Caley Thistle surged into third spot in the Championship with two games left after finally beating bogey side Hamilton Accies 2-1 in a dramatic late comeback.
Three league defeats and a SPFL Trust trophy loss against their South Lanarkshire opponents this term had stung, but winning this sixth straight victory was massive in terms of their ever-improving promotion bid.
Accies had won all four meetings between the teams this season but this result takes ICT two points ahead of Partick Thistle and three clear of Ayr United. Inverness have now played one match more than Ayr and Thistle.
Ninth-placed Hamilton are two ahead of basement battlers Cove Rangers, but they trail Arbroath by four points having also played one match more.
This fixture at New Douglas Park was brought forward from April 29, as ICT face Falkirk that day in a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.
Connor Smith fired Hamilton ahead with under 20 minutes to go, but Nathan Shaw poked home his ninth of the season before he set up Billy Mckay for a late winner.
Accies and Inverness now have just two league games to go, with ICT hosting leaders Dundee on Saturday then promotion rivals Ayr on May 5.
Hamilton’s battle for survival sees them host Partick Thistle this weekend before rounding away to current relegation rivals Arbroath on the final night of the campaign.
Hamilton, who recently won the SPFL Trust Trophy against holders Raith Rovers, had only won one league game since beating Inverness 2-1 on February 21.
Caley Thistle, on the other hand, were on a run of five successive league wins, with seven victories from eight games overall.
Accies went into this match having taken all nine points against ICT this season, with their youngsters also knocking a youthful Inverness team out of the SPFL Trust Trophy for good measure in December.
Billy Dodds made three changes from the win at Cove. In came Robbie Deas, Aaron Doran and Steven Boyd for Cammy Harper, Daniel MacKay and Austin Samuels.
Starting with Boyd was working a treat early on as he rampaged down the right several times and a pass for Billy Mckay ended with the striker forcing a save from Ryan Fulton.
Hamilton were let off the hook on 18 minutes when Billy Mckay nicked the ball off Ryan McGowan, but sliced his effort into the side-netting with Fulton scrambling. It was an excellent opportunity for the 16-goal forward.
On 24 minutes, Inverness defender Danny Devine was booked for taking down fast-footed Benny Ashley-Seal. Thankfully for ICT, the free-kick ended with Dan O’Reilly heading over.
Hamilton enjoyed a decent period after this and Connor Smith flashed a stinging 20-yarder marginally beyond the right post and the home fans were back on board.
A great Fulton stop from a Deas header kept the scores blank at half-time after the defender connected with Nathan Shaw’s corner.
Fulton was at it again just after the break when he superbly denied Aaron Doran, who met a low Delaney delivery.
Ridgers saved an effort from Ashley-Seal with his feet at one end then Doran was not far off the target for ICT moments later.
Accies snatched the lead with 19 minutes to go when Connor Smith from a free-kick steered an unstoppable 25-yard effort past Ridgers into the net.
However, that advantage lasted just two minutes as Daniel MacKay, who had just come off, crossed for Shaw, who buried it at the second attempt for his ninth of the season.
And with two minutes remaining, a pin-point pass from Welsh picked out Billy Mckay and he kept cool to slam home the dramatic winner.
It left the home fans furious as they chanted “sack the board” at full-time.
HAMILTON ACCIES (4-2-3-1) – Fulton 7, O’Reilly 6, Martin 6, Ashley-Seal 7, Sparrow 6, McGowan 6, Tiehi 6 (Zanatta 68), Mimnaugh 6 (De Bolle 62), Connor Smith 7, Tumility 6 (Winter 68), Lawson 6.
Not used – Jamie Smith (GK), Easton, Spence, Lewis Smith, Stephenson, McGinn.
CALEY THISTLE (4-4-1-1): Ridgers, 7, Welsh 6 (Woods 89), Deas 6, Devine 5, Carson 7, Billy Mckay 6, Doran 6 (Samuels 73), Allardice 6, Shaw 6, Delaney 6, Boyd 7 (Daniel MacKay 73).
Not used – Cammy MacKay (GK), Harper, Hyde, Nicolson.
Referee – Graham Grainger.
Man of the match – Steven Boyd.
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