It was a night to forget in the Highlands for a St Johnstone side who simply had no answer to an Inverness outfit playing some irresistible free-flowing football.
Caley dominated throughout with Saints hardly creating a chance worthy of the name during what would have been a tortuous 90 minutes for their 158 fans who had braved the journey north.
The final scoreline more than flattered the Perth men with ICT at times seemingly carving them open at will.
Much of the pre-match talk had been about Inverness introducing a “pay what you can” experiment for fans at the gates.
A similar initiative was introduced by League Two side Albion Rovers for their game against Montrose at Cliftonhill in January, last year, with the attendance going up by 125% compared to their previous home match with the Gable Endies.
However, this was the first time it had been trialled in the top tier.
The last time Saints and Inverness met at the Caledonian Stadium back in September, 2,770 fans watched the home side win 2-1.
With turning up 3,161 turning up for this game, the experiment could be deemed a success.
What wasn’t in doubt though was that the home support certainly got their money’s worth.
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright made three changes from the side that defeated Partick Thistle on Saturday at McDiarmid with Scott Brown who had replaced the injured Chris Millar against the Jags retaining his place.
Brian Graham came in for Steven MacLean up front while there was a welcome return to the starting line-up for Tam Scobbie for the first time since seriously injuring his knee back in August at the expense of Brian Easton.
However, James McFadden was still suspended and sat this one out.
Inverness were also without suspended full-back David Raven and midfielder Greg Tansey.
Wright had questioned the wisdom of playing a fixture in midweek in the depths of winter and while it was a bitterly-cold evening, conditions and the pitch were perfect for football.
An early touch by Graham was greeted by boos from the home support, who were still bearing a grudge after he had dived to win the penalty that won the last match between the sides in Perth.
There was a big scare for the home side in just the third minute when Andrew Shinnie stuck out a leg with the ball flying just over his keeper Dean Brill’s crossbar.
Shortly after, Saints goalie Alan Mannus had to look lively to parry a long-range swerving shot from Danny Williams with Steven Anderson on hand to clear the danger.
Inverness should though have taken the lead in the 15th minute when Williams played in McKay but the striker’s shot went across goal to Nick Ross with his strike breaking to Aaron Doran who fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Mannus then had to come to the rescue once again with a brilliant save from a McKay header.
Inverness continued to probe with their patient build-up play from the back stretching the Saints defence.
However, it was front man Graham who was first into referee Kevin Clancy’s book for a late tackle, much to the delight of the unforgiving home support.
Wright then had to make an early substitution with Chris Kane coming on for the injured Michael O’Halloran just before the half-hour mark.
Saints though then succumbed to a quick-fire deadly double by John Hughes’ side.
In the 35th minute Ross delivered a cross to Mannus’s back post where Shinnie hit a low ball back into the path of McKay who gleefully fired home from eight yards into the exposed St Johnstone goal.
Saints were still shell-shocked when they went further behind just six minutes later.
Carl Tremarco hit a curling ball in from the Caley left which eluded Mannus and ran on into the path of Marley Watkins who swept home at the back post.
Tremarco then had a chance of his own when he hit a blistering shot from 15 yards that flew just past Mannus’s left-hand post.
However, St Johnstone headed down the tunnel at half-time knowing that they would have to produce something special to turn this game around.
Wright introduced the experienced Gary McDonald at the start of the second half for Brown.
However, Saints were carved open once again in the 50th minute with Mannus producing a vital save from Doran. McKay then looked to pounce on the loose ball but could not get enough on it with the danger being cleared but only to Ross whose shot flew over when he really should have hit the target.
To say Inverness were enjoying themselves at this point would be an understatement with the home players queuing up to spray the ball around while Brill was a virtual spectator.
In contrast, St Johnstone struggled to create anything of note and were left chasing shadows.
The Saints fans behind the goal did though have something to get excited about in the 68th minute when McDonald played a superb crossfield pass to Miller who cut in from the right and hit a half volley just over the bar.
The final indignity for Saints as the clock ticked down was the Caley crowd greeting a passing movement with shouts of “Ole!” and on 90 minutes Mannus ensured the final scoreline would be 2-0 as he cut out a dangerous cross by Tremarco with a host of his team-mates queuing up for a tap-in.
Attendance 3,161.
Inverness Brill, Shinnie, Warren, Meekings, McKay (Sutherland, 88), Draper, Doran, Ross, Watkins (Christie, 68), Tremarco, Williams (Vincent, 82).
Subs not used Esson, Devine, Horner, Polworth.
St Johnstone Mannus, Mackay, Scobbie, Lappin, Wright (Miller, 56), Anderson, Wotherspoon, Graham, Caddis, Brown, O’Halloran (Kane, 29).
Subs not used Banks, MacLean, Croft, Easton.
Referee Kevin Clancy.