Saints skipper Dave Mackay said the Perth club’s impressive winning run lies in tatters because of a moment’s lack of concentration.
A confident team which had savoured three shut-outs during a four-game winning sequence paid the price for a third-minute lapse which allowed prolific Caley Jags striker Billy McKay to pounce in the six-yard box and present reluctant caretaker manager Duncan Shearer with three points to ensure Terry Butcher’s successor inherits a winning team.
Perth keeper Alan Mannus had just one save to make after that early setback but, although Saints enjoyed plenty possession, they were unable to pick holes in a solid Inverness rearguard and home No 1 Dean Brill didn’t have a single on-target shot to handle as the resolute Highlanders avenged a 4-0 hiding endured last month atMcDiarmid Park.
Mackay admitted: “It was a rubbish goal to lose and so early. That made it a hard one to take.
“It was a throw-in and the boy who has taken it has got in the cross and McKay did well to get in at the back post to get a toe on it.
“But we shouldn’t be losing a goal so easily from a throw-in. The first goal in this league is huge and Inverness and the crowd obviously got a big lift from it, having lost their manager.
“We huffed and puffed and maybe deserved a draw on pressure but it wasn’t happening for us. We’ve been on a good run of form but it just didn’t click for us. Hopefully we bounce back against Livingston in the cup.”
It proved to be a frustrating afternoon for a Saints team which had travelled north seeking to narrow a four-point gap enjoyed by the second-placed Caley.
Manager Tommy Wright said: “There was a lot of endeavour but we lacked a bit of quality in the last third. You’ve got to compliment them on the way they defended and limited us to very few opportunities to get shots away.
“I don’t think there was much between the two teams but the first goal was always going to be vital. It was their first attack and we defended it poorly. The cross shouldn’t get in. It’s poor, poor defending. It was too easy.
“They work extremely hard for each other. We controlled possession for quite a bit of the game but didn’t do enough with it.”