Inverness CT 3 - 1 Queen of the South: Adam Rooney treble lifts Inverness back on to Dundee's heels

Published on Tuesday 9 March 2010 22:19

ADAM Rooney's brilliant hat-trick propelled Inverness Caledonian Thistle to within six points of First Division leaders Dundee last night.

Just three days after their costly collapse from 2-0 up at Dens Park, Terry Butcher's men grasped the opportunity to exert fresh pressure on the promotion favourites and leap from fourth to second.

Rooney, taking his personal tally to 18 for the season, provided a show of calm and clinical finishing on an evening when Caley Thistle hearts fluttered after Derek Holmes' reply.

For Queens, defeat was costly, but they retain two games in hand on Caley Thistle and Dundee.

Butcher demoted Latvian Nauris Bulvitis to the bench with David Proctor in at full-back and Ross Tokely moved into central defence. Queens were without injured David Lilley, but had Rocco Quinn and Leon Knight back on the bench after suspension.

With home pressure building throughout the first half, Rooney fluffed a shot into Hutton's arms from Grant Munro's long punt forward. An even better opportunity fell the young Dubliner's way on the half hour when he turned marker Neil Scally and whisked a shot just over the bar from ten yards.

The breakthrough, then, was deserved when it arrived three minutes before half-time. The head of Foran powered a Lee Cox cross back across goal, finding Rooney with time to hit the net from six yards.

The hosts came storming back out after the break with another Rooney strike ricocheting for a corner. But it was 2-0 after 52 minutes – with Rooney finishing brilliantly.

Hayes met a long ball from defence with a perfectly-weighted header and the Irishman wriggled behind Marvin Andrews and rocketed a 16-yard shot into the top of net.

Those Caley Thistle frailties surfaced again, though, as Queens cut the deficit just after the hour.

Weatherston was moving away from goal as home skipper Grant Munro challenged a touch clumsily from behind.

Derek Holmes slotted his tenth goal of the season from the spot.

Instead of crumbling, though, Caley Thistle galvanised – and grabbed the crucial third after 75 minutes.

A Lee Cox ball into the box swirled into the path of Richie Foran but defender Scally clearly unbalanced the Irishman with a tug.

Rooney kept his cool to tuck the penalty low under the diving Hutton.

Inverness CT: Esson; Proctor, Tokely, Munro, Golabek; Cox, Duncan; Hayes, Odhiambo (Sanchez 85), Foran (Eagle 90); Rooney. Subs not used: Bulvitis, Ross, Allison.

Queen of the South: Hutton; McMillan, Andrews, Scally, Harris; Burns, McKenna, Reid, Weatherston (Knight 76); Kean (W McLaren 53), Holmes. Subs not used: Quinn, Hammill, Fox.

Referee: C Allan.

Attendance: 3,003.