St Mirren 0 Inverness CT 1

Greg Tansey's first-half penalty secured three points in a 1-0 win for Inverness away to St Mirren in a poor match lacking quality and littered with eight bookings and a dismissal. Opportunities in the early stages, were few and far between with the closest either side came to creating even a half-chance occurring in the 14th minute when Saints midfielder Kenny McLean fired wide of Dean Brill's left-hand post. Three minutes later though the ball was slotted into the hosts' net only for Billy McKay's strike to be ruled offside as the two sides continued to slug it out in a quiet opening period.

The match was brought to life in the 25th minute when John McGinn attempted an audacious 30-yard effort which Brill was happy to see fly just a couple of yards over his crossbar. Things then began to became a little feisty in a match dominated by misplaced passes and needless fouls with three Caley players cautioned by referee Willie Collum in quick succession. In a 12-minute spell Marley Watkins, Ross Draper and Josh Meekings were all booked with Saints full-back Jason Naismith also having his name taken 10 minutes before the interval. The subsequent free-kick almost led to the breakthrough as Tansey's dangerous delivery into the Saints box was met by McKay but his header flew wide.

Moments later and it was the Paisley men who threatened with Callum Ball unlucky with a looping effort. Inverness danger man McKay, looking for his first goal since the opening day of the campaign, was thwarted shortly afterwards as Marian Kello got down well to block his next attempt. Thomas Reilly was next to be cautioned as the number of bookings began to tot up.

Then with three minutes before the close of the first-half proceedings referee Collum left most in attendance dumbfounded by pointing to the spot and awarding the visitors a golden opportunity to open the scoring after spotting a shove in the area committed by Marc McAusland on Gary Warren. The Saints skipper was booked and from the subsequent penalty up stepped Tansey to coolly slot the ball past Kello into the bottom right-hand corner.

After the interval the referee booked James Marwood before Ryan Christie received a second yellow card, this time for a challenge on McGinn, resulting in the visitors playing the remaining 40 minutes with 10 men. Ten minutes later and McGinn was unlucky not to draw the Buddies level when he was denied by Brill, who produced a fine save.

A well-worked corner kick 14 minutes from time caught the home defence off-guard with Inverness substitute James Vincent flicking the ball into the path of McKay but the Northern Ireland international's drought in front of goal continued as Kello came out to block his latest attempt. Despite a late penalty claim for a possible handball offence against Carl Tremarco, the home team never really came close to finding an equaliser. The home support trundled out of the stadium deflated whilst the travelling Inverness faithful can continue to enjoy their lofty status at the higher echelons of the table.