Inverness finally ended a five-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Hibs at Easter Road. A first-half strike from Don Cowie gave the visitors a shock lead against the run of play on the 30 minute mark. Add in Ian Black goal which doubled the Highlanders' lead two minutes after the break, it was too much for an under-par home team to overhaul. It turned out to be a frustrating afternoon for Mixu Paatelainen's struggling side. Derek Riordan, who had seen a 69th-minute penalty saved, finally scored in stoppage time but it was not even a consolation. Inverness manager Craig Brewster's men responded to last weekend's 5-0 hammering from Rangers with three changes to that side; the most significant of which was the replacement of Michael Fraser with former Aberdeen keeper Ryan Esson in goal and he proved a hero as he kept Hibs at bay in the second half and saving Riordan's spot-kick.

Hibs came close to an opener as early as the first minute when Riordan turned his marker and shot inches wide of Esson's right post. With the visitors fielding only Garry Wood up front, Hibs were given licence to push their full-backs and their five attacking players as far up the pitch as they liked at every opportunity. But the Easter Road men never got the early breakthrough they wanted and Inverness always looked dangerous on the break as the half progressed. And it was from one of those surges up the park that Inverness took a shock lead in the 30th minute when Rob Jones' punt was returned with interest by Tokely, putting David van Zanten under pressure. The full-back failed to deal with the high ball and Don Cowie stole past him to thump his shot past Yves Ma-Kalambay.

Hibs were forced into a double change at the interval. Scotland international Steven Fletcher and keeper Ma-Kalambay going off injured to be replaced by Steven Pinau and Andrew McNeil. Sol Bamba tried to inject some fresh impetus into the home side's play within a minute of the restart with a surging run and shot which brought out a full-length save from Esson. However, it was Inverness who got the dream start to the second period with a goal barely a minute later that consolidated their lead. A lightning break from Douglas Imrie caught Hibs' defence up the pitch flatfooted and eventually set up Ian Black, whose curling shot caught McNeil cold. Referee Chris Boyle waved away the home side's desperate claims to get back in the game with a penalty when Russell Duncan blocked Fabian Yantorno's run and then Esson blocked Jones' header from Riordan's free-kick on the line. Cowie should have wrapped up the game on another Inverness break but screwed his shot wide from 14 yards out. With 68 minutes gone, Hibs were handed an opportunity to get themselves back into the match when Richard Hastings was adjudged to have pulled down Colin Nish in the box. However, Riordan's spot-kick was brilliantly blocked by Esson on the line. Esson again denied Riordan with 11 minutes remaining as he stooped to hold the striker's curling free-kick. Nish then had a long-range effort blocked by Esson as Inverness looked to play out time and Hibs sought in vain for inspiration in the closing stages. Pinau had the ball in the net with a minute left after Jones' header across goal but referee Boyle had already blown his whistle for an apparent foul by Nish. The home side finally got a consolation goal in injury time as Riordan knocked in from four yards out after Pinau had helped Jones' knockdown across a crowded goalmouth.

Hibernian: Ma-Kalambay (McNeil 46), van Zanten, Hogg (Rankin 82), Jones, Murray, Bamba, Yantorno, Nish, Shiels, Fletcher (Pinau 46), Riordan
Subs Not Used: Keenan, Stevenson, Thicot, Chisholm

Booked: Fletcher, Murray
Goals: Riordan 90

Inverness CT: Esson, Tokely, Proctor, Munro, Hastings, Cowie, Black (McBain 70), Duncan, Vigurs, Imrie (Rooney 89), Wood (Barrowman 83)
Subs Not Used: Fraser, Wilson, Sutherland, Duff

Booked: Vigurs, Black
Goals: Cowie 30, Black 47

Att: 11,688

Ref: C Boyle