The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Foran backs Inverness board after demolition derby
Inverness demotion almost sealed after this demolition derby
Ross County 4 Caley Thistle 0
Caley Thistle manager Richie Foran jumped to the defence of the club’s board after his side’s 4-0 defeat by Highland rivals Ross County at Victoria Park last night. The defeat, in which Staggies attacker Liam Boyce netted all four goals, leaves Inverness five points adrift at the foot of the table and they could be further detached if Dundee win their game in hand at Motherwell today. Foran’s men have endured a dire campaign, with only four wins all season, with supporters venting their frustration towards chairman Kenny Cameron and his board of directors towards the end of Inverness’ humiliating derby defeat. Foran felt their chanting was unfair and he said: “The board has come in for some criticism – it's nothing to do with the board. “They’ve backed me with my signings and most of the blame has to go on me. There's been too many individual mistakes and they haven't done well enough. But I haven’t got the best out of them. “They've turned at the board – what have they done wrong? They backed me. I'm a supporter like them and if they can stick by us for these last four games it would be great.” County manager Jim McIntyre paid tribute to Boyce and he said: “Liam has been priceless for the last couple of years. He’s a top player.”
Caley Thistle’s demotion to the Championship looks all but certain after this painful defeat at the hands of Highland rivals Ross County.
It was billed as the most important Highland derby of all time by many, and it will undoubtedly be one that is remembered by both sets of supporters for very different reasons.
This could be the last meeting between the sides for some time, with Inverness getting ever closer to the reality they will be playing second-tier football next season.
For County, this four-goal derby haul, in which all goals came from Liam Boyce, will do wonders for their morale and it moves them a firm step closer to safety, with Jim McIntyre’s men leapfrogging Kilmarnock into seventh, which means they are six points clear of the relegation play-off position.
McIntyre made two changes for the derby. Andrew Davies was ruled out through suspension and youngster Reghan Tumilty dropped to the bench, the pair replaced by Martin Woods and Craig Curran.
Caley Jags were fast approaching last chance saloon, with their dire run of one victory from 22 games leaving them in a precarious position ahead of the trip to Dingwall.
Richie Foran made four changes from the team defeated 4-2 by Motherwell last time out. Two changes were enforced, with Carl Tremarco and goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams sidelined with respective knee and groin injuries, while Brad McKay and Ross Draper dropped to the bench.
The quartet were replaced by Ryan Esson, Kevin McNaughton, David Raven and Jake Mulraney.
Kick-off at Victoria Park was delayed by 15 minutes due to an accident on the A9 near North Kessock, which held several supporters back on their way to the game.
The two sides looked eager to make up for lost time once the game did eventually get under way though, with the action starting at a frantic pace and play raging from end to end.
The first chance fell to Caley Jags’ Alex Fisher, who got on the end of Iain Vigurs’ corner but stabbed wide from close range.
Inverness were pressing their hosts high up the field, but out of nowhere they inexplicably giftwrapped the Staggies an opener on 22 minutes.
Esson took a loose touch to control Jamie McCart’s backpass, with the veteran goalkeeper charged down by Boyce. Any invitation for a forward already on 17 goals for the season was likely to be gladly accepted, with the Northern Irishman on hand to prod home from close range.
The Staggies piled the misery on their rivals with a second goal on 34 minutes, with Jim O’Brien getting to the ball ahead of Raven down the left flank before whipping in a tempting delivery to the near post which found Boyce on hand to glance a header across goal for his seventh derby goal of the campaign.
Inverness’ hopes of pulling off the great escape were now lying in tatters.
Boyce was hungry for a second derby hat-trick of
“Boyce was on hand to prod home from close range”