Inverness 2-1 Aberdeen: Derek McInnes laments slack first half

Caley Thistle only had five subs including keeper Ryan Esson on the bench, highlighting how light in numbers they are right now.

Aberdeen remain atop the domestic standings, four points ahead of Celtic, and despite back-to-back losses, McInnes remains calm.

“AN eventful afternoon”, was how Ryan Christie described his part in Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s victory over Aberdeen. We were second best all over the pitch.

Inverness, five games unbeaten, surely face a struggle to persuade Ronny Deila to stretch young Christie’s loan deal through to summer.

Aberdeen would control large swathes of the second half, but failed to salvage anything from the match. Christie will join up with Celtic in January and did his parent club a favour with a starring display, despite a late red card.

“Ryan is definitely here until Christmas at least. It’s not easy criticising my team because they’ve been fantastic – until that first half”.

For that first half hour, the unacquainted might have imagined Inverness were the league leaders and Aberdeen the injury-stricken stragglers.

After all, Derek McInnes’ 1-3 triumph at Hearts last weekend, for instance, marked the Dons eighth win in eight league matches since the start of the new SPL season, and the last time such a feat was achieved under the managerial reign of Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1980’s, Aberdeen went on to win the league title.

It was a cracking first half, full of grit and drama and a scattering of memorable moments. The speed and elegance by which Christie wheeled away from ex-team-mate Graeme Shinnie was a sight to behold. He executed a ideal drag-back and turn to fool ex-Caley Thistle captain Shinnie before playing in Storey, who took a touch to compose himself and unleashed a curling shot that flew beyond Danny Ward.

However, the home side were the ones to find the net just five minutes later with a goal quality. Another former Inverness favourite, Jonny Hayes, supplied the corner and an unmarked Taylor powered his header in.

Kenny McLean had the first effort of the game low to Owain Fon Williams’ left, but the goalkeeper got down to keep out his shot.

Substitute Peter Pawlett smacked a free-kick off the far upright and Danny Devine cleared a Goodwillie cross off the line but the Dons were unable to breach Fon Williams’ goal again. It was that kind of day for the Dons.