Foran faces facts as Caley circle drop

WHO would stake their house on the outcome of this fraught and thorough ly unpredictable survival fight at the foot of Scotland’s Premiership?

A couple of minutes can be utterly transformative, never mind a match, as Inverness Caley Thistle found out to their cost yesterday afternoon.

Hamilton’s late winner against a St Johnstone side stripped of two warring players sent the Highlanders tumbling back to bottom place in the table, two points adrift, in a match both they and Kilmarnock felt they might have won.

It was a sixth draw in nine games for Inverness Caley Thistle who have claimed only one league win since October.

For Kilmarnock, though, it could be a massive point. They now sit six points above Hamilton in the play-off spot, four behind sixth-place Partick.

With the fewest wins – four – and the most draws – 13 – of any side in the Premiership this season, manager Richie Foran had mixed feelings at full-time.

“I’m disappointed. I thought we were the better team for most of the game and we shaded it,” the Dubliner said. “But I’m delighted with the lads’ passion, desire and hunger. We just lacked that bit of quality and composure in the final third.

“We’re a point closer to Ross County and a win on Tuesday night at Aberdeen gets us right back up there. But we need those wins, we need that composure. We need that quality. We need the assists to Billy Mckay. He showed he can finish if you give him a half chance and he scored a goal out of nothing.”

Caley Thistle opened confidently. With 10 minutes gone, Greg Tansey’s corner swirled into the box and there were appeals for a penalty as Brad McKay seemed to be wrestled to the ground by Killie’s Conor Sammon.

Killie produced their best spell of the first half as they punished slackness from Caley Thistle fullback Brad McKay with the opener after 19 minutes.

Jordan Jones’ trickery on the left beat McKay who mis-timed his challenge horrendously just inside the box. Referee Bobby Madden immediately pointed to the spot and Kris Boyd calmly sent Fon Williams the wrong way. Inverness, though, were back level after 25 minutes, when David Raven’s cross from the left rebounded off a Killie body in the box and Billy Mckay, with back to goal 12 yards out, swivelled neatly and fired a right-foot shot in off the right hand post.

Towards the break, home midfielder Tansey – fresh from announcing his summer move to Aberdeen on Thursday – shifted the ball onto his right foot 25 yards out and drew a spectacular diving save from Freddie Woodman.

Killie initially toiled to make much ground in the second period, but it took a great Gary Warren sliding tackle to deny Kris Boyd on the break.

A burst of pressure ended with young Jamie McCart making a crucial block as the ball broke to Sean Longstaff in front of goal. The rebound veered into the path of Jones but Fon Williams parried his shot behind for a corner.

The hosts hit back with McNaughton threading a pass across to Mckay whose snapshot was again saved by Woodman. At the other end, Fon Williams was just as sharp to deny sub Kiltie, the play raging end-to-end.

Killie caretaker Lee McCulloch blamed “blatant day-dreaming” for his team’s failure to hold onto the lead for more than six minutes.

We need the assists to Billy Mckay. He showed he can finish if you give him half a chance