Caley Thistle prove kings at Queen of the South
Queen of the South 0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2
Scorer: Doran (30) Todorov (90)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle recorded their first win in three games with victory over Queen of the South.
Aaron Doran and Nikolay Todorov scored at Palmerston Park as Caley Thistle stay in third, four points off leaders Dundee United.
Caley Thistle made four changes to the team that were defeated at Morton as Doran, Todorov, Charlie Trafford and Roddy MacGregor came in for Miles Storey, Jordan White, James Vincent and James Keatings.
Goalkeeper Mark Ridgers was called into action in the first minute when he was forced to pull off a save from a close range effort from Stephen Dobbie.
Queen of the South had the best of the chances in the opening quarter but it was Inverness who took the lead on the half hour mark.
A nice passage of play started off by Todorov saw the ball eventually land to Doran whose snapshot found the bottom left corner of the net.
Queen of the South had a golden chance at the start of the second half when Connor Murray’s pass across the face of goal wasn’t picked up by the Inverness defence and fell to Stephen Dobbie 12-yards out.
But the striker who was so lethal in front of goal last season blasted his shot well wide.
QOS claimed for a penalty when they protested Scott Mercer was fouled by Charlie Trafford but the referee waved play on ruling a fair challenge.
Ridgers then had to be alert to keep Inverness in the lead with a finger tip save to deny Jack Hamilton from 12 yards out.
Queen of the South continued to press for an equaliser with the ball falling to Dobbie again at the edge of the box midway through the second half but again blasting wide.
Inverness sealed victory in injury time in a counter attack when James Vincent set up Todorov to fire the ball into the net from 12 yards.
QOS McCrorie, Mercer, Holt, Kilday, Brownlie, Pybus, Hamilton (Oliver 73), Dobbie, Osman, El Baktaoui, Paton (Murray 45).
Subs (Unused) Burns, McCarthy, Lyon, Semple, Gourlay.
Caley Thistle: Ridgers, Rooney, Tremarco, Donaldson, McCart, Carson, Doran (Walsh 68), Todorov, Curry (Storey 60), Trafford, MacGregor (Vincent 78).
Subs (Unused) Mackay, White, McHattie, McKay
Referee: Steven Kirkland
Attendance - 1221