George Oakley salvaged Caley Thistle’s Scottish Cup status with a late leveller as their fourth-round tie with Dundee finished 2-2.
Ex-Wimbledon striker Oakley pounced from close range with three minutes left to ensure the two sides would do it all again in 11 days time.
Aaron Doran had put the visitors ahead in the first half but two goals in 15 minutes from A-Jay Leitch-Smith and Mark O’Hara turned the tide in Dundee’s favour.
However Oakley turned saviour with his opportunistic finish and celebrated wildly in front of the 347 travelling fans.
Neil McCann made three changes from the team that beat St Johnstone 2-0 at the end of December. Kerr Waddell, in-demand defender Jack Hendry and Marcus Haber sat out, with Darren O’Dea, ex-Caley Jag Josh Meekings and Sofien Moussa all starting.
John Robertson kept faith with the majority of the team that comfortably saw off Queen of the South 3-1 a week ago, the only switch seeing Charlie Trafford start in place of Liam Polworth.
Inverness moved the ball well early on and registered the first shot on target, Iain Vigurs steering Connor Bell’s lay-off at Elliott Parish from the edge of the box.
Doran made the breakthrough on 15 minutes when Brad McKay’s long throw was poorly dealt with by the home side and the winger struck a deflected shot past Parish.
A superb block by McKay denied Dundee an immediate reply but they were struggling to forge any clear-cut opportunities against a well-drilled Caley Jags side.
Moussa thumped the crossbar with a powerful header from Scott Allan’s corner before the break and only a fantastic one-handed save from Mark Ridgers prevented Leitch-Smith from levelling the scores.
The advantage could have been doubled on the stroke of half-time as Doran set Oakley running clear but his shot went straight at Parish.
Parity was restored three minutes into the second half when Leitch-Smith’s strike deflected off Moussa and beat Ridgers but Inverness almost went back in front immediately, with Bell’s header superbly kept out by Parish.
But their hard work was undone on 64 minutes when Vigurs conceded possession just inside his own half, allowing O’Hara to charge past him and beat Ridgers from the edge of the box.
Substitute John Baird appeared to have wasted their best chance to level by striking straight at Parish but when Calder’s cross broke to Oakley on 87 minutes, he jabbed a foot at the ball to direct it home.
