Polworth the Inverness hero as play-off bid goes to wire
The fraught fight for the final promotion play-off berth will go to the final day after a moment of inspiration from Liam Polworth secured a nerve-shredding triumph for Inverness over Livingston.
Acutely aware that nothing less that a victory would salvage their slim hopes of usurping fourth-placed Dunfermline, Polworth stepped up to the plate, lashing a wonderful low drive beyond Gary Maley.
While Polworth will rightly garner plaudits for his display, credit should also go to Mark Ridgers for a series of fine firsthalf saves. Nor should Carl Tremarco’s goal-line clearance to deny Raffaele De Vita be overlooked.
The win enabled Inverness to move to within one point of Dunfermline ahead of what could yet be a blockbuster finale, with the Pars hosting Dumbarton and the Highlanders travelling to Morton.
Having achieved the feat of securing second place in the Championship at the weekend, Livi manager David Hopkin afforded his key men some richly-merited respite. Only Declan Gallagher, De Vita and Ryan Hardie kept their places from the side that defeated Brechin on Saturday.
Despite wholesale alterations, the Lions were purring in the opening exchanges. Scott Robinson forced a superb low block from Ridgers before club captain Tremarco cleared a towering De Vita header off the line.
A third clear opportunity came and went for Livi when a lofted pass allowed Hardie to breach a ragged Inverness back-line, only for Ridgers to once again come out on top with a fingertip save. If their showing in the first period had been somewhat meek, Inverness took less that a minute of the second half to underline their unwillingness to surrender their Premiership dream without a fight.
Polworth, bright throughout for the visitors, met a neat George Oakley lay-off on the edge of the box and proceeded to unleash a superb low shot beyond Maley. His fifth goal of the campaign could very well be his most important.
It would not be an Inverness fixture without some late drama, and Highland hearts were in mouths in the closing stages when a towering header by Livi skipper Gallagher drifted inches wide of the post. Nevertheless, John Robertson’s men held firm to ensure they will at least take Dunfermline to the wire.