INVERNESS CT 2
Welsh (9), Gardyne (81)
QOS 1 Connelly (74)
Billy Dodds hailed evergreen Michael Gardyne’s fitness levels after the veteran returned from injury to fire Caley Thistle three points clear in the title race.
The dominant hosts failed to add to an early free-kick opener from skipper Sean Welsh and were stunned by a wonder-strike by Queen of the South’s Lee Connelly.
Rather than settle for a point, though, the unbeaten Highlanders again mustered a response with Gardyne – back from three weeks out – capping a brilliant show with the 81st-minute winner.
After six wins and a draw in the league, the Highlanders are full of confidence. Manager Dodds said: “It is a worldy Connelly scores and that can sink you, but it shows we’ve got plenty about us.
“It is a great finish from Michael Gardyne. I thought he might not last the game after three weeks out, but he’s so fit at 35.”
Gardyne returned for the first time since hitting the winner at Kilmarnock after recovering from an ankle injury.
The Doonhamers struggled to lay a finger on Caley Jags in the first period, with the home breakthrough coming inside nine minutes.
Manny Duku won a free-kick from Joshua Debayo’s foul almost 25 yards out and Sean Welsh, starting his first league match, sent a wonderful, swerving, dead-ball strike past keeper Solomon Brynn at his left-hand post.
By the break, 1-0 seemed scant return for home dominance. Gardyne then lifted the crowd just after the hour with a superb individual run and 20-yard dig that Brynn parried for a corner.
Then came Queens’ bolt from the blue.
From a throw-in on the left, Connelly worked his way in towards the corner of the area.
He then managed to curl a superb finish high beyond the reach of Mark Ridgers into the far-top corner of the net.
But, with nine minutes left, the home crowd erupted as the lead was restored. Robbie Deas launched a high, angled ball which was flicked on by sub Lewis Jamieson.
Gardyne controlled it on his thigh and flashed a superb eight-yard finish high past the keeper.
Queens’ boss Allan Johnston said: “In the second half, we came back into it, with more threat and it took a wee bit of magic from Lee Connelly. That should have been enough to at least get a point.”