ICT complete home treble

CALEY Thistle made it a hat-trick of home wins as they eased past Hibernian to end their league campaign in the Highland Capital on a high.

There were five changes from the side that overcame St Mirren 1-0 at the weekend - Lee Cox, Adam Rooney, Nick Ross, Shane Sutherland and Chris Hogg all coming in.

The game was being played at pedestrian pace early on and only a header by Ricardo Vaz Te from Scott Taggart's free-kick was worth noting.

Caley Thistle's best effort came courtesy of the head of Grant Munro, but his long range effort from Sutherland's set piece was straight at Jakub Divis.

Hibs then spurned the games best opportunity, David Wotherspoon being sent clear by Liam Miller's pass only for the forward to blaze wildly over the crossbar.

Inverness manager Terry Butcher vacated his seat in the stand to go down to the dugout and his presence brought about the desired response as the hosts took the lead in the 41st minute.

Ross Tokely's long ball forward found Richie Foran in space and his header from six yards out struck the upright before rolling along the line. Rooney made sure with the finish, but it was is fellow Irishman who, correctly, claimed the goal.

There was no doubting the scorer of the second Caley Thistle, however, just six minutes into the second half.

Rooney sent over a cross to the edge of the box where Ross hit it first time on the volley, the ball striking the underneath of the crossbar before crossing the line.

Sutherland then thought he had added to Caley Thistle's goal tally with a left-footed drive from 22 yards, but the ball rippled the side netting rather than finding the corner.

Hibs response was at best muted as Inverness ran out comfortable winners to reach a half century of points in the SPL.

CALEY THISTLE - Tuffey; Tokely, Gillet, Hogg, Munro, Cox, Sutherland (Sanchez, 86), Duff, Rooney (Polworth, 90), Ross (Doran, 89), Foran. Subs unused: Odhiambo, Morrison, MacDonald, Esson.

HIBERNIAN - Divis; Wotherspoon, Palsson, Towell, Hanlon, Stephens, Booth, Miller (Horner, 76), Stevenson (Scott, 76), Vaz Te, Taggart (Sodje, 68). Subs unused: Smith, Forster, Handling, Brown.

Attendance: 3344.

Referee: S. Finnie.