Determined Caley Thistle salvage a crucial point after losing the lead against Cinch Championship leaders Ayr United
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Inverness Caley Thistle (1) 2
Ayr United (0) 2
Att. 2066
(Scorers: ICT - Shaw 6, 87; Ayr - McKenzie 66, Akinyemi 82)
Nathan Shaw was Caley Thistle’s hero as the Highlanders salvaged a crucial point in a thrilling home contest with the Championship leaders.
Having led by the break through the inspirational 21-year-old’s early opener, Ayr hit back through Mark McKenzie and talisman Dipo Akjinyemi, claiming his 14th goals in 16 league games.
But Shaw, in his best performance since moving north in the summer, turned on the style again to seal a point which kept the hosts six points off title pace on a day they went three adrift and then nine adrift in the live table.
With at least nine potential starters on their well-publicised injury list, the hosts were huge underdogs.
They had failed to win in their previous five outings, while the Honest Men were unbeaten in five.
But there was an evident fire in the bellies of Billy Dodds’ men as they set about the league leaders with relish.
Danny Devine returned to the heart of the hosts’ defence for the first time since October 1, when they won 1-0 at Ayr to replace the injured Zak Delaney.
George Oakley also made way for Steven Boyd.
Ayr brought back Daire O’Connor and Sam Ashford for Jaden Mitchell-Lawson and Paul Smith.
That home intent manifested in a sixth minute opener, but only after Caley Thistle keeper Cammy MacKay had reacted sharply to deny a close-range Ashford attempt.
The opener came from a mix of Ayr slackness and home directness.
Cammy Harper’s measured ball was chipped through and young summer signing Nathan Shaw raced onto it, showing composure to glide past the outcoming Albinson and cut the finish just inside the left hand post.
Ayr found the rest of the first half hard work, rarely making too much of an inroad into home territory.
The hosts had a penalty claim waved away after Aaron Doran appeared to be clattered by Albinson in the box.
The only home scare was a misjudged defensive header by skipper Sean Welsh which flew uncomfortably close to goal on its way for a corner.
Ayr brought on Logan Chalmers at the break – and it would prove a shrewd move – with the ex-Caley Jags loanee charged with injecting some life into their ailing attack.
Seven minutes after the restart the previously subdued Dipo Akinyemi looked to add to his tally of 13 goals in 15 matches, with a superb low strike from 25 yards, which spun just wide of the left hand post.
Soon after, the hosts’ Doran was unlucky to strike the top of the crossbar from similar distance on the right.
Towards the hour, the game was opening up and Chalmers curled a fine attempt just high and wide from outside the penalty area, with Billy Mckay going similarly close from distance at the other end.
The equaliser came from a sweeping Ayr counter-attack after 66 minutes.
Chalmers’ searing run on the right was followed by a dinked cross. Wallace Duffy managed to knock Akinyemi’s initial contact off the line but substitute McKenzie made no mistake on the rebound close in.
A flurry of home corners came among steady pressure from Caley Thistle, but Ayr struck with a classic suck-punch with eight minutes left.
Alex Kirk’s long header forward set Akinyemi tearing forward through the middle and nobody could stop the powerful Englishman striding on, steadying and slamming home the second.
Facing a nine points gap on the leaders, Caley Jags responded.
Again it was Shaw, the former AFC Fylde winger, wound away from a couple of challenges after a supply from substitute George Oakley.
He then calmly stretched to cut a fine low finish into the corner of the net from 10 yards.
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (4-2-3-1): Cameron MacKay 7; Duffy 6, Devine 7 (Hyde 76, 4), Ram 6, Harper 6; Welsh 7, Carson 8; Shaw 8, Boyd 7 (Oakley 83, 3), Doran 7; Mckay 6. Subs: Ridgers, Strachan, Calum MacKay, Nicolson.
AYR UNITED (4-3-3) - Albinson 7; McAllister 6, Kirk 7 (Ecrepont 90, 2), McGinty 7, Reading 6; Dempsey 6, Murdoch 7, Ashford 6 (McKenzie 60, 6); Mullin 6 (Young 60, 5), Akinyemi 7, O’Connor 6 (Chalmers 44, 7). Subs: McAdams, Bilham, Bangala, Bryden, Smith.
Booked - McAllister 78
Referee: Grant Irvine 6
