Sorry ICT well beaten by Dons
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A LACKLUSTRE showing from Inverness led to defeat in their penultimate away game of the season at Aberdeen.
Ross Tokely and Stuart Duff returned to Caley Thistle's starting line-up following suspension, while on loan Burley forward Alex MacDonald was given his first Inverness start.
Chris Innes, who scored the first in the 3-0 win over St Johnstone last time out dropped to the bench with Chris Hogg not in the squad due to injury and captain Richie Foran suspended.
Both sides started well in the sunshine, Aberdeen threatening first when Sone Aluko cut inside Lee Cox before forcing Ryan Esson into a save, while at the other end MacDonald was off target with an ambitious volley.
Stuart Duff was booked for a foul on Aluko as the Dons began to control proceedings the more the first half wore on.
Zander Diamond was guilty of a quite spectaculr miss, somehow heading wide from three yards out when unmarked following a Maguire corner.
Nick Blackman also had a free header moments later, but his effort was a yard over the crossbar.
As the interval approached, a mistake by Kenny Gillet presented the ball to Maguire who quick as a flash sent Michael Paton racing clear on goal only for the forward to stab wide with just Esson to beat.
Caley Thistle began the second half in encouraging fashion with Adam Rooney flashing a volley narrowly wide after Diamond had made a mess of dealing with Gillet's attempted through ball.
The hosts, however, quickly regained the ascendancy, Maguire and Ryan Jack both being denied by Esson.
Shane Sutherland's 22-yard effort that drew a wonderful save from Langfield was about as close as Inverness would come for the remainder of the game.
Aberdeen looked like they would be left to rue their profligacy until Aluko found the run of substitute Peter Pawlett and he held off Tokely before dispatching an unstoppable shot beyind Esson from close range 15 minutes from time.
ABERDEEN - Langfield; Diamond, Maguire, Aluko (Robertson, 88), Vujadinovic, Young, Smith, Paton (Pawlett, 65), Jack, Blackman (Magennis, 65), Milsom. Subs unused: Anderson, Low, Brown, Howard. Booked: Aluko.
CALEY THISTLE - Esson; Duff, Gillet, Tokely, Munro, Cox, Sutherland (Duncan, 76), Ross, Rooney, MacDonald (Odhiambo, 63), Doran. Subs unused: Golabek, Innes, Morrison, Tuffey. Booked: Duff, Gillet.
Attendance: 6280.
Referee: G. Salmond.
