Craig Brewster admits Inverness have a scoring problem after their hopes of sparking a late push for a top-six finish were dashed by Falkirk.Billy Clarke's late strike at the Caledonian Stadium secured three points for the visitors and handed Inverness a fifth consecutive defeat.

They have scored just twice during that run and only four times in the last nine games, and Caley Thistle rarely looked likely to breach the Falkirk defence.

Clarke netted in the 87th minute, his first goal for Falkirk, and the Bairns were able to hold on for a 1-0 away victory which tightened their hold on sixth place.

"To lose a late goal is always disappointing," said Brewster. "Defensively I didn't see Falkirk scoring today but at the same time I wasn't sure if we would either.

"I though we were in the ascendancy before they scored and we had an excellent chance to grab a goal. But we didn't deal with a Russell Latapy counter-attack and he punished us, with the cross for the kid to tap in.

"Both defences were on top this afternoon! The worrying thing for me is we're not scoring goals, four in nine games is simply not good enough.

"If you don't score, you don't win games."

Inverness were well placed to challenge for a top-half finish earlier in the season but their form has dipped drastically since the turn of the year.

"The top six is well gone now," said Brewster. "It's disappointing that we've failed to build on the run we had in the middle part of the season.

"We went five games unbeaten, beating the likes of Celtic, Hearts and Hibs.

"But we've let ourselves slip and we're off the back of another defeat this afternoon.

"It's frustrating, the run of games we've been on without winning a game.

"But it's all down to scoring goals and we haven't scored as many as I'd like, it's as simple as that."

Falkirk manager John Hughes saw his side miss out on a top-half finish when their form dipped over the second half of last season.

They are in control of their own destiny now at the business end of this campaign, but face a tricky trip to seventh-placed Hearts next week, with both the Jambos and Aberdeen just three points adrift.

Hughes admitted his side and Inverness had not put on a great show but stressed the result was the most important factor.

"The game wasn't exactly a spectacle," he said. "Both sides were so evenly matched throughout the game.

"But the win takes us nearer the top six and that's where we need to be.

"Our aim is to stay there now. We've got tough matches with Hearts and Aberdeen to come, but I'm confident we can hang on."

Hughes brought on Latapy and Arnau Riera for the final 35 minutes, and they gave Falkirk more of an attacking presence.

"The introduction of Latapy and Riera gave us an edge and the goal was perfectly timed," said Hughes.

"There was no way back for Inverness once we had grabbed that goal.

"All credit to Billy (Clarke). He came on and did well in a short space of time.

"He lit up a very dull match which had an end-of-season feel to it."

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