INVERNESS Caledonian Thistle all but secured their place in the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a hard-fought victory over their Highland rivals – and how their fans revelled in that achievement.

Only a few weeks ago Terry Butcher, their manager, bemoaned the lack of support for his side in the Highland capital. Last night he was singing their praises as they cheered his players off the pitch after 90 punishing minutes against Ross County, who may now lose manager Derek Adams to Aberdeen.

A second-half Billy McKay penalty gave Caley the points and sparked a post-match pitch-side row between the managers as Adams claimed his full-back Mihael Kovacevic had tackled Charlie Taylor, the Inverness defender, cleanly in the area.

And while the Staggies coach expressed his disquiet over the incident, Butcher said that although he wasn't yet claiming a top six place, his side had taken a massive step towards that goal.

"We matched Ross County and got the rub of the green, which we haven't had for a long time," he said, "and we're just delighted.

"No matter the circumstances of the win, we have three points and leapfrogged County. It wasn't the best of games, but both sides were fantastically committed.

"We thought we should have had a penalty at Dingwall two weeks ago, but we didn't make a song and dance about it and we feel justice has been done.

"To get penalties you've got to have the ball at your feet, take on defenders and see what happens. The referee wasn't far away and he's given it."

The importance of this fixture was heightened because of the lofty positions held by both sides in the SPL, each vying for a third-place finish and a European qualifying place, an aim that would have sat comfortably in the realms of pure fiction only a few years ago.

That they have each been a credit to senior football in Scotland is undisputed, particularly as the shoestring budgets under which they operate pale into near insignificance compared with most other clubs in the top tier of the game.

The home side had registered just one victory in their previous nine games and were keen to draw first blood, which they did after only five minutes courtesy of Andrew Shinnie, one of the brightest talents in Scotland.

The former Rangers starlet displayed his predatory instincts as Michael Fraser, the County keeper, parried a Richie Foran header from Charlie Taylor's corner kick and Shinnie scored from six yards.

County's reply came just after the half-hour mark when Paul Lawson's sizzling 35-yard strike stunned Ryan Esson, the Inverness goalkeeper, and things got worse for the home side when Esson fell awkwardly rising for a cross five minutes later and was replaced by Antonio Reguero.

But it was the penalty kick 13 minutes after the re-start that gave the home side the edge as McKay hit his 24th goal of the season, a strike from which the visitors could not recover.

Now those fans wait and wonder if their manager is about to depart Victoria Park for Aberdeen, who are keen to recruit Craig Brown's replacement, possibly as soon as this week.Adams walked away when asked about such speculation, but not before disputing the penalty.

"It's another time we've played against Inverness and they've got a major decision in the game go for them; twice in the Scottish Cup – two offside goals – and today a penalty that never was. The decision was a shocker.

"Neither side deserved to win the game, but if I was Inverness I wouldn't be happy winning it in that manner."