ICT crush sorry Saints
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CALEY Thistle ended a run of four games without a win by comprehensively sweeping aside St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Monday night.
Chris Innes and Grant Munro replaced the suspended duo of Ross Tokely and Stuart Duff in the visitors back four, while Shane Sutherland came in for Jonny Hayes, who misses the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his ankle.
The Perth side, still smarting from their 3-0 humbling by Motherwell in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, started the better of the two sides and Ryan Esson had to look lively to keep out Andy Jackson's effort before Murray Davidson had a shot deflected wide.
Saints were in control and Alan Maybury struck the post from Steven May's lay-off as the hosts continued to enjoy the better of the opening exchanges.
Richie Foran was also well placed to clear a Graham Gartland header off the line before Inverness punished St Johnstone for their profligacy in the 36th minute.
Sutherland's first corner was cleared, but the youngster whipped the ball back in and Innes got his head on the end of the delivery to score his first goal for the club.
Caley Thistle then extended their lead 11 minutes into the second half, a superb solo effort from on loan Blackburn Rovers winger Aaron Doran finding the top corner of Graeme Smith's goal after the Republic of Ireland under-21 international had taken the ball off Maybury.
Inverness captain Foran then made sure of the points in the 70th minute, producing a well-taken finish from the edge of the box following good work by Sutherland and Adam Rooney.
ST JOHNSTONE — Smith; MacKay, Grainger, Gartland, Maybury, Millar, Craig (Moon, 75), Davidson, Invincibile (Reynolds, 86), May (Robertson, 46), Jackson. Subs unused: Taylor, Novikovas, Adams, Clark.
CALEY THISTLE — Esson; Munro, Innes, Gillet, Hogg, Cox, Ross, Foran (Odhiambo, 90), Rooney (MacDonald, 88), Sutherland, Doran. Subs unused: Golabek, Duncan, Morrison, Tuffey.
Attendance: 2395.
Referee: B. Madden.
