Dundee United’s recent sequence of away games has ended with a victory in Inverness, thanks to super-subs Prince Buaben and David Robertson.
Caley almost scored out of nothing in the 36th minute when a wind-assisted Hayes cross from the right curled just past the back post.
United were far from out of things and, just before the break, Swanson tried an ambitious curler from 25 yards which sailed a couple of feet over Ryan Esson’s bar.
However, Caley worked their way back down field and a Chris Innes cross from the left fell perfectly for Lee Cox but his shot from 15 yards hit Rooney and the ball was cleared.
United started promisingly after the interval with Goodwillie hitting a strike from 22 yards which Esson saved at full stretch diving to his right.
The home keeper had to be at his best again in the 58th minute when a Conway corner was headed clear but only to Swanson who hit a superb, controlled half-volley which Easson clawed away at his left post.
Ten minutes later, Inverness broke from their own half with the ball played to substitute Nick Ross on the left. He whipped it into the United box towards Cox who sent a diving header just over from 12 yards out.
Then the breakthrough finally came in the 74th minute.
Goodwillie dispossessed Innes on the United right and arrowed in towards goal before playing a perfect cut-back to Buaben, who kept his composure to finish calmly from 12 yards.
However, United almost conceded soon after when Rooney was presented with a free header on goal but he put his close-range effort the wrong side of Pernis’s left-hand post.
It was another United sub, Andis Shala, who should have put the game to bed when Esson came for a long ball and made a hash of it on the edge of his box.
Shala, who had scored at Hamilton at the weekend, could not repeat his feat with Chris Hogg racing back to clear the striker’s shot off the line.
However, the United travelling support did not have long to wait for the clincher in the last minute of normal time when Goodwillie pulled the ball back from the left to Robertson 22 yards out and he hit a controlled shot into the back of Esson’s net.
Inverness boss Terry Butcher said, “I am extremely disappointed with a wretched performance and the players will be back in here first thing on Wednesday.”
Both came off the bench in the second half to score the vital goals which ensured United have leapfrogged ICT into sixth place in the SPL table.
United manager Peter Houston refused to take credit for the tactical changes, instead saying, “We are really pleased with the players as we felt this would be a very difficult game.
“I just felt we had to win. I freshened it up a wee bit as we have a lot of games coming up.
“I thought we passed the ball well which we have to do as there is not a lot of height in the side.”
He added, “And after we went one-nil up, I thought Swanny’s (Danny Swanson) legs were going a bit so we brought on Davie Robertson. He is always a safety guard but he has scored as well.
“It is great to come here, pick up three points and keep a clean sheet.
“The pressure was on us a bit as we have drawn a lot of games.”
Houston rang the changes from the side that drew with Hamilton at the weekend with Timothy van der Meulen, Robertson, Buaben and Johnny Russell making way for Danny Swanson, Morgaro Gomis, Barry Douglas and 18-year-old Stuart Armstrong.
The United boss also took the gamble of playing Paul Dixon in the unaccustomed role of centre-half.Call-offsThis fixture had twice been postponed with the last attempt to play it at the start of February being called off because of a waterlogged pitch while the United players were having their pre-match meal in Aviemore.
There was no chance of that happening last night with the surface in fine nick despite a Scotland under-20 rugby international being played on it last Friday albeit buffeted by a tricky cross-wind.
Caley’s Grant Munro attempted to make use of that gusting breeze in the seventh minute, trying to catch out Dusan Pernis with a long-range snap-shot but it flew well over.
Shortly after, United’s David Goodwillie had a half-chance following a corner from the right.
The home defence made a hash of clearing the danger and the ball fell to the Scotland under-21 striker but his shot on the turn lacked real venom and was cleared by Adam Rooney.
However, Caley had an even better opportunity in the 11th minute when Jonny Hayes embarked on a rampaging run down the right wing and fired in a searching cross which skipper Richie Foran headed powerfully from 12 yards.
The ball seemed to be heading for Pernis’s top corner but the big keeper dived acrobatically to his left to pull off a vital one-handed save.
The United stopper was called into action once again when Stuart Duff tried his luck from 25 yards with a fizzing shot which Pernis smothered at the second attempt.
Just before the half-hour mark, Craig Conway went speeding down the United left and was unceremoniously upended right on the edge of the Inverness box by Ross Tokely, who had been booked earlier.
Tokely’s heart must have been in his mouth as referee Steven McLean walked towards him but the official merely gave the player a talking to and awarded United a free-kick which came to nothing.