Inverness swept aside relegated Gretna with their biggest Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory, which was never in doubt after Dougie Imrie put them ahead after 37 seconds.

Rory McAllister headed a second and spectacular second-half strikes from Barry Wilson and Don Cowie put Inverness firmly in command after Steven Hogg had briefly given Gretna hope.

Ross Tokely and Iain Vigurs completed the rout in the closing stages.

Administration-hit Gretna had gone three games unbeaten but they looked in disarray as Inverness took the lead before the game was a minute old.

Tokely released Cowie down the right and the midfielder played the ball across the face of goal for Imrie to slide home from 12 yards.

Inverness, who handed on-loan Hibernian goalkeeper Zibi Malkowski only his third start of the season, controlled the match for almost the full 90 minutes.

After the early excitement, the game seemed to be lapsing into end-of-season apathy until Craig Barr and McAllister were booked after clashing following a foul by the Gretna defender.

That sparked the game back into life and McAllister had the last laugh when he headed a second goal in the 24th minute.

Greg Fleming pushed out Marius Niculae's header following a Wilson cross but McAllister was well placed to finish the rebound.

Gretna got back in the game three minutes later after a well-worked set-piece. Brendan McGill crossed from the left and Hogg rose to head home.

The visitors briefly took the initiative but Inverness soon came close when McAllister flashed a drive just wide following good build-up play.

Niculae and Barr had penalty appeals turned down at either end and Inverness almost made Gretna pay further as they swept up the park as Barr lay in the penalty box.

However, Imrie fired just wide from the edge of the box following the slick move.

McAllister came close again with a left-footed strike that deflected not far past Fleming's post with the Gretna goalkeeper wrong-footed.

Inverness regained their two-goal lead in style in the 51st minute when Wilson found the bottom corner with a superb 20-yard strike with the outside of his boot.

The veteran, whose future remains uncertain, celebrated in style after landing his first goal since a 4-0 win over Gretna in October.

Ian Black almost scored an equally spectacular goal after chesting the ball down 25 yards out but his left-foot volley flashed a yard wide.

Tokely made some crucial interceptions in the box as Gretna tried to fight back, but Inverness were still in command.

Niculae had a great chance to make it four but allowed Barr time to block in the goalmouth.

Cowie did grab the fourth in the 70th minute when he volleyed powerfully into the net following an accurate cutback by Imrie.

The home side continued to play the ball around with confidence but Niculae and Graham Bayne passed up chances to add to their tally.

However, Tokely grabbed a fifth in the 89th minute when he rose eight yards out to head Vigurs' corner down and into the net.

And young substitute Vigurs, who was handed a new contract during the week, completed the rout in injury time when he emphatically volleyed home Roy McBain's cross.

Teams:

Inverness CT Malkowski, Tokely, Proctor, Hastings, McBain, Wilson (Vigurs 81), Black (Kerr 86), Cowie, Imrie, Niculae, McAllister (Bayne 65).

Subs Not Used: Fraser, Hart, Duncan, Wyness.

Booked: McAllister.

Goals: Imrie 1, McAllister 24, Wilson 51, Cowie 70, Tokely 89,

Vigurs 90.

Gretna Fleming, Barr, Meynell, Griffiths, Skelton, Deverdics, Hall (Wilkinson 62), Hogg (Taylor 69), McGill (Fisher 82),Osman, Naughton.

Subs Not Used: Sharples, Murray, Robinson, Schultz-Eklund.

Booked: Barr.

Goals: Hogg 27.

Att: 3,639

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).