Caley Thistle pegged back by late Saints leveller
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A WELL-TAKEN goal from Ryan Christie was not enough for three points as St Johnstone grabbed a late equaliser at McDiarmid Park.
The 20-year-old's first-half strike looked to have been enough against a poor St Johnstone, which would have given the team a lift at the end of a desperate week where they had close to double-digits in the treatment room.
However, a last-ditch header from Graham Cummins snared a share of the spoils for St Johnstone, who had barely merited anything out of the game.
Cummins' late goal means the Caley Jags head into Wednesday night's home game against Partick Thistle still looking for their first win of the season.
Still short of nine first-team players, Inverness were again only to name five substitutes, which included club products Calum Ferguson, Jason Brown and Alisdair Sutherland. Josh Meekings, Gary Warren and Nat Wedderburn all dropped out of the team, with Lewis Horner, Liam Polworth and Andrea Mutombo coming in.
Josh Meekings (knee) was not fit enough to even take a place on the bench. Carl Tremarco, James Vincent and Aaron Doran all returned to training at the end of the week but were not risked in Perth.
A lot depended on Mutombo so fresh into his Caley Thistle career. A lively impact from the bench against Motherwell a week ago, when Inverness were bereft of attacking impetus, prompted Hughes to throw him at the deep end amid one of the club's worst-ever injury crises.
For all the doom and gloom around the Highland capital this week, an early goal would have been high on Hughes' priority list. He was not to be disappointed.
Dani Lopez pounced upon a defensive error by Frazer Wright and after the ball got stuck under the Spaniard's feet just inside the penalty area Christie pounced, taking a touch before firing across Alan Mannus and in.
It was a more patient and composed Inverness than the one that left the field against Motherwell, with Polworth and Greg Tansey exerting control over the midfield. Christie looked particularly in the mood and nearly made Murray Davidson, returning form an injury, pay for a lapse in concentration. Only a smart recovery run by Davidson and the on-rushing Mannus prevented a second goal.
The back door was not completely shut at the back, though, as former Bolton Wanderers forward Michael O'Halloran found a crevice in the visitors' defence to drive at. His rising effort drew a smart stop from Owain Fon Williams.
Bar that brief opportunity, the home side were well below-par in the first half. Caley Thistle were first to every second ball and pressed the Saints back-line well. Mutombo created a couple of openings for himself by cutting inside but found the finish lacking on both occasions, while Polworth was caught in possession as he readied an effort from range.
St Johnstone started the second half with more of a purpose and Davidson threatened on 49 minutes, seeing his shot flash wide off Danny Devine. The Northern Irish defender was soon involved at the other end, volley Ross Draper's knock-back into the ground but towards goal, which Mannus and Liam Craig kept out.
Things were getting a bit hairy at the back for the Caley Jags. Only a last-man challenge from Draper denied Craig a clear run at goal after he intercepted Polworth's pass, before O'Halloran failed to make the most of a yard of space as he lifted an effort wide.
Davidson and O'Halloran both had efforts for the home side as they looked for an equaliser on Tommy Wright's 100 game in charge. The latter drilled a low effort across goal that Fon Williams got a strong palm too, before Devine hacked clear.
At the opposite end it was clear that Christie was too much to handle for Saints. One curling effort whistled over the top of Mannus' crossbar and another the goalkeeper did well to claw away, after good build-up play between Christie, Mutombo and Lopez.
Hearts were in mouths on numerous occasions for Inverness in the closing stages as penalty-box ping-pong was a frequent occurrence in front of Fon Williams. It eventually proved too much, Cummins latching on to Joe Shaughnessy's cross to net the leveller.
ST JOHNSTONE: Mannus; Scobbie, Easton, Wright, Shaughnessy, Wotherspoon, Davidson, Craig, Lappin (Cummins, 61), O'Halloran, Sutton (MacLean, 61). Subs unused: Clark, McKay, Kane, Brown, Caddis. Booked: none.
CALEY THISTLE: Fon Williams; Raven, Draper, Devine, Williams, Tansey, Polworth, Horner, Christie, Mutombo (Wedderburn, 90), Lopez (Sutherland, 84). Subs unused:. Esson, Brown, Ferguson. Booked: Christie.
Attendance: 2959.
Referee: W. Collum.
