Billy Dodds felt his Caley Thistle players handed Ayr United a way back into a game they should have won as they blew the chance to regain top spot in the Championship.
Goals from Sean Welsh and Michael Gardyne in the first half, with a reply from Joe Chalmers in between had the Inverness side 2-1 in front at the break against their sixth-placed hosts.
An early second half equaliser from defender Paddy Reading earned the Honest Men a 2-2 draw.
With leaders Kilmarnock losing 1-0 at home to Partick Thistle, Caley Thistle failed to move back into first spot, but find themselves one point off the top ahead of next week’s home encounter with basement side Dunfermline Athletic.
Players ‘took a rest’ in second half
Head coach Dodds felt his side only had themselves to blame for not leaving Somerset Park as winners and Championship pace-setters once more.
He said: “It was a good game. We totally dominated the first half. We could have scored a few goals. We got two and were in control of the game and then my team decided to take a rest at the start of the second half.
“Ayr United started picking up some second balls and we lost a poor goal when one of our players dropped a runner.
“Then there were chances at both ends. It was probably a good game for the neutral but I can’t believe we lost two points.
“We worked hard, but we needed to manage the game and we never did that.
“We probably thought we had the game won. It comes down to mentality. Usually, my players have the right mentality and enough experience to see it out, but this time we let Ayr get an equaliser.”
Penalty decision irks Dodds
Dodds, whose team are now winless in their last four games, felt his side should have been awarded a second half spot-kick when Kirk Broadfoot was barged in the back.
He added that referee Steven McLean “got into a great position to see it, but doesn’t see it”.