3rd in the table now

Adam Rooney is the Highland Hero as he scores an 89th minute penalty to give Caley Thistle a win that takes them to 3rd in the table.

With County winning in Dundee, the gap to leaders Dundee is now 10pts but ICT have 2 games in hand Its seven without defeat for ICT who today narrowly defeated Partick Thistle at The Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

The Firhill Jags took the lead midway through the first half before ICT turned it round to gain all three points.

Jonny Hayes returned to the starting eleven, with Dougie Imrie, surprisingly, not even on the bench. Ross Tokely made his first step towards 600 appearances for ICT, wearing the only shirt number that he hadn’t yet worn for the club, number nine.

Nauris Bulvitis played the full game after extending his loan deal at the club for another six months earlier in the week.

With a fresh layer of snow resting on the ICT pitch, the game was in slight doubt but everyone would have been delighted that this fantastic encounter between the two jags went ahead. The last time ICT lost a game was away to Partick so they will be hoping to avenge that defeat. ICT flew out of the traps and pressured Partick right from the start and with only six minutes gone Jonny Hayes picks up the ball in the centre of midfield, charged forward before playing a fantastic through ball to Adam Rooney but the Irish striker fired his shot straight at Jonny Tuffey. Just two minutes later Jonny Hayes was running at the Partick defence again, jinxing his way past new signing Ryan Conroy before swinging the ball to the back post where Richie Foran was lurking, but his powerful header was again saved by Tuffey. But it was Partick that grabbed the opener, a goal out of nothing from Marc Corcoran, he just turned on a loose ball before lashing a vicious snap-shot into Ryan Esson’s bottom right hand corner to give Ian McCall’s side an undeserved win. ICT had a claim for a penalty soon after the opener; Jonny Hayes again carving the Partick defence wide open before finding himself wedged in between two defenders, he hit the deck but referee David Somers wasn’t convinced and produced the Irish trickster with a yellow card. But the equalizer did come eventually, the infamous “Caley Punt” was put to good use in a fantastic flowing move that began with Grant Munro playing a high lofted ball over the Partick midfielders where Adam Rooney flicked his header onto Richie Foran who bent a wonderful pass round experienced defender Martyn Corrigan into the path of Hayes who exquisitely dispatched his shot beyond the despairing Tuffey for 1-1. Partick almost regained the lead two minutes later, a messy goalmouth scramble eventually fell back to the awaiting Chris Erskine who crashed a powerful drive off of Esson’s crossbar. A sluggish start was had by both sides in the second half but the game sprung to life when Spaniard Danni Sanchez burst forward with the ball, the Partick defenders allowing him far too much room, and his long shot was again well saved by Tuffey. ICT had a gift of an opportunity to take the lead with just over twenty minutes to go when Adam Rooney was brought down by Ian Maxwell on the edge of the area, Mr. Somers having no option but to point to the spot for a penalty. However, the Irish striker nervously stepped up to the plate but his weak penalty was saved by the impressive Tuffey.

ICT again should have taken the lead, this time through Sanchez, Richie Foran slid the ball through for Rooney who calmly rolled the ball across for Sanchez, but the attacking midfielder took far too long to set his feet and Tuffey saved his awful effort. Finally, ICT got their long awaited, and deserved, winning goal, a lofted ball from substitute Eric Odhiambo was well controlled by Rooney and again he was floored by Maxwell, this time the defender receiving a straight red card for a last man challenge. The brave Adam Rooney stepped up again, looking much more confident this time, and smashed his penalty low into Tuffey’s bottom right hand corner to send the Caley Thistle faithful wild and gain a valuable three points.

Man of the match Jonny Hayes said in a post-match interview that the title is still very much in their sights but said that manager Terry Butcher is concerned about the lack of chances taken by his squad, despite their recent good form. Hayes, believes that ICT will take the game to Kilmarnock next week as they have nothing to lose, he firmly believes ICT can progress to the next round of the cup.