Match ends, Ross County 1, Inverness CT 2.
Ross CountyRoss County1Inverness CTInverness Caledonian Thistle2
Billy McKay settled a fiercely contested Highland derby with a late winner as Inverness pushed Ross County closer to the relegation play-offs.
Aaron Doran hit a stunning opener just before half-time, however Filip Kiss's deflected shot from close range cancelled it out.
Both sides had penalty shouts turned down, while Yann Songo'o also had a goal ruled out for the Dingwall side.
The winner came when Doran found McKay, who scored at the second attempt.
It gave Inverness their second victory in Dingwall inside six weeks, and moves John Hughes' men within two points of fourth-placed Dundee United as the Scottish Premiership reaches the split.
For County, the defeat means they have won just once in their last seven and leaves them just three points ahead of 11th-placed St Mirren as they bid to avoid the end of season relegation play-off.
Under the Friday night floodlights the game took a while to ignite, with both sides creating half-chances without looking like opening the scoring.
Marley Watkins headed weakly at goalkeeper Mark Brown before, at the other end, efforts from Richard Brittain and Melvin De Leeuw went wide for County.
McKay then broke through and drilled in a low shot which Brown managed to get his boot to in order to deflect wide.
The derby began to heat up and Graham Carey beat Graeme Shinnie on the right to fire on a dangerous ball which Dean Brill had to tip over the bar.
As play switched from end-to-end, Watkins and Doran had goal-bound shots blocked and then County thought they had taken the lead.
Yoann Arquin rose highest to head Graham Carey's free-kick towards goal and Songo'o got the last touch to divert the ball into the net. However, the on-loan Blackburn Rovers defender was in an offside position and the assistant referee's flag cut short the celebrations.
Shinnie's left-foot shot brought out the best in Brown but the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Doran's goal on the stroke of half-time.
The goalkeeper initially pulled off a great save to stop Greg Tansey's free-kick but McKay poked the rebound away to Doran outside the box and the winger thundered a breathtaking effort high into the net from the left-hand side.
County had been playing an unfamiliar diamond formation in the first 45 minutes, but after the break they reverted back to a more familiar set-up, and it paid instant dividends.
Their goal may not have had the same panache as Inverness's, but it was just as important.
Arquin swiped fresh air with an overhead kick, then Songo'o missed the follow up, but Kiss fired in the loose ball at the back post, with the shot taking a wicked deflection off Carl Tremarco on its way into the net.
Inverness responded almost immediately when David Raven found a yard of space on De Leeuw and tried to lob Brown, but the goalkeeper managed to nudge it over.
Kiss almost went from hero to villain when he bundled over Watkins inside the box. Fortunately for the Slovak, the referee waved away the penalty claims.
There was confusion at the other end when County felt they should have been awarded a penalty.
Shinnie's high boot caught the head of Kiss in the area but Inverness were originally awarded a free-kick before the assistant referee intervened. Shinnie was then yellow carded but, instead of being awarded a penalty, County were given a free-kick.
Shinnie and Tansey put efforts past Brown's right-hand post and Boyd could maybe have done better when Carey's free-kick found him in the middle.
The game was there to be won and it was McKay with his 22nd goal of the season who put the visitors back in front, pouncing on Doran's chip forward and volleying in at the second attempt.
McKay was unlucky not to make it three late on with a delightful chip that bounced off the bar.
Line-ups
Ross County
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Brown
- 2Cikos
- 26OikonomouSubstituted forSlewat 87'minutes
- 7Kiss
- 28Songo'o
- 5Boyd
- 8Brittain
- 12TidserBooked at 71minsSubstituted forQuinnat 82'minutes
- 27Arquin
- 11De Leeuw
- 23Carey
Substitutes
- 3Gordon
- 10Quinn
- 15Glen
- 21McLean
- 22Saunders
- 25Slew
- 42McCarthy
Inverness CT
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 12Brill
- 2Raven
- 18TremarcoBooked at 37mins
- 16Tansey
- 5Warren
- 6Meekings
- 15WatkinsBooked at 3mins
- 4VincentSubstituted forChristieat 69'minutes
- 7Mckay
- 10Doran
- 3ShinnieBooked at 65mins
Substitutes
- 1Esson
- 11Ross
- 19Williams
- 20Polworth
- 36Christie
- 40Evans
- Referee:
- Calum Murray
- Attendance:
- 4,433
Match Stats
Home TeamRoss CountyAway TeamInverness CT
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away10
- Corners
- Home6
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ross County 1, Inverness CT 2.
Post update
Billy McKay (Inverness CT) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Post update
Hand ball by Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County).
Post update
David Raven (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Slew (Ross County).
Post update
Carl Tremarco (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Filip Kiss (Ross County).
Post update
Attempt missed. Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Jordan Slew replaces Evangelos Oikonomou.
Post update
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by David Raven.
Post update
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by David Raven.
Post update
Attempt missed. Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Post update
Greg Tansey (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Richard Brittain (Ross County).
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Rocco Quinn replaces Michael Tidser.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Christie (Inverness CT).
Post update
Graham Carey (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Filip Kiss (Ross County) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Goal!
Goal! Ross County 1, Inverness CT 2. Billy McKay (Inverness CT) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
