All change again at the top as Inverness take pole position with win over Thistle
Pole position in the Championship changed hands for a fourth time in four rounds of fixtures with Inverness Caledonian Thistle top dogs for the first time since John Robertson was appointed in the summer of 2017 after they saw off visitors Partick Thistle 3-2, writes Craig Stewart.
Caley started moving up the way when Jordan White stooped to head home on 11 minutes after a Liam Polworth shot bounced back off a post and their lead was doubled 12 minutes later when Shaun Rooney volleyed in after Cammy Bell had partially cleared a Coll Donaldson header following a corner.
The game looked done and dusted on 32 minutes when former Firhill player Sean Welsh netted a penalty but Thistle were given a route back into things four minutes from the break. They failed to take it, though, as Mark Ridgers saved Miles Storey’s spot-kick. The Glasgow side had a late revival, with Blair Spittal driving home eight minutes from time and Kris Doolan flicking in three minutes into injury time.
Robertson said: “The game may have ended in a disappointing way but we are top and should enjoy that. It was a good win and carried on from the success we had at Dunfermline in our last outing.”
Thistle manager Alan Archibald said: “We started well but the first half ended up being very poor.”
Ross County travelled to Queen of the South leading the table but they slipped down a place after a 0-0 draw. Queen’s came closest through a thumping effort from Stephen Dobbie that cracked against the bar. County’s Declan Mcmanus was denied a winner by an offside flag.
Falkirk’s new manager Ray Mckinnon looked on course for a win in his first Championship game in charge when they led by two goals at Ayr but the Honest Men hit back to win 3-2.
Zak Rudden turned in a low cross to give the visitors the lead on 18 minutes and Deimantas Petravicius cut in from the left wing to double their advantage with a thumping drive seven minutes later. Ayr ensured Falkirk remained
pointless, however, with three goals in the second half. Lawrence Shankland showed persistence before finding the net with a low shot on 48 minutes and Andy Geggan thumped in an equaliser 15 minutes later.
Ayr’s winner quickly arrived in bizarre fashion when a low Alan Forrest free-kick was hacked clear by Lewis Kidd only to strike goalkeeper Leonardo Fasan on the head and bounce into the net. New Morton manager Jonatan Johannson was also denied a win in his first game when Dundee United skipper Fraser Fyvie volleyed in from ten yards three minutes into injury time to tie the score at 1-1 at Tannadice.
Michael Tidser’s penalty after 11 minutes following Rachid Bouhenna’s pull on Gregor Buchanan had looked set to win the day until Fyvie scored.
Dunfermline sit eighth some seven points off the pace after they played out a goalless draw with Alloa.