Caley bashed by Boyce
County star hits four to send Foran’s men towards the abyss
GIVEN that he publicly declared this as the biggest match of his players’ careers, and how appalling their response was to that battle cry, the weight of pressure on Richie Foran would now be enough to buckle the Kessock Bridge.
With just one win in their past 23 games, and seven points adrift of safety at the bottom of the Premiership, Foran’s side are now staring into the relegation abyss.
Scottish Cup winners only two years ago, the club have failed to build on that success and the board of directors could now be left to count the cost of handing a rookie manager a four-year deal.
How painful it must have been for Caley Thistle to produce arguably their worst performance of the season away to their Highland rivals in Dingwall.
County striker Liam Boyce was the tormentor-in-chief — the striker scoring all four goals to take his season’s tally to 20.
A road accident on the A9 delayed kick-off by 15 minutes, only adding to pre-match tensions.
Given the stakes, there was no hyperbole in dubbing the match the biggest in the Highland derby’s 23-year history.
If County were seeking positive omens, the game fell five years to the day since they paraded the First Division trophy through Dingwall by open-top bus, claiming a top league place for the first time.
It was also close to 50 years since the hosts had won their first Highland League title and 25 since claiming their third.
Through suspension, County had lost both skipper Andrew Davies and striker Alex Schalk, the latter following the diving controversy against Celtic.
With defenders Jay McEveley and Paul Quinn also injured, the Staggies’ makeshift back three featured players who are usually deployed as full-backs; Marcus Fraser, Jason Naismith and Kenny van der Weg.
Damningly from an Inverness point of view, the trio were never in any danger. Cigars just about covered it.
The visiting team didn’t have their selection troubles to seek, either, though.
Veteran goalkeeper Ryan Esson stepped in with Owain Fon Williams deemed unfit to play before the match.
With skipper Gary Warren suspended and left-back Carl Tremarco now ruled out for the season, there was a reliance on younger heads Jamie McCart and Louis Laing in the heart of the away team’s back four.
Inside four minutes, Inverness striker Alex Fisher showed keen appetite by swiftly shutting down a casual back-pass. Goalkeeper Scott Fox had to show deft footwork to clear the danger.
The first hint of difficulties for keeper Esson came from Michael Gardyne’s searching cross from the left. Boyce rose to meet it at the back of the box but both he and the Inverness keeper missed the high ball.
County pressure built towards a 21st-minute opener.
Young McCart’s pass-back was poorly dealt with by Esson, whose clearance was blocked by Boyce.
As the loose ball spun across the box, Boyce pounced and finished with aplomb.
And Caley Thistle woes deepened after 34 minutes.
From Jim O’Brien’s cross, Boyce stole a yard to glance a terrific header into the far corner.
The Northern Irishman then duly completed his hat-trick by slotting a penalty on 49 minutes to kill the game.
Liam Polworth was then sent off for Inverness after he conceded yet another penalty on 60 minutes. Boyce stepped up to rifle the ball into the corner for his and County’s fourth goal of the night.
The reality for Foran was both clear and painful. His players had blanked him in his hour of need.