Caley Thistle were denied all three points against Dundee United by Thomas Mikkelsen’s second-half goal.
Iain Vigurs had given the Highland capital side the lead in the first half before the on-loan Ross County man made his mark just after the hour.
They remain in eighth but are now just four points ahead of Dumbarton in the play-off spot, after their win at Brechin City.
Inverness made three changes from the 1-0 defeat to Dunfermline on Tuesday night. Brad Mckay, Charlie Trafford and Connor Bell replaced Cameron Harper, Aaron Doran and Jake Mulraney. United were unchanged from the 3-1 win over Queen of the South.
With Dumbarton facing Brechin City for the second time in four days, the onus was on the Caley Jags to repeat their Tannadice performance from October where they ran out 2-0 winners.
The visitors started in a much more positive fashion than Tuesday night and George Oakley had an early one-on-one chance snuffed out by goalkeeper Harry Lewis.
United’s on-loan stopper was less assured trying to claim a high ball though, as Oakley beat him to it and tangerine shirts stood off the bouncing ball. Gary Warren attempted to head it home but was denied on the line, with Mark Durnan blocking Oakley’s rebound attempt.
Ex-Wimbledon man Oakley was finding the most space and should have made a cleaner connection with his 29th-minute chance, scuffing Liam Polworth’s cut-back straight at Lewis.
But it was Vigurs, who had started the game excellently, who gave Inverness the lead a minute later, heading in Polworth’s corner. There was an element of controversy about the corner decision, with United adamant Bell’s cross went straight out of play.
They should have been two up at the break with Oakley’s square ball begging to be tapped in by Bell, only for Durnan to somehow hook the ball clear.
United came out with more purpose in the second period but it was Caley Thistle who looked like striking first, with Joe Chalmers curling an effort straight at Lewis.
It took until 64 minutes for the home side to threaten the Inverness goal and when they did, they scored. Jamie Robson thumped a ball to the back post and Mikkelsen dived at it, managing to turn it back across goal and in.
United now had the impetus and pressed for the winner, with Caley Thistle indebted to Warren for a couple of key blocks. At the other end Vigurs whistled a shot over and substitute Doran saw a goal-bound strike repelled.
Mark Ridgers kept the scores level with a pair of saves, firstly tipping over Willo Flood’s speculative long-range strike and then a fingertip-stop to deny Paul McMullan.
A late shot scooped over by Jake Mulraney was the closest Inverness came to snatching a winner, with the Irn-Bru Cup final next Saturday firmly in their sights.
