Caley Thistle go into the new year seventh in the Championship following Friday’s 5-1 festive roasting at Partick Thistle.
Experienced striker Brian Graham slammed the hosts in front after 15 minutes for his sixth goal against ICT in two seasons.
Midfielder Kyle Turner doubled the scoreline late in the first half and Cole McKinnon and Aaron Muirhead goals added fresh misery early in the second half.
Substitute Aaron Doran found the net for ICT, but Thistle swiftly added a fifth through Danny Mullen, who was a replacement for the home side.
Friday’s game also sits alongside their 4-0 defeat at Morton as their worst losing margin of the season.
Caley Thistle, with nine main players sidelined through injury, have now not won a league game for more than two months, stretching to eight Championship fixtures.
The Highlanders’ last league outing was a 1-0 home reversal against Dundee, with a 2-0 SPFL Trust Trophy loss to Hamilton mainly featuring the club’s under-18s.
Last weekend’s fixture at Hamilton was frozen off, so it was now down to this Firhill showdown and they made 10 changes, with only right-back Ryan Barrett retained from the Challenge Cup tie team.
A 4-1 thumping away at Partick in August was a sore one at the time, but ICT defeated Partick 1-0 two months later to remind folk what they’re capable of.
Visiting head coach Billy Dodds welcomed back defender Zak Delaney, midfielder and captain Sean Welsh and striker Billy Mckay from injury.
Injury, however, kept out defenders Cammy Harper and Danny Devine and winger Nathan Shaw, and the bench was only five deep.
Thistle, meanwhile, were on a high following their 3-2 home success against high-flying Ayr United, so remained unchanged.
Partick have recently recovered from a six-match losing run and kicked off this one unbeaten in four overall with three wins and a draw.
None of the seven meetings between these sides in 2022 have been played on a Saturday, with this one being the fifth Friday clash.
Graham proves a menace to Caley Thistle once again
Caley Thistle settled well and pressed forward early on, but the first chance of note was a sliced effort into the side-net by Graham after Harry Milne headed a corner into his path.
However, the former Ross County hitman hit the net on 15 minutes when he steered home a low cross from Aidan Fitzpatrick from close range after possession was lost cheaply in midfield.
This opener added to the double Graham scored against ICT earlier in the term and the treble last year.
Inverness had their first look at goal on 29 minutes when Daniel MacKay fed the ball on to Billy Mckay and the wily forward’s low drive was held easily by Jamie Sneddon.
Six minutes before the break, though, Turner arrived in perfect time to make it 2-0 Partick when he connected with a cross from Milne. It seemed all too easy for Partick to find a way through once more.
A comeback never looked likely and Partick increased the scoreline to 3-0 on 53 minutes when a neat move ended with Graham lining up McKinnon for a composed 12-yard finish beyond Cammy MacKay.
They had barely regrouped before Muirhead arrived in the box to bury a header into the net from a corner for 4-0. “We score when we want” was the home fans’ chant.
Doran tucked away an Inverness consolation from a poor clearance, but Partick sub Mullen made it five with a powerful low drive after turning in the box.
The misery worsened when Duffy was sent off by referee Peter Stuart on 77 minutes for a last-man challenge.
Inverness return to action on Monday, January 2, when Jim McIntyre’s Cove Rangers visit the Caledonian Stadium. Cove’s 2-0 win over Hamilton moved them to within two points of ICT on Friday.
PARTICK THISTLE (4-3-3) – Sneddon 6, McMillan 6 (Holt 62), Milne 7, Brownlie 6, Turner 6, Bannigan, Graham 7 (Weston 78), Lawless 6 (Mullen 68), McKinnon 6, Fitzpatrick 6 (Lyon 78), Muirhead 6. Subs not used – Mitchell (GK), Dowds, Stanway, MacKenzie.
CALEY THISTLE (4-3-3) – Cammy MacKay 6, Duffy 5, Welsh 6, Carson 6, Billy Mckay 6, Barrett 5, Ram 5, Hyde 6 (Strachan 80), Daniel MacKay 6, Delaney 7, Boyd 5 (Doran 46). Subs not used – Ridgers (GK), Oakley, Bray.
Referee – Peter Stuart.
Attendance – 2243.
Man of the match – Aidan Fitzpatrick.
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