Match ends, Ayr United 2, Inverness CT 3.
AyrAyr United2Inverness CTInverness Caledonian Thistle3
Inverness Caledonian Thistle scored three times in the first 18 minutes to thwart Ayr United's hopes of returning to the Scottish Championship's summit.
A win would have returned Ayr to the top, but Nathan Austin scored twice in three minutes to put the visitors clear and Liam Polworth added a third.
Declan McDaid and Lawrence Shankland pulled goals back after the break, but the hosts could not find a leveller.
As a result, Ian McCall's side stay three points adrift of Ross County.
Inverness move up into the play off places, and are just six point behind Ayr.
Ayr United manager Ian McCall: "You can't give teams a three-goal start. I thought they had 20 minutes, then we dominated, but we couldn't get an equaliser.
"There will be many twists and turns to go and if we take six points from every nine from here on in, we'll not be far away."
Inverness CT manager John Robertson: "You know if you lose a goal here, the atmosphere can change and it's a brilliant throw back coming here.
"If we win on Saturday, we're back in the hunt going into the break for the cup. We're just targeting whatever team is directly above us."
Line-ups
Ayr
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Doohan
- 27Smith
- 15Bell
- 5Rose
- 3Harvie
- 18Murdoch
- 8CrawfordBooked at 79minsSubstituted forMuirheadat 82'minutes
- 23DochertySubstituted forHigginsat 45'minutes
- 11McDaid
- 9MooreSubstituted forShanklandat 45'minutes
- 7Moffat
Substitutes
- 2Higgins
- 17Shankland
- 19Hare-Reid
- 20Hilton
- 21Ecrepont
- 25McCowan
- 30Muirhead
Inverness CT
Formation 4-4-2
- 21Mackay
- 2Rooney
- 6McCart
- 22McKay
- 3Tremarco
- 7PolworthBooked at 36mins
- 15Welsh
- 4Chalmers
- 17McDonaldSubstituted forTraffordat 70'minutes
- 9AustinSubstituted forWhiteat 58'minutes
- 14OakleyBooked at 69minsSubstituted forMcCauleyat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 8McCauley
- 19White
- 23Mackay
- 24Trafford
- 29McHattie
- 33Mackinnon
- 40Harper
- Referee:
- Nick Walsh
- Attendance:
- 1,559
Match Stats
Home TeamAyrAway TeamInverness CT
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away5
- Corners
- Home10
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away18
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ayr United 2, Inverness CT 3.
Post update
Attempt missed. Aaron Muirhead (Ayr United) header from very close range is too high.
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Attempt missed. Aaron Muirhead (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Charlie Trafford.
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Daniel Harvie (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jordan White (Inverness CT).
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Foul by Andy Murdoch (Ayr United).
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Charlie Trafford (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Ayr United 2, Inverness CT 3. Lawrence Shankland (Ayr United) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Aaron Muirhead (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Sean Welsh (Inverness CT).
Substitution
Substitution, Inverness CT. Darren McCauley replaces George Oakley.
Substitution
Substitution, Ayr United. Aaron Muirhead replaces Robbie Crawford.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jordan White (Inverness CT) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Booking
Robbie Crawford (Ayr United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Robbie Crawford (Ayr United).
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Liam Polworth (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Charlie Trafford.
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Robbie Crawford (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
