The second Highland derby of the season ended in four goals, a record-breaking 23-game unbeaten run for Inverness and a seventh draw in a row.
How an end-to-end encounter finished with just four goals is anyone’s guess with the match also featuring a contender for save of the season and a candidate for miss of the campaign too.
There were no goals when these two met in Dingwall earlier in the season but they flowed from the start of a thrilling second Highland derby of the season.
The warning had been sounded when Josh Mullin had a shot from 25 yards which deflected off Riccardo Calder, forcing Mark Ridgers into an early save — but it was not heeded by Caley Jags and they paid the price as County broke the deadlock in the 17th minute.
Iain Vigurs slipped on the halfway line but he still managed to get his pass away to Don Cowie who played the ball to Jamie Lindsay. The midfielder strode forward before beating Ridgers with a low drive from 22 yards.
The Inverness response was immediate and emphatic.
The equaliser was a goal of the poacher’s variety for George Oakley, the striker sticking a leg out to hook a Tom Walsh header high past Scott Fox from eight yards.
The home men were buoyant after their equaliser and they piled the pressure on the visitors — and their perseverance paid off on the half-hour mark when they took the lead.
Sean Welsh’s clever flick released Liam Polworth and the midfielder raced into the box before cutting the ball back for Shaun Rooney and the right-back coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner. It was no less than the home side deserved in what was a dominant opening half-hour for John Robertson’s men.
But County, despite being under pressure, almost drew level when Mullin crossed the ball to Billy Mckay who rose highest to connect with a downward header but Ridgers made a fantastic fingertip save to keep his effort out.
There was nothing the Inverness keeper could do about County’s equaliser, however, as Brad McKay, under pressure from Davis Keillor-Dunn, diverted Mckay’s cross into his own net to make it 2-2.
The goal prompted a furious response from the home support, however, who felt County striker Mckay was offside when he ran on to the initial ball into the box.
County were fortunate to make it to the break on level terms but it was Inverness who were counting their good fortune 10 minutes into the second half when Sean Kelly missed the target completely from six yards after finding himself in space following Vigurs’ cross.
The full-back must have had a sleepless night after his miss.
Caley Jags went even closer with 21 minutes remaining when Aaron Doran found the unmarked Polworth but his low shot clipped the outside of Fox’s post.
County then almost clinched a late winner through Brian Graham but Ridgers made another fine save to keep out the substitute’s header and both sides were forced to settle for a point.