Duncan Ferguson felt his Caley Thistle let Dumbarton off the hook as their League One opener ended in a 1-1 draw at the Caledonian Stadium.
Danny Devine’s header late in the first half gave the Highlanders the lead, but substitute Carlo Pignatiello slammed home the leveller just before the hour mark.
With 12 minutes to go, Mouhamed Niang was sent off for the Sons after collecting a second booking, but in the end it was a point apiece from this opening contest.
There were mixed emotions from the manager as he assessed the point earned from their first 90 league minutes since relegation from the Championship last term.
He said: “When you’re winning 1-0, you’re always disappointed when you concede.
“In the first half, we were absolutely dominant. We had all the possession and chances and got our noses in front.
“Dumbarton never had any chances in the first half and we had 70% possession in the first half. We could not get that crucial second goal.
“We never started well in the second half at all. They changed their shape and caused us a lot more problems. They matched us up in midfielder and also went to a back five.
Gilmour denied twice by goalkeeper
“We couldn’t get any rhythm for 15 minutes in the second half. We switched off from a set-play. From a throw-in, the boy puts a good cross in (and they scored).
“Our keeper Jack Newman then made a good save, although I thought their boy was offside. Other than that, we had two or three other chances and couldn’t get a second goal.
“We hit the bar and their keeper made two good saves from Charlie Gilmour, one in each half. Going in 1-0 at half-time, we were comfortable. We just didn’t start the second half well enough.
“It was disappointing as we were so on top in the first half. Adam Brooks curled one close just before half-time. We needed a second goal.”
Sides sought points after cup routs
ICT and Dumbarton went into this opening league game on the back of 6-0 Premier Sports Cup defeats seven days previously.
The Caley Jags were well beaten by a Simon Murray-inspired Dundee, while the Sons were blown away by six Aberdeen goals in the second half at Pittodrie.
Dumbarton, who came up from League Two via play-off wins against Stirling Albion and Spartans, lost three of their four Premier Sports Cup ties, picking up one just point.
Inverness, who were relegated from the Championship after a play-off final defeat against Hamilton Accies in May, collected four points in their section, finishing fourth, behind Dundee, Annan Athletic and Arbroath.
So after their cup exits, both these teams were looking to get their league campaigns off to a winning start.
Ferguson made two changes to his line-up as Friday signings, defender Flynn Duffy and Adam MacKinnon, came in for benched duo Matthew Strachan and Calum MacLeod.
Devine makes first half difference
ICT had not been in third tier of Scottish football for 25 years and financial uncertainty over the summer led to the club going with a largely young player pool.
It’s hoped the imminent takeover by Ketan Mekwana, of English-based media, leisure, entertainment and sports firm Seventy7 Ventures, will bring fresh hope.
There were plenty of positive signs from Inverness as MacKinnon was heavily involved in a lot of good movement, with Keith Bray and Duffy also early menaces.
On 18 minutes, Gilmour’s snap-shot was pawed away by goalkeeper Brett Long.
MacKinnon was next to have a go and he flashed a low effort off target after Jake Davidson’s pass picked him out.
Just before the break, Inverness got the opener when Devine arrived in space to crash a header home from Luis Longstaff’s pin-point corner.
They just about deserved the advantage as they had been asking most of the questions.
Substitute hauls Dumbarton level
Dumbarton started the second half on the front foot and were rewarded on 59 minutes when half-time sub Pignatiello crashed home a volley after meeting a cross from Finlay Gray at the back post.
Billy Mckay almost put Inverness back in front on 72 minutes, but the striker’s drive from outside the box hit the woodwork.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Niang’s rash challenge on Gilmour saw his afternoon end all too soon.
Newman ensured his team didn’t slip to a late loss when he got a strong hand to a net-bound effort from sub Joel Mumbongo.
In the closing minute, Gilmour’s fierce deflected shot drew a fine reaction stop from Long and it ended all square.
Next Saturday, Inverness make the long trip south to Annan, where they lost 1-0 just four weeks ago in the Premier Sports Cup, while Dumbarton host Alloa Athletic.
How they lined up
CALEY THISTLE (4-4-2): Newman 6, Duffy 7, Savage 6, Devine 6, Davidson 6, Longstaff 6, Gilmour 7, MacKinnon 7 (MacLeod 67), Bray 7 (Thompson 84), Brooks 6 (Ferguson 84), Billy Mckay 6.
Subs not used: Trialist (GK), Calum MacKay, Strachan, Keogh, Corner, Walker.
DUMBARTON (3-5-2): Long 7, Durnan 6, Miller 6, Lynas 6, Shiels 6, Wallace 5 (Pignatiello 46), Gray 7, Hilton 6 (Blair 83), Niang 6, Orsi 6 (Mumbongo 74), Ruth 6 (Clark 83),
Subs not used: O’Neil (GK), Young, Grivas, McGuffie.
Referee: Dan McFarlane.
Man of the match: Charlie Gilmour.
Attendance: 1439.
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