MISSED CHANCES SO COSTLY FOR CALEY

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE were left ruing a hatful of spurned chances and a second-half penalty miss as they dropped two precious points in the title race.

Billy Dodds’ side were left frustrated at Firhill and the Caley boss said: ‘I thought we played our best game of the season today. We created so many chances. How we have not won the game, I don’t know.’

The Maryhill outfit, unbeaten in four games, might have gone in front in the first minute when Scott Tiffoney flicked the ball on to Zak Rudden, but the striker volleyed wide from 12 yards.

Caley’s Tom Walsh then found acres of space on the right but his 16-yard shot hit the post.

The visitors produced the best opening of the first half in 37 minutes as Michael Gardyne burst free, but his shot crashed off the underside of the bar. Billy Mckay tried to nod home the rebound but Tunji Akinola blocked his effort on the line.

Caley passed up a glorious chance on the hour mark when they were awarded a penalty by referee Gavin Duncan after Lewis Mayo hauled Aaron Doran down. Up stepped Sean Welsh, but Jamie Sneddon dived to his right to produce a superb save.

Seven minutes from time, Rudden cut the ball back for Partick substitute Jake Hastie, who sidefooted home, but he was ruled offside.

One minute from time, Caley almost snatched victory when Mckay got in behind the hosts’ defence to cut back perfectly for substitute Lewis Jamieson, but he scooped over.

Partick boss Ian McCall said: ‘It was an outstanding penalty save but we had good chances ourselves, and we kept another clean sheet.’