For the umpteenth time this season, Dundee United fell well short of the standard expected of them.
The Tangerines should have used this match to show that they had put their Tannadice troubles – two points from their last three home games – behind them by beating Inverness Caley Thistle in the Highlands.
Instead, they continued their woeful run of results and have now won only once in their last eight games.
They lost a goal to Aaron Doran with just a minute of the first half remaining and didn’t do nearly enough to worry their hosts thereafter.
Some of United’s defending was panic-stricken, passes were going astray all too often and they remained punchless up front for the entire 90 minutes.
They are a team rightly under pressure to show that they still have both the bottle and the ability to at least finish in a play-off spot, with the early-season predictions of the Championship title now looking almost ridiculous in their optimism.
It appears that whatever line-up, formation or game plan that manager Csaba laszlo draws up, United struggle.
The Hungarian made a couple of changes to the side that kicked off the 1-1 draw with Dunfermline at Tannadice on Saturday.
In came William Edjenguele and Thomas Mikkelsen, with Tam Scobbie calling off injured and Matty Smith dropping down to the bench. Edjenguele was part of a three-man central defence alongside Bilel Mohsni and sweeper Stewart Murdoch.
The visitors came into the game full of fizz after their Irn-Bru Cup final win over Dumbarton at the weekend. In the Highlanders’ team was Coll “Toxic” Donaldson.
On six minutes, a neat moved started by Scott Fraser ended with Scott McDonald shooting into the arms of ICT keeper Mark Ridgers from just outside the box.
The wind was swirling about inside the stadium on a bitterly cold night as the action, making life difficult for both sets of players.
There was, however, a glorious chance for Inverness to take the lead on 22 minutes.
The United defence seemed to freeze as Nathan Austin raced into the box and how George Oakley managed to head over the bar from a yard or so out was anyone’s guess. It was real let-off for the Tangerines and an absolute shocker for the ICT man.
Oakley didn’t let that howler get to him, though, and he cut in from the left and tested United goalie Harry Lewis with a low drive on the half-hour.
The hosts had most of the play in the first half and they took a deserved lead on 44 minutes through Doran.
The United defence was caught sleeping by a pass forward by Oakley and Doran couldn’t believe his luck, taking a touch before sending a left-foot shot into the net off Lewis.
The Tannadice men had to up their game after the restart and they brought on Smith for Mikkelsen at the break.
They were caught in possession when trying too many short passes in the middle of the park on 49 minutes and ICT broke upfield only for Austin to shoot wide.
McDonald was booked for dissent before frontman Emil Lyng replaced Fraser for United on the hour.
Daniel Mackay, who had also come on for Austin for ICT, found space inside the box before firing at the near post, with keeper Lewis doing well to block. The resultant corner almost sneaked in.
With 67 minutes on the clock, Lewis was called into action again, this time to save Charlie Trafford’s low shot from outside the area.
The visitors did look a threat on 76 minutes, though, when a freekick was floated to the edge of the box by Jamie Robson, nodded down by Mohsni then hooked over the bar first time by McDonald from 15 yards.
The Australian was unmarked and should have at least hit the target.
Inverness had a chance to go two up on 80 minutes but Lewis did really well to save at close range.
Up at the other end, United’s Sam Stanton blasted a snap-shot over and that proved to be his last contribution as he was replaced by Billy King.
United just couldn’t find a goal despite a bit of a late flurry and it’s not looking good for the Tangerines.
Attendance: 2,328.
Inverness CT: Ridgers, Tremarco, Warren, Polworth, Austin (Mackay 61), Doran, Vigurs, Oakley, McKay, Donaldson, Trafford (Chalmers 82). Subs not used: Esson, Calder, Seedorf, Elbouzedi, Bell.
Dundee United: Lewis, Murdoch, McDonald, Mikkelsen (Smith 46), Fraser (Lyng 60), Stanton (King 81), Edjenguele, Flood, Robson, Ralston, Mohsni. Subs not used: Deniz, Durnan, Slater, Gillespie.
Referee: Greg Aitken.
