Caley Thistle kicked off the new Championship season with an entertaining 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Queen’s Park.
The now professional club, managed by Owen Coyle, came up via the promotion play-offs from League 1 last term and are keen to find their feet quickly.
They were up against ICT, last season’s third-best side in the Championship, who reached the Premiership play-offs in May.
A Jake Davidson goal, aided by a Mark Ridgers error, put the visitors in front early on, but Billy Mckay crashed home a leveller late in the first half.
Both teams certainly set out for a clincher, but at least walked away with a point apiece.
Inverness won their Premier Sports Cup, taking them into the last 16 for the first time in six years and an August 31 tie at Premiership Motherwell.
Last week, they drew 1-1 with League 1 champions and fellow Championship new entrants Cove Rangers, but won on penalties to score a bonus-points victory.
Home head coach Billy Dodds made three changes from a week ago, with strikers Mckay and Austin Samuels and Steven Boyd all handed starting jerseys.
Suspension ruled defender Robbie Deas out, meaning a reshuffle at the back, with Zak Delaney and Wallace Duffy filling the central defensive berths.
Queen’s Park bowed out of the League Cup after losing on penalties at Hamilton Accies last week.
The Glasgow team travelled north without 19-year-old right-back Max Gillies, who joined Peterhead in League 1 last night until January.
There were three changes for the visitors, with skipper Lee Kilday, midfielder Jack Thomson and on-loan Ranger Josh McPake coming into the starting 11.
The last meeting between these sides was almost 12 years to the day, when ICT ran out 3-0 victors in a League Cup clash thanks to goals from Lee Cox, Eric Odhiambo and Ross Tokely.
Much has changed since then, with the Caley Jags winning the Scottish Cup, qualifying for a European tie and dropping down a level.
Back-to-back promotions have taken the famous Glasgow club up the ladder once more, with Lesser Hampden being prepared for them later in the season while the play at Stenhousemuir.
Early ‘soft’ goal put Queens in control
It took a mere 40 seconds for Queens’s to show their intent, with Simon Murray’s early drive pushed away by goalkeeper Mark Ridgers.
The response was swift from the hosts and Boyd fired two shots over the crossbar after lively, sweeping moves.
It was Queen’s who got their noses in front on 13 minutes and Ridgers won’t want to watch it back.
Davidson, who scored last week, collected possession inside the ICT half, drove forward and his shot slipped below his body and rolled into the net.
Murray almost doubled the scoreline when he was picked out by Davidson, but his effort from the edge of the box had too much height to trouble Ridgers.
On-loan Hibs winger Daniel MacKay was keen to impress and his run and shot from the left swept just before Calum Ferrie’s far post.
There was a scare for ICT when a low McPake cross flew into the box and Delaney’s clearance sliced over his own crossbar.
Ridgers kept the score at 1-0 on 35 minutes when he raced out to deny McPake, who got on the end of a fine long pass from Dom Thomas.
On the stroke of half-time, ICT drew level thanks to a lethal finish from Mckay, with the striker lashing home a low drive beyond Ferrie, stemming from a Boyd cut-back.
Billy Mckay aiming for more goals
Early in the second half, Boyd was again in the thick of the play, setting up Mckay again, whose low effort was saved well by Ferrie.
Ferrie superbly palmed away another searing Mckay drive, this time when he connected with a MacGregor assist. ICT were showing control and confidence at this point.
Queen’s were keen to remind folk they were still in this and a surging burst from McPake saw him go all the way before his shot was stopped by Ridgers and any follow-up chances were prevented by Duffy.
A stinging long-ranger from substitute Aaron Doran, pushed away by Ferrie was as close as it came to there being a winner.
CALEY THISTLE (4-4-2) – Ridgers 6, Duffy 6, Harper 6, Carson 6, Billy Mckay 7, MacGregor 6, Daniel MacKay 7 (Doran 75), Allardice 6, Delaney 6 (Devine 72), Samuels 6 (Shaw 62), Boyd 6 (Oakley 62). Subs not used – Cammy MacKay (GK), Hyde, Nicolson.
QUEEN’S PARK (4-2-3-1) – Ferrie 6, Robson 6, Kilday 6 (Naismith 77), Fox 6, Brown 6, Thomson 6 (Jarrett 46), McPake 7 (Longridge 86), Thomas, Davidson 7 (Bannon 73), Savoury 6, Murray 7 (Williamson 77). Subs not used – Heraghty (GK), Moore, Bruce, Nicol.
Referee – Grant Irvine.
Attendance – 1993.
Man of the match – Billy Mckay.
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