Ayr United1–1Inverness CT

This was not a day for football. It was a battle to reach Ayr through snow, rain and roadworks and the game could easily have been cancelled – the wind was gale force and there were spells of torrential rain. Caley Thistle faced the wind in the first half and lost a goal in only 35 seconds. A clearance from Ludo Roy sailed in the wind and with a couple of touches it reached Lee Hardy in the box. He controlled the ball well and hit a low angled shot past Mark Brown. It was all very difficult for the rest of the half with every ball out of defence coming straight back at Brown and progress upfield only made by keeping the ball on the ground. Liam Keogh hit just over in 11 minutes and Hardy did the same for Ayr in 14 minutes from a free kick. David Bingham’s low shot in 23 minutes was not far away then on the half hour mark Stewart Kean slid the ball past the post when he had a chance to extend Ayr’s lead. Graeme Brown also hit past in 35 minutes then five minutes later Paul Ritchie created space for himself 22 yards out but shot hard and wide. In 42 minutes Barry Wilson was brought down by Willie Lyle and he sent Roy the wrong way with the resultant penalty. Hardy hit over the bar and the stand just before the break. With wind advantage in the second half it was expected that Caley Thistle would bombard the Ayr goal but with the wind easing for a time it did not work out that way. Roy dived to turn a Ritchie shot past in 51 minutes then Brown did the same at the other end in 56 minutes to deny David Craig. Substitute Richie Hart shot over in 68 minutes and Wilson did likewise with ten minutes left after a Ross Tokely shot was blocked. Ayr pressed for a winner and Stewart Kean volleyed past in 82 minutes after a good move. A Darran Thomson corner with five minutes left caused confusion in the Ayr box, Roy fumbled and Tokely hit over. ICT pushed hard right to the end of the three minutes added time but nothing came off. Several shots were blocked by the Ayr defence right on the 90 minute mark then a Russell Duncan free kick was headed clear by Andrew Ferguson. Roy punched away a Thomson corner, a foul was called and the final whistle went. Clyde beat St Johnstone 3-1 to go six points clear at the top but there are still eight games left.