ICT 1 UNITED 1

United came from behind to earn a well deserved draw which was the very least they deserved.

Having fallen behind to Tom Walsh’s opener after 17 minutes, only two great saves by Mark Ridgers prevented Robbie Neilson’s side going in level.

And after dominating the second half, Billy King struck the equaliser with 15 minutes left and with draws all round in the Championship, United have lost no ground in the title race.  

By Peter Rundo 

After the disappointment of the draw at Morton, Manager Robbie Neilson made three changes.

Fit again Ben Siegrist replaced Matej Rakovan in goal; Billy King took over from Paul McMullan who was feeling under the weather but was listed as a sub, and Matty Smith started at the expense of Craig Curran who was also on the bench.    

The game got off to a brisk start with Billy King firing in a shot that unfortunately sailed high and wide in the second minute.

And the Tangerines continued to have the greater share of possession in those opening stages with King seeing plenty of the ball in playing off the front. 

But it was Caley Thistle who were next to have a go, but Tom Walsh’s sliced his shot well-wide after 15 minutes

It had been pretty cagey stuff until the 17th minute when the home side took the lead. 

Liam Polworth threaded a through pass to Tom Walsh who drilled a left footed shot into the far corner from 12 yards.

Twice in the space of a couple of minutes Thistle threatened on the break as United tried to respond to going behind.

United exerted a spell of pressure and came close to levelling on 25 minutes when Pavol Šafranko powered in a header from a Fraser Aird corner which keeper Mark Ridgers did brilliantly to keep out and the Thistle defence managed to clear the loose ball to safety.

Two minutes later, Rachid Bouhenna became the first player to be booked for bringing down Doran just outside the box.  

But fortunately, the Highlanders wasted the free-kick.

Seven minutes from the interval, an Aird cross from the left found Šafranko but he could not get enough power in his header to beat Ridgers.

And three minutes from the interval, their keeper again came to their rescue making a superb one-handed save from Matty Smith’s shot on the turn from 12 yards.

After a quiet opening to the second half, United were first to threaten. It followed a good move down the left resulting in Aird crossing to the far post where Smith met it but his volley was blocked by a defender. 

Just after the hour mark, Paul McMullan entered the fray with Aird making way for him.

Another substitution followed with 20 minutes left, Craig Curran replacing Smith as the Terrors looked for that elusive equaliser. 

Having been happy to soak United’s pressure all too easily, the hosts were pegged back with United’s most incisive move of the match 15 minutes from the end.

McMullan released Callum Booth down the left and his first-timed cross found King who took a touch before rifling the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from just outside the box.

Shortly afterwards King dragged a shot wide from a similar position as United looked for a winner and with three minutes left Šafranko came close when his header just missed.

Full Time Summary

A draw is not a bad result up here but if United had taken their chances it would have been all three.

Man of the Match:

Billy King gets the accolade for his fine equaliser and being the man who looked most likely to snatch a winner.

ICT: Ridgers, Rooney, Chalmers, Donaldson, McCart, Polworth, Doran (C) 82’, Walsh, Oakley 72’, Welsh, McKay

Subs: Hoban (GK), Austin, White 72’, Trafford 80’, McGregor 81’, Nicolson, Harper

United: Siegrist, Murdoch, Bouhenna, Frans, Booth, Fyvie (C) 88’, Stanton, Smith 70’, King, Aird 62’, Šafranko 

Subs: Rakovan (GK), McMullan 62’, Curran 70’, Robson, Rabitsch 88’, Edjenguele, Watson 

Attendance: 2464 

Referee: Willie Collum