Inverness CT 0-1 Hibernian: O'Connor goal breaks Hibs' long-standing Highland hoodoo

Inverness CT 0Hibernian 1O'Connor (90+2)Referee: S ConroyAttendance: 3,600

IT MAY seem churlish to say so, but the fact that Garry O'Connor snatched a late victory for Hibs to end their hoodoo at Inverness may well have indicated a deficiency at the Easter Road club.

Despite Hibs notching their first SPL victory in Inverness in ten attempts, sheer lack of numbers and quality up front showed on Saturday, where injuries to Junior Agogo and Akpo Sodje reduced manager Colin Calderwood to playing O'Connor as a lone target man up front for much of the game, a role the big fellow is never happy with.

With no recognised strikers alongside him, O'Connor had to try and play as an old-fashioned centre-forward, knocking the ball down to onrushing midfielders or holding up play to allow the cavalry to charge to his aid. Except that he was given no change by the Inverness defence, particularly Ross Tokely, and colleagues Ivan Sproule and Lewis Stevenson were often too far off for him to find.

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O'Connor, scoring the first goal of his second spell at Hibs, said: "I was getting a little bit frustrated in the second half when everything was coming up to my head.

"I don't prefer to play that way, but it's a team game and I have got to do what I am told. If you have to do that and grind it out to get one chance, then I'll do it any day.

"There's limited choices at the moment and we've no other available strikers so hopefully Junior can be back next week, and Akpo will be another three weeks or so.

"It's a solid forward line and hopefully we can add a few more players to the mix."

The winning goal came against the run of play at the time, it has to be said. A forgettable first half was enlivened by two O'Connor attempts, one a fine shot from 20 yards parried away by Ryan Esson's hands, and the other a close-range snapshot parried away by Esson's face - a real sore one.

Two "goals" were chopped off for offside offences by each team either side of half-time, before Esson tipped one over the bar for another fine save.

As the match progressed, Inverness came to dominate, and had several penalty claims turned down by referee Steve Conroy before substitute Shane Sutherland forced a good save from Graham Stack, and Greg Tansey squandered two sitters, the latter coming back off the post from point-blank range.

The Hibs winner three minutes into injury time started with a blatant shove by substitute David Crawford on Jonny Hayes, which saw Ian Murray collect and stride forward to feed O'Connor who, with room on the deck for a change, picked his spot at the far post, Esson's attempt at a save only helping the ball in.

O'Connor had some sympathy for Esson, who was named the sponsors' man of the match some minutes before his final misfortune.

"It was a bit unfortunate for him," said O'Connor, "as I thought he had done really well and saved everything apart from the goal which I think came off his glove and into the net.

"It was fortunate for us but we'll take it any day and it gets rid of the hoodoo we have faced coming here."

There still remains some doubt as to whether Calderwood will stay with the club, but there was no disguising his delight at seeing his side claim their first three SPL points of the new season.

He said: "Our goal probably came in a part of the game where we had not played well. I felt in the first half we played some decent stuff and had opportunities, but the fact their goalkeeper was voted man of the match probably tells its own story.

"In the latter stages the game opened up more than I would have liked and we made some poor choices.

"Fatigue and inexperience played a part as well in coming to the fore late on, but I think the victory rewards all the hard work we've done so far this season, and that's what really got us through the second 45 minutes."

For Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher it was a second successive defeat since the new season started, but he chose to remain upbeat, despite the loss.

He said: "We did everything but score. We hit the post - the third time we've done that this season - while I think we had a few cases in the match for penalties. I would be more worried if we were losing games and not creating chances, but that's not the case.

"I have seen enough belief and heart from our two performances so far this season to suggest that we'll bounce back. We've played some great football and there is a lot more to come from this squad.

"We had players who had not been in the team before and haven't really had a pre-season, guys like Owain Tudur Jones, who I think had only done ten days work before he came here.

"It will take time for the players to build up an understanding, but I was really pleased with all of them. I didn't think any of them had a poor match."

Over the 90 minutes, Ryan Esson was certainly one of Butcher's better performers. It was just a pity for him the game ran to 93 minutes, but O'Connor and Hibs are glad that it did.

Garry O'Connor (Hibernian)

The big striker was closely-marked by the Inverness defence all day, but it is testament to his persistence and concentration that he was able to find room and do what he was brought back to Hibs to do - score important goals. Not a vintage strike, but he won't care.