Motherwell under-20s secured a 3-0 victory on an afternoon of firsts for Stephen Craigan’s side.
15-year-old Jamie Semple and 16-year-old Alfredo Agyeman both grabbed their first goals whilst there was a debut for 14-year-old Cole Starrs.
Stephen Craigan named senior players David Ferguson, Joe Chalmers and there was a return to action for James McFadden and Ross MacLean.
And it was the player-manager who nearly opened the scoring when he got on the end of a good cross, brought the ball down in the box and was denied by an impressive double save from Caley keeper Stephen Foster.
However, it looked like the youngsters would get the lead they looked like they deserved when MacLean was fouled in the area and the referee took no hesitation as he awarded Craigan’s side a penalty.
The midfielder stepped up to take the spot kick he won, but his low effort to the keeper’s left was matched by a decent stop and the game remained goalless.
It was arguably the only talking point in a quiet opening period, with Inverness going close through Andrew MacRea and McFadden nearly beating the keeper following a neat, flowing move which he started and nearly finished.
The second half started on a similar note to the first, but the game was changed when Stephen Craigan made two crucial substitutions.
Firstly, Alfie Agyeman was introduced to the action just before the hour mark, replacing MacLean and just over ten minutes later, Jamie Semple replaced McFadden with the game still goalless.
Eight minutes later, he made the difference and it was largely thanks to some superb work by Agyeman.
The lively youngster burst past two men down the right flank and cut the ball back for Semple to slam thunderously in to the roof of the net.
Two minutes later Agyeman nearly made it two when Adam Livingstone’s bursting run then cross was headed narrowly over the cross bar.
But he made no mistake in the 82nd minute when Hastie fed him the ball and he took a touch before side footing in to the right corner from six yards.
With seven minutes left, Craigan made his final sub and handed a debut to 14-year-old striker Cole Starrs.
The youngster looked lively for the remainder of the match but it was Davie Turnbull who put the cherry on top for the Steelmen.
The midfielder was afforded too much time on the ball 20-yards from goal and hit an unstoppable effort in to the keeper’s top right-hand corner – leaving Foster with no chance and wrapping up an impressive final 20-minutes.
Motherwell U20s: Pain, McMillan, Ferguson, Chalmers, Armstrong, Livingstone, MacLean (Agyeman, ’57), Turnbull, McFadden (Semple, ’70), Hastie (Starrs, ’83), Fry
Unused subs: Pettigrew, MacDonald, McAleer