Arbroath suffered their first defeat in six games as Duncan Ferguson got his Inverness managerial career off to a winning start.
Lichties went 3-0 down through strikes by Luis Longstaff, Aaron Doran and Billy McKay.
But despite a spirited fightback with goals from Scott Stewart and Michael McKenna Arbroath crashed to defeat.
Arbroath went into this game on the back of successive wins over Morton, Ayr United, Inverness, Airdrieonians and Partick Thistle.
It was their best sequence of victories since 2018 and they were one victory away from extending that to 22 years.
They were up against a Caley side rooted at the bottom of the table without a win.
But the arrival of Duncan Ferguson as the new Inverness boss put an entirely new complexion on it.
The Dick Campbell v Duncan Ferguson dugout battle was certainly going to add a bit of spice to the occasion.
Arbroath lose early goal to Inverness
Inverness looked pumped up from the off and defender Nikola Ujdur came close to opening the scoring on four minutes.
His low 20-yard drive was smothered at the second attempt by Derek Gaston.
Six minutes later, Ujdur was involved in the opening goal.
Ujdur’s header was blocked by Gaston but Luis Longstaff followed up to squeeze the ball just over the line.
At the other end, Aaron Steele met a Tam O’Brien cross only for his header to be blocked by Mark Ridgers.
But it was Caley who struck again on 31 minutes as Longstaff beat Steele on the left and Aaron Doran poked home from the near post.
Arbroath forced a series of corners but were lacking the cutting edge in front of goal.
In 40 minutes, Jermaine Hylton met a Michael McKenna corner to flash a header over.
Arbroath fall further behind to Inverness in second half
Arbroath went 3-0 down just moments after the second half kicked off.
Billy McKay broke clear and lobbed Gaston from 15 yards.
Arbroath pulled a goal back on 69 minutes as the ball spun off Scott Stewart and looped over Ridgers from 15 yards.
The home side piled on the pressure and had a Hylton effort cleared off the line before they made it 3-2.
McKenna’s stunning 15 yard strike rippled the net but Arbroath couldn’t find a late leveller.
MCKENNAAAAAAAA!!!
80' – Mckenna losses his marker just inside the box and smashes the ball into the far right corner!
Still 10 minutes on the clock!
(2-3) #ArbroathFCLive #MonTheLichties pic.twitter.com/wJsGth6WBq
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 30, 2023
Arbroath team v Inverness
Arbroath: Gaston, Steele, Stewart, Little, O’Brien, Slater (Balde 71), Gold, McKenna, Bird (McIntosh 65), Hylton, Dow (Stowe 65). Subs: Adams, Jacobs, Norey, Balde, Lyon, Dunnwald-Turan.
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