MATCH STATS
STAR MAN: Former United youth SCOTT ALLARDICE is settling in – he drove play forward and scored a remarkable goal.
INVERNESS CT 3
D Mackay 47, Allardice 70, Todorov 78
ARBROATH 1
Doolan 24
John Robertson hailed Caley Thistle’s first Championship win of the season but insisted the game should never have been played.
Winds gusting at 50mph battered the Caledonian Stadium and sometimes made a farce of the action despite the teams’ efforts.
After falling behind to Kris Doolan’s first-half finish, though, the Highlanders tore back with a Daniel Mackay strike early in the second half, a Scott Allardice wonder-strike and Nikolay Todorov’s third in three games.
But Robertson said: “You can’t ask professional footballers to go and play in that wind. It’s nonsense. You’re talking 40-50mph gusts.
“But we got on with it. We showed character.”
The hosts, missing nine injured senior players last week, welcomed back four – with captain Sean Welsh starting and Danny Devine, James Keatings and Aaron Doran back on the bench.
Arbroath made four changes from the side that lost valiantly to Hearts eight days previous, with veteran Bobby Linn’s return influential in the first half.
After 24 minutes, a tremendous run from Linn on the left saw him play the ball low across, beating defenders to leave Doolan, making an intelligent run to the far post, with a tap-in.
The wind worsened at half-time, but Caley Thistle stormed back within two second-half minutes.
A determined foray ended with ex-st Johnstone right-back Duffy thumping the ball across from the right for Daniel Mackay to head into the top right corner of the net.
Somehow the conditions got worse, but the Highlanders dug out a lead. From Kai Kennedy’s pass, Scott Allardice let rip from 35 yards.
It is doubtful he will enjoy a better goal after watching it rocket into the roof of the net with Derek Gaston helpless.
It was all over after 78 minutes when a home move ended with Roddy Macgregor’s neat lay-off setting up Nikolay Todorov for a low-drilled finish at 12 yards.
Arbroath assistant Ian Campbell said: “I felt we controlled the game in the first half, but we were guilty in letting them back in.
“We need a win but it won’t affect us. We’re a confident team.”