Caley Thistle came from behind to inflict a huge blow in Aberdeen’s title hopes – although they profited from a helping hand or two along the way.
The Dons had looked on course to take command when Adam Rooney’s 19th goal of the season put them ahead after just seven minutes. The home side were gifted an equaliser when Ash Taylor slipped to allow Iain Vigurs to net against his hometown club.
Six minutes after the break, Taylor was adjudged to have felled midfielder Ross Draper by referee Willie Collum, despite there appearing to be no contact between the two, with Greg Tansey stepping up to net against the team that targeted him last month.
Carl Tremarco’s header all but sealed the points for the Highlanders, moving them into sixth in the Premiership, above St Johnstone on goal difference.
While Inverness have not come close to replicating their consistency of last season, their fortunes against the Dons this term gave them cause for optimism. A 2-1 victory at Caledonian Stadium in September was followed by a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie on Boxing Day, in which the Reds only salvaged a point courtesy of Adam Rooney’s last-gasp penalty.
Manager John Hughes made three changes. David Raven was rested having been carrying a knock, while Danny Williams was absent due to family reasons, and Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo dropped to the bench. The trio made way for Lewis Horner, Liam Polworth as well as a first start for Jordan Roberts, who was fresh from netting a spectacular winner against Motherwell in the Scottish Cup.
Somewhat surprisingly, Roberts was deployed to lead the line centrally, with leading scorer Miles Storey drifting in from the left wing, but the pair combined to dangerous effect.
Many eyes were on Caley Jags midfielder Greg Tansey, who had been the subject of a failed £200,000 bid by the Dons on transfer deadline day, despite the Reds believing they had triggered a release clause in his contract. Having remained with the Highlanders, the Englishman was eager to show his worth to John Hughes’ side, and he stepped up to the mark with a lively and influential performance at the heart of midfield.
Tansey orchestrated much of the hosts’ possession in the early stages, but the Dons began to pose problems for the Inverness rearguard. After former Inverness skipper Graeme Shinnie’s run in from the left went untracked, he saw his strike clip the crossbar with the help of a touch by goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams, although no corner was given by referee Willie Collum.
That had been the Dons’ first foray forward but the warning signs were not heeded by Inverness, who fell behind on seven minutes, as Craig Storie’s pass released Rooney who beat Danny Devine before rifling home a powerful drive.
The goal settled the Dons into their stride, and Inverness continued to look hesitant any time the visitors pressed them. Just as it looked like the visitors could very well take control of the game, Caley Jags were gifted an equaliser on 18 minutes, as Ash Taylor was robbed of the ball in a crucial position by Vigurs, who ran in on goal before showing excellent composure to tuck the ball beyond goalkeeper Scott Brown.
Out of nowhere, Inverness suddenly had a foothold in the game once again, and they should have taken the lead shortly afterwards when Vigurs’ corner was flicked on by skipper Gary Warren, but Carl Tremarco failed to steer home at the far post with an open goal at his mercy.
Caley Jags were able to go into half-time with plenty encouragement, having ended the first-half on top. They duly carried their momentum into the second period, albeit benefiting from a poor decision by referee Collum which put them ahead. Draper strode into the penalty box, and although he went to ground it was clearly not as a result of the high boot of Taylor. The script was written for Tansey to step up to the mark, sending Brown the wrong way to put Inverness on track for the victory.
The result of that was waves of pressure from the visitors, who were desperate to hit back, but true to their increasing status as the Dons’ bogey team, Caley Jags inflicted a severe blow to Aberdeen’s title hopes by opening up a two-goal cushion on 65 minutes. Defender Taylor made contact on Roberts’ flighted cross from the right, allowing the ball to come through to Tremarco, who squeezed home his first goal for the club with a far post header. Despite assistant Graham McNeillie initially appearing to disallow the goal, before being overruled by Collum.
It was not to be for the Dons, with Derek McInnes’ side denied a stonewall penalty when Shinnie was felled by Horner, with Caley Jags sitting deep to hold on to their precious lead.