Caley Thistle manager Duncan Ferguson was pleased to claim a point against Championship leaders Dundee United in a 1-1 draw at Tannadice.
ICT took the lead after only 12 minutes through Wallace Duffy, before substitute Louis Moult levelled the game with a stunning hit from near the halfway line in the 55th minute.
The draw leaves the Caley Jags sitting second bottom in the Championship with 32 points and trailing eighth-placed Ayr United, who have played one game fewer, by three points.
Following the draw against the Championship leaders, manager Ferguson said: “I’m absolutely delighted.
“I’m over the moon. To come to Dundee United – who are top of the table and are expecting to go up – nobody gave us a chance. We’re a team at the bottom of the league and we come here get our noses in front and managed the game well.
“You are going to have to soak up a bit of pressure as the game goes on. In the second half, Dundee United threw everything at us with long throws and long balls in the box.
“We defended well and we got a wee break when Dundee United hit a shot that came back off the inside of the post, but we were a threat.
“I think we were well worthy of the point. Dundee United are a very good team and they put you under a lot of pressure.”
Ferguson was disappointed by the manner of Dundee United’s equaliser as he believed his side should have had a free-kick for a foul on Cammy Kerr before Moult unleashed his strike from just inside the visitors’ half.
The ICT boss added: “It is a free-kick. The referee is right in front of it. He nudges the guy and our boy goes down.
“Nine times out of ten you get that decision and nine times out of ten we don’t get the decision, but then you don’t get to see that great goal.
“It was a wonder strike from the boy. It was a great finish from the lad and it was going to take something like that to beat our goalkeeper today.”
ICT take early lead in Championship encounter
Ferguson made three changes from last weekend’s home defeat to Ayr United, with Morgan Boyes, Aribim Pepple and fit-again Nathan Shaw coming into the starting XI, while Billy Mckay, Daniel Devine and Samson Lawal dropped to the substitutes bench.
There were early chances for both sides as United’s Alex Grieve saw his shot crash into the side-netting, before Shaw hit a strike from outside of the box wide of the target.
The visitors soon took the lead when Pepple nicked the ball from Liam Grimshaw, before sending it into the box from the left flank, which forced goalkeeper Walton into parrying the ball back into a dangerous area.
Full-back Duffy was unmarked in the centre of the box when the ball fell to his feet from 12 yards out and he slotted into the net to make it 1-0.
Jim Goodwin’s side responded after going behind, with Inverness goalkeeper Mark Ridgers making a diving save to deny a powerful strike from United captain Ross Docherty.
In the same wave of attack, the ball was sent back into the box which Glenn Middleton met in the air and directed a header wide of the far post.
Pepple was shown a needless yellow card after only 24 minutes by referee Chris Graham, after the forward ran back on the pitch after receiving treatment before being given the nod by the officials.
Ferguson’s gamble to start Shaw, who missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury, did not last long as the midfielder was replaced by Lawal after 29 minutes.
Ridgers made another vital save, this time to deny Tony Watt, after the Dundee United forward was clear through on goal and only had the ICT goalkeeper to beat.
A free-kick, taken by Dundee loanee Cammy Kerr in the closing stages of the first half, was the visitors’ best chance after taking the lead, but the ball sent in by the defender was met by Alex Samuel, who shot wide.
Before the half was up, United had half-chances through Docherty, who saw his effort held by Ridgers, and Miller Thomson whose strike was blocked by James Carragher.
Dundee United’s Moult equalises with long-range effort
In the opening minute of the second half, Craig Sibbald made a vital block at the near post to divert the ball from the path of Samuel, who was looking to stab the ball home.
Max Anderson, who is also on loan at ICT from Dundee, had two chances in quick succession with goalkeeper Walton parrying his first effort, before the midfielder hit the second wide.
Dundee United got the equaliser when Moult latched onto a loose ball into midfield and caught Ridgers off his line, hitting a strike from just inside the visitors’ half which bounced off the underside of the bar and went over the line.
The home side almost took the lead when Watt saw his effort clip the post, before Ross Graham was denied the rebound with goalkeeper Ridgers making the close-range save.
Ridgers was called upon again as he made a fingertip save to push a Docherty header over the bar.
With only a few minutes to go, the ICT custodian made another diving stop to collect substitute Chris Mochrie’s low drive inside the box.
In injury time, Carragher saw his powerful strike cleared off the line by United‘s Docherty, before Lawal’s effort was saved by Walton.
How the teams lined up at Tannadice
Dundee United (4-3-3): Walton 6, Thomson 6, Gallagher 6, Holt 6 (Graham 22), Sibbald 6, Middleton 6, Grimshaw 6 (Moult 46), Docherty 7, Grieve 6 (Mochrie 75), Fotheringham 6 (Cudjoe 58), Watt 6.
Subs not used: Newman, Tillson, Meekison, Glass, MacLeod.
Caley Thistle (3-5-2): Ridgers 7, Savage 6, Boyes 6, Carragher 6, Harper 6, Anderson 6, Kerr 6, Shaw 6 (Lawal 29), Duffy 7, Samuel 6 (Brooks 76), Pepple 6 (Mckay 71).
Subs not used: MacKay, Devine, Doran, Samuels, Udjur.
Referee: Chris Graham
Attendance: 7,567
Man of the match: Mark Ridgers
Conversation