Caley Thistle came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Dundee in a tale of two spot-kicks, despite playing the last 40 minutes with only 10 men.
Right back David Raven was shown his marching orders on 50 minutes, after fouling Dark Blues attacker Greg Stewart in the box, with Rory Loy tucking home the penalty.
Inverness were awarded a penalty of their own 13 minutes later though, when Ryan Christie was felled by Kevin Holt, with Greg Tansey netting from the spot to end the Highlanders’ three-match losing streak.
Caley Jags made one enforced change from the side defeated 2-1 by Ross County in Tuesday’s Highland derby, with leading scorer Miles Storey ruled out with a knee injury, and was replaced by Danny Williams who assumed the unfamiliar role of attacker.
Dundee manager Paul Hartley was keen to ring the changes after his side’s 2-1 loss against Kilmarnock, with Gary Harkins, Daryll Megatt, James McPake and Kane Hemmings dropping out, with the quartet replaced by Thomas Konrad, Kostadin Gadzhalov, Nicky Low and Paul McGowan.
Inverness dominated the early possession, but it was the visitors who had the first attempt, when Greg Stewart’s strike was deflected behind for a corner.
Caley Jags began to look more threatening however, with Ryan Christie looking set to pull the trigger after chesting down Williams’ delivery, only for Konrad to come in and clear. Moments later, Christie turned provider for Danny Devine with a free-kick that the Northern Irishman nodded straight into the arms of Scott Bain.
Williams continued to look lively, and he left Gadzhalov for dead before pulling back for Christie, who struck straight at Bain, while Meekings nodded over from a Tansey delivery.
The closest either side came to a goal in the first-half was on 35 minutes, when Meekings had the ball in the net following Greg Tansey’s free-kick, but the defender’s header was chalked off in what looked a tight call.
The game burst into life four minutes into the second-half, when David Raven was caught out of position, which allowed Stewart a free run at goal, with the right back hauling the forward to the ground, leaving referee Brian Colvin with no option but to award a penalty and dismiss Raven. Dundee took full advantage of the spot-kick, with Rory Loy coolly sending Owain Fon Williams the wrong way with a low strike to put his side ahead.
The Dark Blues continued to probe, with Nicky Low seeing his cut-back parried away by Fon Williams. Inverness were handed a lifeline on 63 minutes, though when Kevin Holt needlessly took down Christie inside the penalty area, with Colvin this time awarding a spot-kick in favour of the hosts. Greg Tansey stepped up to roll the ball low into Bain’s right hand corner, despite the former Aberdeen goalkeeper diving the correct way.
Dee forwards Rhys Healey and Kane Hemmings both called Fon Williams into action with low driven efforts, however the best chance of the latter stages fell to Liam Polworth, when the ball broke to the midfielder from Josh Meekings’ low cross, but Polworth stabbed it wide from 12 yards.