Resurgent Caley leave door open for Djoum
WHAT a difference two months have made in the fortunes of Inverness Caley Thistle.
Beaten and bowed by a 5-1 hammering at Tynecastle in August in the third of a sequence of consecutive Premiership defeats that got Richie Foran’s managerial career off to an uncertain start, the transformation yesterday had to be seen to be believed.
Foran and his players have come a long way in the intervening period and clearly have the potential to build on the progress that has already been made — on the evidence of this performance.
Some of Inverness’ incisive, well-executed football was a delight to watch and had they built a more substantial lead before Hearts scored, it would not have been any sort of travesty of justice.
Hearts had not scored a single goal in the Highland capital for three years and there was no suggestion whatsoever that they would improve on that record when they trailed 2-0 after 32 minutes
Fate initially conspired against the home side to the extent that they were a man down before kick-off and another short within ten minutes of game starting.
Goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams suffered a back spasm in the pre-match warm-up and full-back Carl Tremarco pulled a hamstring muscle.
Yet, rather than being unsettled by the enforced changes that saw Cammy Mackay replace Wales international Fon Williams and David Raven take over from Tremarco, Inverness were galvanised into a positive response.
Liam Polworth exploited weaknesses on the right side of the Hearts defence after six minutes when he was able to release Tremarco into space down the left.
Lonsana Doumbouya advanced unchallenged and headed Tremarco’s resultant cross against the top of the crossbar.
The enterprising move came at a price when Tremarco pulled up and had to make way for Raven.
Robbie Muirhead responded for Hearts with a speculative 30-yard drive which just missed the target.
Inverness went ahead when Polworth crossed for Ross Draper to glance the ball into the path of Raven, who despatched a fine volley past Jack Hamilton from 15 yards. They then doubled their lead as Polworth took a pass from Iain Vigurs and laid the ball off to Doumbouya.
The French striker had sufficient time to look up and pick his spot before claiming his fourth goal in six appearances since signing from Cercle Brugge.
But fate again played a hand when Josh Meekings slipped as he made to intercept Perry Kitchen’s pass and Bjorn Johnsen scored out of virtually nothing for Hearts.
The visitors again enjoyed a stroke of good fortune with their second goal six minutes after the interval.
Faycal Rherras’ flighted ball from the left was intended as a cross but floated over the heads of defenders and attackers alike, landing in the back of the net instead.
Rather than feel sorry for themselves, the Inverness players maintained a strong mindset and a Polworth volley very nearly caught out Hamilton.
The goalkeeper was unable to deny Aaron Doran after Polworth had begun the move and Vigurs supplied the pass that ran to the winger.
After inviting Hamilton to narrow the angle, Doran coolly slotted the ball home to claim his first goal since May last year prior to undergoing knee surgery.
However, there was a sense of inevitability that Hearts would score again — and they duly did.
A spell of pressure ended with Arnaud Djoum sliding the ball home from 14 yards after Johnsen had missed an easier opportunity to claim a point.
It is the closest Hearts have come to winning at the Caledonian Stadium since September 2010. But it would have been unjust had they improved on that record in this thriller.
Inverness will feel that they should have emerged with their second win in four days after scoring three without reply away to Motherwell.
But Hearts’ counter-argument will be that they grew in stature as the match progressed and that their persistence was worthy of a reward after they came from behind twice.