It finished honours even in the first Highland derby of the season as both Inverness and Ross County saluted the efforts of their goalkeepers in a pulsating encounter at Caledonian Stadium.
Caley Jags had Dean Brill to thank for keeping them in the game in the first half before the roles were reversed in the second with Mark Brown keeping the home side at bay to earn his side a point.
Caley Thistle manager John Hughes named an unchanged side once again for the derby while Ross County manager Jim McIntyre made one enforced alteration from the team which beat Dundee for his derby debut, Michael Gardyne dropping out due to injury with Scott Boyd returning in central defence.
The Highlanders started brightly with Billy Mckay finding himself one on one with Boyd. The Northern Irish international managed to get his shot away but Mark Brown saved it comfortably.
Defensively, however, Inverness’ insistence on trying play from the back resulted in no end of problems being caused of their own doing in a typically frantic derby encounter.
A poor pass back from Ross Draper sent Filip Kiss away but the midfielder saw his shot blocked by Inverness goalkeeper Dean Brill.
The chance gave County renewed belief and they duly opened the scoring minutes later when Rocco Quinn found himself in space down the left and his cross was met by Yoann Arquin, who beat Josh Meekings to send a glancing header down past Brill.
Quinn, Arquin and Graham Carey all saw efforts saved as the Staggies pushed to extend their lead against a disjoined Inverness who were booed off at half-time.
Those jeers turned to cheers within minutes of the restart as the home side drew level. There was an element of fortune about the equaliser as Ryan Christie’s cross took a deflection of Boyd to fall perfectly into the path of Marley Watkins , who sidefooted the ball past Brown.
County full back Carey, who had been booked, was lucky to survive a second caution for deliberate handball before Mckay fired across goal and saw a goalbound effort brilliantly saved by Brown.
The pressure continued deep into injury-time but the visitors held on to grab their first away point of the season.