Foran keen to make most of form

Inverness captain Richie Foran is focused on enjoying arguably the best spell in the club's history after helping them move up to second.

Last Updated: 09/12/12 at 16:47 Post Comment   

Richie Foran: 'Loving it'

Richie Foran: 'Loving it'

Foran forced home David Raven's 76th-minute cross to double Caley Thistle's lead and put the game beyond a Hibs team lacking inspiration at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, where Caley ran out 3-0 winners.

Ross Draper headed Inverness in front from Graeme Shinnie's free-kick 13 minutes into an otherwise uneventful first half.

But Inverness dominated more as the game progressed, looking sharper in possession and more assured in defence than their opponents.

Billy McKay rounded off a deserved win with the goal of the game three minutes from time when he headed home Aaron Doran's cross after earlier bringing the winger into play.

Inverness leapfrogged Hibs and stayed three points behind Celtic with their third consecutive SPL win - the previous victories came at Celtic Park and Aberdeen - and the club swept the boards in the Clydesdale Bank monthly awards with McKay, Doran and manager Terry Butcher taking the acclaim.

Inverness have set high standards and Foran admits even beating second-placed Hibs at half-time fell short.

"The first half there was nothing in it," he said. "I thought we had that little more fight. "It was a gritty game, I didn't enjoy the first half at all. But we went in 1-0 up and that shows what we are used to.

"We are playing some brilliant football and I'm loving it.

"The second half we played some very, very good football.

"We were catching them on the break, Aaron Doran and Andrew Shinnie were getting in behind them down the sides.

"We stepped it up and it was well deserved. I didn't think Hibs had an answer."

Inverness follow their top-three clash with a Highland derby on Tuesday, with a William Hill Scottish Cup fifth-round clash at Kilmarnock on offer for the winners when Ross County make the short trip.

"We have played quite a few big games going into this one," Foran said. "It gives us a wee advantage.

"We went to Parkhead and Pittodrie, they were big games, and we won them. This was a big game and we won it.

"We are used to the big occasions. We have to go out there and enjoy ourselves and let our football do the talking."

While Foran had to throw himself in front of Alan Maybury to net the second, both Draper and McKay scored from free headers.

Hibs slipped to fourth and failed to match their opponents as they had in their tight cup win over Hearts the previous weekend.

"We are conceding too many goals away from home and we have to look at that," manager Pat Fenlon said. "The third goal is a cross in the box and the smallest man on the park heads home.

"The first goal we gave the ball away cheaply in midfield, I know it then came from a free-kick.

"There were a lot of little things like that that we did quite well last week.

"Our preparation and concentration levels have to be better when we come on the road."

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