IT is hardly stretching it to say the Caledonian Stadium, no matter the picturesque seaside setting, must rate as Hearts' least favourite corner of Scotland. That conviction would hardly have mellowed on the long trip home last night.
Going into the match, it had been three years since the Tynecastle team had even scored in the Highland capital. It remains six years since they last won there.
Only a productive day in front of goal and a point gleaned after fighting back twice from 2-0 and 3-2 down rated as positives for manager Robbie Neilson, whose team nonetheless climbed to third in the table behind Celtic and Rangers.
It was thrilling, sometimes ragged fare with David Raven and Lonsana Doumbouya creating a handsome lead, before Bjorn Johnsen's retaliation before the break. Faycal Rherras levelled it in fortunate fashion early in the second half but Aaron Doran's excellent third for Inverness seemed deserved at that point.
Hearts, though, finished strongly and Arnaud Djoum's low-driven finish probably ensured a fair, as well as thrilling, outcome.
For visiting manager Robbie Neilson, the return to scoring form was a real plus – on a mixed day of frustration and pride.
"There were positives and negatives to take from it, to be honest," Robbie Neilson said. "The positive is when we went 2-0 down we played really good football to get ourselves back in the game – and possibly could have gone on and won it. The negative is we've come here and scored three goals and left with only a point. I thought there were periods we were really good and periods we were really bad. It is a learning curve for us. Today, I'd say was disappointing with a hint of pride in the players as well."
Hearts might have hammered Inverness 5-1 at Tynecastle back in August early in Richie Foran's managerial reign, but they have rarely found the Highlands comfortable territory.
Coming into yesterday's match it was six years since the Gorgie club had won in Inverness and three since they had even scored there. Fresh from a surprise beating by Kilmarnock, Robbie Neilson wielded the axe on strikers Conor Sammon and Tony Watt, relegating both to the bench and blooding Jamie Walker and US-born Norwegian Johnsen.
The hosts, with only one defeat from the last eight games, had intended to keep intact the team that had dismantled Motherwell 3-0 in midweek – but adversity struck.
Wales international goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams suffered a back spasm in the warm-up and Carl Tremarco sustained a hamstring strain after a few minutes.
Doumbouya hit the top of the Hearts' bar amid a bright home start and Tremarco's replacement by David Raven was to prove influential in the goal.
A Liam Polworth cross was headed back in measured fashion by Ross Draper and Raven's controlled volley from 14 yards proved an inspirational finish.
Hearts looked in trouble when Caley Thistle cut them open again after 32 minutes. Iain Vigurs released Polworth and, in big expanses of space, the midfielder threaded the ball to Doumbouya who stabbed in from 10 yards.
But almost from nowhere, the capital side were right back in it after 38 minutes. Josh Meekings slipped as he made to meet Perry Kitchen's angled pass and Bjorn Johnsen smashed a shot past young Mackay from eight yards.
Incredibly, given the lack of previous Hearts' threat, they were level after 51 minutes.
Belgian Feycal Rherras, from the left channel, launched a big high ball into the home penalty area. Both home defender Meekings and Hearts striker Johnsen strained to reach it but it flew over both of them and nestled in the top of the net.
But the hosts were ahead again after 65 minutes after an inspired Aaron Doran finish, collecting a long ball forward from Iain Vigurs and evading both Don Cowie and keeper Jack Hamilton with the neatest of finishes.
Hearts began to exert heavy pressure into the last 20 minutes with some frantic, backs-to-the-wall defending from the Highlanders keeping them at bay.
But the home resistance cracked after 74 minutes. Tony Watt's cutback from the left was completely missed in the box by Johnsen, but Hearts regained the ball and Arnaud Djoum, from the right of the box, drove a low, angled 14-yard shot past Mackay.
It was anyone's game at 3-3 but the hosts were the most troubled before the last whistle sounded.
"It's just a couple of mistakes that have cost us goals," an upbeat home manager, Richie Foran, said. "Overall I've got no complaints. I thought it was better than Wednesday night in the win against Motherwell and, if we keep playing like that, we'll win most games."
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