Caley Thistle came from two goals behind to secure a spirited 2-2 draw against Championship leaders St Mirren in a thrilling game at Caledonian Stadium.
Saints had led 1-0 at the break thanks to Harry Davis’ penalty, with the defender also seeing another spot-kick saved by Mark Ridgers, in one of a number of excellent saves from the former Buddies goalkeeper.
St Mirren looked to have wrapped up the points when Lewis Morgan doubled the advantage with a free kick 20 minutes from time, however goals within the space of three minutes from Gary Warren and Liam Polworth rescued a point.
The result means Caley Jags remain 11 points adrift of the play-off places, with bottom side Brechin City the next visitors on Tuesday.
Caley Jags were unchanged from the side that defeated Dundee United 1-0 in midweek, and aiming to keep their recent momentum going.
They got off to the worst possible start however, with Saints awarded a penalty just three minutes in when Danny Mullen was tugged to the ground by Coll Donaldson. Davis stepped up and buried his strike into Ridgers’ bottom-right corner, despite the former Buddies goalkeeper going the correct way.
Inverness had to weather further pressure from the hosts, with Ridgers making a fine save to thwart Liam Smith’s shot from Lewis Morgan’s corner on 13 minutes, before Morgan was also denied by the Caley Jags goalkeeper after Cammy Smith’s pass.
Inverness struggled to threaten the Saints rearguard, with Liam Polworth seeing a low shot from the edge of the box comfortably saved by Craig Samson, before he scooped Carl Tremarco’s delivery over on 33 minutes.
Saints were awarded a second penalty on 40 minutes, after Tremarco was ruled to have nudged Davis only seconds after Ridgers had made a superb save to claw away Mullen’s header from a Kyle Magennis corner. Davis stepped up once again, but Ridgers pulled off another outstanding stop to block the defender’s effort with his legs.
Inverness spurned a fine chance to draw level before half-time when the unmarked Brad Mckay was picked out by Polworth’s free kick, but he guided his header over the bar.
Inverness still had time on their side in their efforts to draw level, and were inches from an equaliser on 56 when Iain Vigurs’ long-range strike clipped the top of the bar on its way over.
The hosts had a penalty claim turned down on the hour mark when Aaron Doran went down at the feet of Liam Smith, with Newlands instead booking the Irishman for diving.
Ridgers had to make another superb save on 69 minutes to beat away Morgan’s strike after he had been played through by Ryan Flynn, but it was a matter of time before Saints did double their advantage, with Morgan curling in a right footed free kick from the left angle of the penalty area.
Saints appeared to be cruising but Inverness grabbed a lifeline on 78 minutes when captain Warren nodded home Polworth’s corner, and they completed the comeback just three minutes later when Polworth curled home an excellent free kick.
Teenager Daniel MacKay came closest to securing a winner when his header from Brad Mckay’s delivery forced a save from Craig Samson, but it was a well-merited point for the Highlanders.
