Inverness CT3–1Ayr United

Caley Thistle�s excellent home record against Ayr continued with this 3-1 victory. Bobby Mann made his 100th appearance for the Club and Paul Sheerin came back for the first time as one of the Honest Men. The dozen Elvis impersonators brightened up the away terracing but they went home disappointed. In 16 minutes Caley Thistle came very close � first when a strong Martin Bavidge shot was saved by Craig Nelson and then when Ross Tokely�s follow-up came crashing down off the bar. Paul Sheerin tried to beat Nicky Walker with a cross-goal chip in 24 minutes but it missed the top corner by a whisker. In 25 minutes Dennis Wyness headed over then Eddie Annand should have put Ayr in front in 29 minutes when he headed wide from a good position. Caley Thistle were always ahead in the match but did not score until the 49th minute. Wyness passed from the left inside to Charlie Christie � he turned and shot into the top corner from 20 yards. Two minutes later it was 2-0 when a Roy McBain cross from the left was headed back across the Ayr goal by defender Paul Lovering � Man-of-the-Match Paul Ritchie held off a challenge and touched it past Nelson. In 58 minutes Nelson stuck out a foot to deflect a Barry Robson drive and in 63 minutes a Robson cross from the left set up goal number three. Ritchie took it first time and volleyed into the net from close range. Ayr never gave up and pulled one back in 70 minutes. It was a solo effort from James Grady who ran down the left, weaved past two defenders into the box then shot into the net off the right hand post. Ayr had a good spell after this but the home defence held firm. The best chance fell to Marvin Wilson in 84 minutes but he volleyed sky high from a good position inside the Caley Thistle area. Two minutes into injury time there was an almighty scramble in the home six yard box with bodies everywhere. Eventually the ball popped out and was cleared for a corner. Sheerin took it and Stuart McCaffrey had to clear off the line in the resultant confusion. This ended the scoring and Caley Thistle finished the first quarter of the season in sixth place on 11 points.