Caley Thistle were victorious in the first Highland derby of the season, with two late first-half goals proving enough to defeat Ross County 2-1 a Victoria Park.
The two sides had cancelled each other out until Miles Storey struck on 43 minutes, with James Vincent heading home a second two minutes later.
Although County improved after the break, they could not claw a goal back until Liam Boyce nodded home in stoppage time, with the Staggies now failing to win any of the last six encounters against their north rivals, although they remain two points ahead of Caley Jags.
County made four changes from the side that drew 3-3 against Dundee the previous weekend. Captain Andrew Davies was suspended, with midfielder Martin Woods out with a knee injury, while Jamie Reckord and Rafa De Vita were dropped to the bench. Manager Jim McIntyre drafted in Scott Boyd, Richard Foster, Jonathan Franks and Stewart Murdoch.
The visitors were forced to make one change, with the suspended Ryan Christie replaced by Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo.
Inverness were first to threaten, with in-form attacker Storey seeing his shot deflected behind by Chris Robertson, while County’s first attempt came courtesy of Murdoch’s hopeful long-range effort which was comfortably gathered by Owain Fon Williams.
The best chance of the opening stages fell to Michael Gardyne on 19 minutes, after David Raven miscued his clearance from Liam Boyce’s cross, however Gardyne whistled a powerful strike over from eight yards.
For much of the first-half both sides cancelled each other out, however it took a fine block from Danny Devine to thwart Boyce’s attempted bicycle kick.
With little to separate the sides, Caley Jags hit County with a double blow on the stroke of half-time. The visitors seized the initiative on 42 minutes, when Raven played Liam Polworth in down the inside right channel, and he played a delightful ball to the far post for the unmarked Storey to tuck home his fourth goal in five games from close-range.
Storey had a great chance to add to his tally moments later, but when clean through on goal he saw his shot blocked by Scott Fox, before Vincent saw his follow-up blocked by Chris Robertson.
Vincent was not to be denied from the resulting corner however, with Devine heading Tansey’s delivery towards goal, before the Englishman rose highest to nod home from point-blank range.
County were the dominant side in the second-half, and spurned several fine chances to get their way back into the game. Irvine’s strike from the edge of the box forced a fine beaten save from Fon Williams, before Boyce nodded over from Franks’ cross, while the same two players both had close-range headers smothered by the Welsh goalkeeper.
County were dealt a blow on the hour mark when goalkeeper Scott Fox was stretchered off, after landing awkwardly when he came out to clutch a cross, meaning Gary Woods was introduced for his Staggies debut.
The Dingwall side finally pulled a goal back when substitute Rafa De Vita’s corner was nodded back across goal, with Boyce turning the ball home from close-range.