Inverness CT7–3Ayr United

A day on which it rained goals and the score could have gone either way. Two attacking teams provided a great spectacle despite the windy conditions. Caley Thistle nearly went a goal down in two minutes after a goalmouth scramble but were rescued by a Jim Calder save and a goal line clearance. Steven Boyack went on a solo run in 8 minutes but shot straight at Calder. The opening came at the other end in 8 minutes when a Richard Hastings low cross from the left fell for Mike Teasdale 18 yards out. The big defender hit it low into the corner for his third goal in four weeks. Ayr hit back with two goals in a minute. In 10 minutes Glynn Hurst sent over a cross from the left and Eddie Annand's header went in off the post. A minute later Hugh Robertson scored with a low ball after a strong solo run. In 17 minutes Dennis Wyness was brought down just inside the box by Paul Lovering and Paul Sheerin equalised from the penalty spot. Play raged from end to end then in 42 minutes Wyness made it 3-2. David Bagan set Martin Bavidge off down the right and his cross was touched home by the sliding foot of Wyness. Ayr hit back just after half time when a Boyack close range shot came off the post and fell for Hurst who scored with an angled drive. Bagan gave Caley Thistle the lead in 58 minutes with a cheeky 20 yard lob after spotting Craig Nelson off his line. At this point the game could still have ended in a draw or even an Ayr win but Bagan put the result beyond doubt in 73 minutes with a candidate for goal of the season. Sheerin took a corner, played a one-two with Teasdale then passed to Bagan who hit a rocket shot into the roof of the net from 18 yards. It was all one way after that and Wyness scored number 6 with a close range overhead kick in 79 minutes after Davide Xausa had hit the ball across goal and the Ayr defence failed to clear. Ayr substitute Craig McEwan was sent off in 81 minutes for a late tackle on Roy McBain. With 4 minutes left a Sheerin pass split the defence and found Wyness in space. The striker completed his hat trick when he rounded Nelson and stroked the ball into the empty net. It could have been eight just before the end when a Barry Robson shot came off Nelson but he managed to catch Xausa's follow up effort. The home supporters cheered their team off the pitch as the Ayr fans called for the head of manager Gordon Dalziel; an unfair reaction when they had played so well for so long. A match to remember for a long time.