Championship contest

Caley Thistle’s winless run reached five fixtures on Saturday as they crashed to a 2-1 defeat after leading against Queen’s Park in the Championship.

Billy Mckay fired Inverness ahead in style after a strong Queen’s start, but Charlie Fox equalised just after the interval.

Spiders striker Simon Murray fired the Glasgow men to victory on 73 minutes to move them into fourth spot, four points away from pace-setters Ayr United.

The result means ICT are six points away from Ayr, who are the visitors up north next week.

This game kicked off at 5.30pm due to East of Scotland League Second Division promotion-hunting Syngenta’s 3-1 win against Edinburgh United.

Syngenta have the second-rights after host League 2 club Stenhousemuir, which led to this agreement between Queens and ICT to this later, but still Saturday, kick-off.

League leaders Ayr United set the early pace going into the weekend, thanks to their 3-2 at Hamilton on Friday night.

This meant before a ball was kicked, ICT trailed the Honest Men by six points.

However, injury-hit Inverness, with eight players out, were determined to post their first victory since mid-October, coming off the back of last week’s 1-1 draw with Arbroath. They had the same squad for this clash.

Queen’s Park, who came up via the play-offs from League 1 last season, drew 1-1 at Inverness on the opening day of the season and tucked just below ICT ahead of this one.

Their manager Owen Coyle made three changes to the side which lost 2-0 at Cove Rangers eight days previously, with Fox, Dom Thomas and Jake Davidson.

Inside the opening minute, appeals for a Queen’s penalty were waved clear by referee Scott Lambie after Aaron Doran appeared to tug Dom Thomas in the box and the forward hit the ground.

Murray seemed certain to put his team in front moments later when he broke through, but goalkeeper Cammy MacKay turned his shot wide.

ICT defender Max Ram then sliced a low delivery just past his own post as Coyle’s men continued to enjoy the early play.

Patrick Jarrett and Murray and Josh McPake all went close with efforts too, keeping the Caley Jags on their toes.

However, it was 1-0 to Inverness on 17 minutes when a perfectly measured Sean Welsh pass landed at Billy Mckay’s boot and be lashed home in style.

The experienced hitman spoke pre-match about missing chances last week and his celebrations showed how much it meant to get his sixth of the season.

Murray’s header was cleared off the line by David Carson and a shot from Jake Davidson were signs of a reply from Queens.

Billy Mckay eyed a second goal but was denied by Ferrie when the keeper held his header, all coming from a fine Nathan Shaw cross from the right on 36 minutes.

The Spiders had some late pressure in the first half, but could not find a way to test Cammy MacKay.

Queens were on the front foot from the start of the second half and, just after Lee Kilday’s had a goal ruled out for offside, they were level when Fox thumped his header beyond Cammy MacKay from a Thomas corner.

Coyle’s men sensed their punched opponents might be on the ropes and went for the killer blow with a series of quickfire onslaughts and an ever-rising corner-kick rate.

It looked like the pressure would pay off on 68 minutes when Jarrett had a low dig, but the ball smashed off the left post and away to safety from the visitors’ point of view.

Inverness needed a settling period and they mustered up an attack on 71 minutes which ended with Doran firing over the top from a swiftly-worked move.

However, ex-Peterhead ace Grant Savoury stepped off the bench and delivered the cross for the winner when his low ball into the box was buried in style by Murray.

Savoury almost added another late on, but shot wide then Jack Thomson struck the post.

However, for the Caley Jags this was a sore defeat from a winning position and they will need to aim for nothing short of full points against Ayr to keep them within sight.

QUEEN’S PARK (4-2-3-1) – Ferrie 6, Robson 6, Kilday 6, Fox 6, Thomson 6, McPake 6 (Savoury 70), Thomas 6, Davidson 7, Murray 7  (Williamson 83), Jarrett 7, Malachi Boateng 6. Subs not used – Heraghty (GK), Naismith, Longridge, Kenny, Bruce, Connolly, David Akrobor-Boateng.

CALEY THISTLE (4-4-1-1) –  Cammy MacKay 6, Duffy 6, Harper 6, Welsh 7, Carson 6, Billy Mckay 7, Doran 6 (Nicolson 81), Oakley 6 (Boyd 65), Ram 6, Shaw 6, Delaney 6 (Hyde 81). Subs not used: Ridgers, Strachan, Calum MacKay.

Referee – Scott Lambie.

Attendance – 593.

Man of the match – Charlie Fox.