That's What We've Been Missing

INVERNESS 2

HEARTS 1

THINGS were so bad for Craig Brewster in the days leading up to his Inverness homecoming he could barely get a shot on target.

The Caley Thistle boss endured the proverbial nightmare in training - failing to hit the heights that made him such a revered figure among all those thrilled to see him back at the club.

Some players are world beaters during the week but Brewster's injury-time winner against Hearts illustrated one of football's golden rules. It doesn't matter what you do on the training ground as long you do the business when it matters most.

It was to be expected. After all, Brewster has proved himself to be as clinical a finisher as there is in the SPL. And in his first game back at the Caledonian Stadium he couldn't have chosen a better time to show he's lost none of his striking prowess as he nudges nearer his 41st birthday.

With seconds remaining and Caley Thistle seemingly destined to fall three points behind second-bottom Gretna, up popped Brewster with as fine a strike as the SPL has witnessed since it all kicked off again in early August.

Brew had barely been on the field long enough to break sweat when one solitary swing of his trusty left boot vindicated his decision to enter the fray.

Alan Morgan, who came on alongside his manager as part of a late double substitution, dug out a fine cross and Brewster did the rest by volleying home from 12 yards to seal the Highlanders' first league win of the season.

But according to Barry Wilson if you'd seen him in action some days earlier you wouldn't have put money on Brew forcing home a sitter never mind cracking in such awonderful strike.

Brewster was way off form during the week but such was the overwhelming sense of joy in the dressing room on Saturday night he didn't mind a joke at his expense.

Wilson said: "The gaffer's shooting in training this week has been hopeless and I hope he doesn't mind me saying that.

"It was a great ball from Alan Morgan and we couldn't have written a better script for the manager in his first home game back at the club.

"It's up to him if he starts more often. I won't tell him how to do his job but we know better than most what he can offer.

"Marius Niculae has been playing well as has Dennis Wyness, who deserved his goal.

"The manager is a great person to bring on. Two or three times he pulled the ball out of the sky, held it up well and brought others into the game."

Brewster was welcomed back with open arms to the Highlands recently but his tough times at Dundee United means he knows the honeymoon would have been over if Caley Thistle had suffered a third straight defeat.

Hearts' deflected opener in 34 minutes was typical of the way things have gone against Inverness recently. Ian Black knew little of the Andrew Driver cross he turned in to give the Tynecastle men hope of a fourth straight win.

But what followed inside the Jambos' dressing room at half-time was even more significant and indicative of the turmoil that seemed to be subsiding after their recent revival.

There was no sign of Driver after the break and Brewster was delighted the winger failed to reappear - assuming he'd picked up a knock during a first half in which he stretched the home defence to the limit.

When Hearts No.2 Steve Frail admitted Driver's withdrawal was a management decision there was little doubt it was a political move rather than a football one.

But that was Hearts' problem and Inverness simply kept at their opponents until they could no longer cope.

Wyness' 63rd-minute equaliser was as simple a goal as he'll score all season with the striker tapping in from a yard out after Wilson's volley was only parried by Steve Banks.

That may have been a routine finish but the decisive goal was anything but. And few could begrudge the home side their three points after an undeserved 5-0 defeat at Parkhead the previous week.

Wilson said: "We thoroughly deserved the three points and over the piece we should never have found ourselves behind.

"Their goal perfectly sums up our season so far. They scored from an effort that wasn't even a shot. But we got a lucky break of our own when Laryea Kingston's free-kick came back off the post and I hope this can be a turning point for us.

"We played a lot of decent stuff and have eventually got a reward for some of the good performances we gave in a couple of games earlier this season.

"I hope this result can give us a wee bit of confidence now and we can start giving the supporters the results they deserve.

Once we gave them something to shout about the crowd were really up for it."

Had Kingston's 81st-minute free kick hit the net instead of Michael Fraser's woodwork it could all have been so different for the men from Edinburgh who face Dunfermline in a potentially tricky CIS Cup tie this week.

Mind you, the same could also be said had Brewster chosen to carry on cajoling his Caley Thistle players from the sidelines instead of coming on for the final five minutes to lead by example.

The player-boss now needs to decide whether to play himself from the start when Gretna, fresh from breaking their own SPL duck at the weekend, come calling in tomorrow night's CIS Cup clash.

Inverness fans might not be too disappointed to see the veteran start on the bench once more. If Brewster keeps saving his best until last that will be more than enough to keep the Highlanders happy.

MAN OF THE MATCH Ross Tokely (Inverness)

MATCH STATS

60 POSSESSION % 40

11 SHOTS ON TARGET 7

6 SHOTS OFF TARGET 2

7 CORNERS 5

12 FOULS CONCEDED 16

1 OFFSIDES 1

INVERNESS CT

MAN BY MAN

Michael Fraser: No chance with opener. Otherwise accomplished throughout 7

Ross Tokely: Made several rampaging runs forward and one of those helped bring about the leveller 9

Phil McGuire: Never put a foot wrong and won his fair share in the air 6

Roy McBain: Composed at left-back, even though it's not his natural position 6

Barry Wilson: Crisp volley led to equaliser. Forever probing for openings 7

Ian Black: Helpless as Driver's shot hit off him for goal but didn't let that affect him 6

Russell Duncan: Plugged away as usual in midfield. Never shirked a tackle 6

Grant Munro: Skipper rallied those around him to bring about that late revival 7

Don Cowie: Shaded by Tokely for man-of-the-match. Used ball well 8

Marius Nicolae: Didn't look as though he was going to do anything in front of goal 6

Dennis Wyness: Right place at right time to draw side level 7

Subs:Alan Morgan - set up winner, 4. Craig Brewster - class. What more can you say? 7.

HEARTS

MAN BY MAN

Steve Banks: Unfortunate to see parry fall right to Wyness. No hope with winner 6

Ibrahim Tall: Commanding figure at the back until late collapse 7

Audrius Ksanavicius: Decent job but made way for Pospisil in second half 6

Laryea Kingston: Saw free-kick crash off woodwork. Behind Hearts' best moves 7

Andrius Velicka: Hooked at half-time but can't be faulted for effort 5

Robbie Neilson: Sported new haircut - impressive performance to match 7

Marius Zaliukas: Kept things simple to good effect 6

Christophe Berra: Competed well for most of the match 6

Andrew Driver: Rub off green at goal. Posed threat until he was subbed at break 6

Lee Wallace: Good going forward. Kept home defence on toes with breaks on left 7

Kestutis Ivaskevicius: Struggled to get much change out of Tokely 7

Subs: Michal Pospisil - Did little in 20 minutes, 2. Michael Stewart - Kept ball well, 4.

Calum Elliot - More of threat than Velicka, 3.

MAGIC MOMENT

Player-boss Craig Brewster's bicycle kick for the Inverness winner.

Taken from the Daily Record