St Johnstone’s chronic inability to find the net hit a new low on Monday night, with the McDiarmid Park men passing the 1000-minute mark without one of their own players scoring an SPL goal.
Michael Duberry and Steven Anderson were both banned, Jody Morris rested, while there were no places for Peter Enckelmen, Collin Samuel or Kevin Moon.
Back in came keeper Graeme Smith, Graham Gartland, Alan Maybury, Chris Millar, Andy Jackson and May.
Good work from Danny Invicible after just a minute set up Jackson, whose low shot was pushed away by ICT keeper Ryan Esson.
Jackson tried to have another go after the corner came over but he was flagged offside.
With six minutes gone, Saints came close again when Murray Davidson’s shot was deflected just a few inches past the post.
The visitors had their first attempt at goal after quarter of an hour, Nick Ross blasting over the bar from just inside the box.
At that stage, the Perth men actually looked the likelier to break the deadlock and only the woodwork prevented them from grabbing that so elusive goal on 21 minutes.
With the hosts pressing, May played the ball back to Maybury 25 yards out and he let fly with a strike that cracked Esson’s right-hand post, spun across the front of goal and out for a goalkick.
Gartland was booked for a foul on Foran on 26 minutes after the Inverness man had skipped past him, before Jackson came within a whisker of the opener only for his header to be booted off the line by Foran.
With Saints failing to capitalise on their chances, the Highlanders scored against the run of play on 37 minutes.Time and spaceShane Sutherland had time and space out by left-hand corner flag and when he swung over his cross, former Dundee United defender Innes bulleted home a header from 10 yards to make it 1-0.
The hosts had to hit back quickly and they had a fantastic opportunity to level on 41 minutes but failed to take it once more.
May released Davidson through the middle and the big midfielder bore down on goal, only to slide his shot past the far post by a yard.
Saints made a switch at the break, with May making way for Jordan Robertson in attack.
The substitute only waited four minutes before having a pop at goal after being set up by Liam Craig, but his effort was saved by Esson, then Craig tried his luck himself but couldn’t beat the goalie.
The passing of the 57th minute meant they had now played 1000 minutes of football without a Saints player netting a league goal, to go with the unwanted tag of lowest scorers in the senior game across the whole of Britain.
That was a grim thought and the visitors made it worse by scoring bang on that time as they took a 2-0 lead.
Maybury dithered on the ball and it made its way to on-loan Blackburn man Doran, who curled an excellent shot past Smith that flew into the far postage stamp corner of the net.
The Highlanders made it three on 70 minutes and it was all too easy, with Foran dancing his way into the box before blasting a low shot past defender Dave Mackay then keeper Esson.
With seven minutes to go Davidson sent a shot past the far post for Saints then Rooney sent one over the bar at the other end.
There ended the action on a miserable spring evening for Saints.
Attendance-2395.
St Johnstone Smith, Mackay, Grainger, Gartland, Maybury, Millar, Craig (Moon 75), Davidson, Invincible (Reynolds 86), Jackson, May (Robertson 46). Subs not used-Clark, Novikovas, Taylor, Adams.
Inverness CT Esson, Cox, Foran (Odhiambo 90), Rooney (MacDonald 87), Munro, Innes, Ross, Sutherland, Gillet, Doran, Hogg. Subs not used- Tuffey, Golabek, Duncan, Morrison.
Referee Bobby Madden.
You have to go back to when frontman Stevie May bagged his second one against Hamilton Accies on February 1.
Indeed, you can fly from Heathrow to Honolulu in less time than the now 1033 minutes that have been and gone since then but Saints still have work to do-four games to be precise before they can start thinking about jetting off on their own holidays.
They need to do better and it was a shame that the players could not have given something back to the supporters who, just nine days ago, watched them lose by the very same scoreline in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Motherwell at Hampden.
Inverness had no such trouble finding the target and were well worth their 3-0 victory in the end.
Chris Innes (37 minutes), Aaron Doran (57) and Ritchie Foran (70) grabbed their goals to leave St Johnstone gaffer Derek McInnes understandably looking for more from his men.
“I was disappointed with the result and disappointed with one or two performances,” said McInnes.
“At the start of the game, we were on the front foot and were very positive in terms of attempts on goal.Scrappy”Had we got one of those that would have given us a jolt of confidence but instead we lost a scrappy goal and Inverness got the lift.
“The defending for the second and third goals wasn’t good enough.
“It was a poor night for us and I am determined to make sure the season does not just peter out for us.
“Had we scored a goal tonight it would have given a huge lift to the players but when you don’t the opposite happens.
“You are chapping at the door and the players are praying for the ball to go in and the supporters are doing the exact same thing.
“The approach from the players was a lot more positive tonight but when you put it all together, the run we are on, it is a poor show.
“We want improvement before the end of the season.
“We have to keep going and show character in the matches that are left.”
Caley Thistle gaffer Terry Butcher was aware of Saints’ fragility in front of goal, adding that had the home side got the breakthrough it could have been so different.
“Goals change games and we got every one at the right time really,” said Butcher.
“St Johnstone peppered our goal and had chances but we carry a bit more confidence than they do, which is unfortunate for them.
“We are now looking to finish seventh.
“We are all focused on doing that and there are no thoughts about holidays or anything like that.”
It wasn’t a shock that Saints manager McInnes made six changes to the line-up that started the semi-final.