INVERNESS CT 1
Todorov (87) AYR UNITED 1 Cameron (57)
Nikolay Todorov battled through the pain barrier to salvage a point for injury-ravaged Caley Thistle.
The big Bulgarian’s early header seemed to cross the line but was controversially chalked off.
Ayr led with a debut goal from Kilmarnock loanee Innes Cameron before the hour. But the never-saydie Highlanders, packed with youth, struck back with three minutes left.
In an incident-packed 90 minutes, Todorov – with severely bruised ribs after a clash at Dunfermline last week – created the first talking point after crashing a header off the underside of the bar on three minutes.
The ball appeared to bounce over the line, but referee Alan Muir and his assistant didn’t give it.
Home manager John Robertson – with eight first picks injured – excused Muir.
“We carved Ayr open numerous times. The header from Todorov is brilliant but nobody knows if it is in or out. It happened that fast. There is no way the referee or assistant can possibly call it.
“They say don’t guess so that’s the correct decision.”
John Robertson put faith in teenagers Roddy Macgregor, Cameron Harper and Daniel Mackay.
Mackay took the game by the scruff of the neck for the hosts before the break. After 28 minutes, the teenager went close from distance and then, after carving space deep in midfield, released Todorov with a wonderful, long through pass.
The Bulgar beat the keeper but, again, struck woodwork in the shape of the right-hand upright.
All of the hosts’ first-half pressure and chances counted for nothing after 57 minutes.
Cammy Smith drove forward at pace. From his slipped pass, sub Innes Cameron found space to drill a low finish past Mark Ridgers.
The hosts grasped the equaliser with three minutes left.
Sub Ryan Fyffe hammered the ball across low from the far right.
Todorov, making it two goals in two league games, took a touch, turned and powered it low into the net from 12 yards.
Ayr player-boss Mark Kerr said: “At 1-0, I felt we could see it through. It is a hard one to take.”