Goals conceded in the final 15 minutes of Championship fixtures have cost Caley Thistle more points than any team in the Championship.
However, Duncan Ferguson – who only became the Caley Jags boss on September 30 – insists there is no cause for concerns for his team, who often net the first goal.
The hot topic of late goals comes as Raith Rovers shot to the summit with a 95th minute Lewis Vaughan winner against Arbroath in midweek.
It means on Saturday the Fifers head to Dundee United two points clear of their hosts, having played one match more.
Raith have now gained 21 points from scoring in the closing 15 minutes of regulation time – or in injury-time.
Without those points, Ian Murray’s late specialists would be seventh, not top, according to details compiled by DUFC Stat on X (formerly Twitter).
ICT twice sunk late by Raith Rovers
Earlier this month, ICT were victims of Rovers’ late performers as a Vaughan goal on 85 minutes then a penalty from James Gullan on 94 minutes wiped out Billy Mckay’s opener to dish out Ferguson’s first defeat as ICT boss.
Make this+21 points for Raith after 75 mins….
Genuinely incredible https://t.co/Nq5Otg9uOs
— DUFC Stats (@DufcStats) December 13, 2023
His predecessor Billy Dodds was on track for a 0-0 draw away to Raith Rovers in September – then Gullan struck the winner with three minutes left to seal a 1-0 win. That was Dodds’ last game in the hot-seat.
Since Ferguson became the Inverness manager, they let a 1-0 lead slip with three minutes remaining at Dunfermline when Lewis McCann secured a 1-1 draw last month.
So, the Raith and Dunfermline games are the two occasions under the current boss where late goals have cost them points.
Overall this season, they have lost nine points due to conceded in the latter stages. If these stats are calculated throughout the division, ICT would be third behind Partick Thistle and Dundee United.
In seven of Ferguson’s 10 Inverness matches, his side have taken the lead.
Late goals are from 85 minutes – boss
Ex-Everton caretaker boss Ferguson prides himself on having a fit and ready squad and stressed their ability to score first is more telling.
When asked about the late goals figures, he said: “It’s certainly not down to fitness because my team runs and works harder than anyone else.
“We lost a game late against Raith Rovers, with two late goals including a penalty, but since I’ve been here I don’t see anything in that.
“It’s always a cause for concern when you lose a goal, but I wouldn’t say conceding in the 80th minute is late. When you get to 85th minute or beyond, that is late.
“I think I’m right to say I don’t think we’ve been behind in a game perhaps until Queen’s Park last week when we came back to win 4-1.
“So, apart from against Queen’s Park and Morton on Tuesday, I think we’ve been in front in most games.”