THE season may be nearing an end but the real work has yet to begin for Derek McInnes.

The St Johnstone manager was last night left in no doubt about the scale of the task facing him this summer as he looks to rebuild his squad for next season, after watching his team demolished by Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Goals from Chris Innes and Richie Foran were followed by a stunning Aaron Doran strike as Terry Butcher’s men, a breath of fresh air in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this season, exploited the hosts’ ineptitude in front of goal and meted out ruthless punishment at the other end.

St Johnstone have been plagued by their inability to score goals this season, having the worst scoring record in the whole of Britain, but still hoped to avoid reaching the embarrassing 1000 minutes without one of their players finding the net. That didn’t happen.

Stevie May was the last to score – on February 1 against Hamilton Academical – and on the evidence of this 90 minutes it looks as though intervention from a supernatural force is the only way they will conjure up a goal.

The endeavour to get into scoring positions was not lacking, though, as Andy Jackson, the striker playing for a new contract beyond the summer, proved within a minute when he picked up Danny Invincibile’s through ball but Ryan Esson pushed his shot around the post.

From the corner the hunger remained, with Jackson again looking as though he would score but he was flagged offside as he attacked the second ball from Danny Grainger’s corner.

Murray Davidson, a player who has the ability to progress higher in the game but another one who has been affected by the collective lack of composure when in the opposition box, was next to threaten for St Johnstone, but his drive from the edge of the area was deflected wide.

The midfielder would squander an even better chance later on, but he still did enough to impress his manager. “Murray was outstanding, he has the heart of a lion and if I had 11 of him I’d be happy,” said McInnes.

To say St Johnstone laid siege to the visitors’ goal would be wrong, but they certainly dominated chances early on in the contest. The drought looked to have been ended after 22 minutes when Alan Maybury cracked a left foot shot past Esson from the edge of the penalty area. But just as supporters, many of whom are bound to have long forgotten how to celebrate, had their attention pricked the ball caught the inside of the post and was cleared to be cleared.

The hosts, who had Graham Gartland booked for a cynical tug on Richie Foran, were then given a display of how it should be done as Inverness took the lead. The Highland side had threatened sporadically but needed only one opportunity to take the lead. Faced with a cross by Shane Sutherland from the left-hand touchline the home defence remained static and that allowed Innes to gleefully bang a header in from 10 yards.

St Johnstone, stunned but not surprised considering how their season has gone, should have hit back almost immediately when May fed Davidson but he pulled his shot wide.

In an attempt to add some more potency to his team, McInnes replaced May with Jordan Robertson at the break but it was Inverness once again who demonstrated their prowess in front of goal. Doran got Maybury mixed up on the edge of the box and, having taken the ball under his control, flicked a superb curling shot over Graeme Smith into the top corner.

The visitors, by now thoroughly deserving of their advantage, extended their lead after 70 minutes when Foran skipped past Dave Mackay on the edge of the penalty area and wrong-footed Smith with a low shot. Adam Rooney should have made it four with minutes remaining but blazed over from the edge of the box.

“I was surprised to see St Johnstone haven’t scored for so long because they did create chances,” said Terry Butcher, the Inverness manager. “But from our point of view we are delighted to go away with a clean sheet.”