Caley Thistle boss Scott Kellacher is urging fans to stick with his team after they were held to a 1-1 home draw against Alloa Athletic.
On-loan Aberdeen midfielder Alfie Stewart fired ICT ahead early on but Scott Taggart equalised for the Wasps just after the break to crank up the tension.
That mood intensified just after the hour when Billy Mckay’s spot-kick was saved by Alloa keeper Peter Morrison.
The dying embers of the game saw ICT defender Remi Savage sent off for a second bookable offence.
The result here, allied with Montrose beating Annan 3-1, means eighth-placed Inverness are now three points in front of the Galabankies in League One.
ICT are three points behind Montrose, with six fixtures to play this season.
Alloa’s point earned in the Highlands keeps them fourth, two points ahead of Queen of the South.
Bottom team Dumbarton, who went into administration in November, were relegated after they drew 0-0 against Queen of the South.
‘We were clearly the better team’
Kellacher, who couldn’t even watch Mckay’s spot-kick, hopes supporters rally round his team as his players walked off with less than he felt they deserved.
He said: “Overall, it was frustrating, and I understand why the fans might be frustrated as well.
“These boys need the fans to keep getting behind them because they don’t need to be put under pressure.
“You can clearly see we were the better team today. It was similar to last week (in the 1-0 defeat to Annan) when we had chances and this time we got ourselves in front.
“We were really good for the first 35 minutes in terms of dominating, but I just want us to go and get that second goal.
“We took our foot off the gas and it let them come into the game in the last 15 minutes of the first half.
“In the second half, we came out and dominated but I said to the players it is important to stop crosses coming into the box. They are a big, strong and physical side.
“We hit the post and the bar and we had other chances but we could have also lost it with the last kick of the game.”
Celtic keeper Rice replaces Dibaga
On the week when administrators warned liquidation could be looming for ICT without swift resolutions before a top shareholders’ meeting offered fresh hope, the focus switched back to on-field matters.
The task in hand is to keep ICT in League One, the level they dropped down to at the end of last season.
Bashed by the 15-point deduction when administration kicked in last October, Kellacher’s young side have lifted the team to above the watermark in recent months with more wins than defeats.
The Caley Jags went into this one against their fourth-placed visitors on the back of a 1-0 defeat to relegation play-off rivals Annan.
Inverness were also without goalkeeper Musa Dibaga, who is on World Cup qualifying duty after his first-team call-up for Gambia.
In his place was 18-year-old Celtic B keeper Aidan Rice, who came in for a one-game emergency loan.
Alloa, after successive 3-2 defeats to Arbroath and Queen of the South, were on the hunt for the victory in the Highlands to kickstart ensure they stay within the promotion play-off spots.
Classy finish to slick move by ICTFC
Inverness could not have asked for a better start as they opened the scoring after just eight minutes.
A neat range of passing led to Billy Mckay lining up Stewart for a calm, low drive past goalkeeper Peter Morrison.
Caley Thistle were the side asking all the questions, pressing for a second against the Wasps.
Rice got his first chance to show what he could do when he superbly pushed away a drive from Taggart on 25 minutes.
Alloa were gradually finding their feet and and turn and spin then shot by Luke Rankin was gathered without fuss by Rice.
Alloa level – then Mckay’s spot-kick is saved as contest hung in balance
Stewart almost doubled the scoreline four minutes into the second half when he was slotted through by Keith Bray and his powerful drive crashed off the inside of the post.
However, Alloa were the team to hit the net next as Taggart guided a backward header from a Kurtis Roberts cross past the diving Rice to spark away celebrations.
Caley Thistle had a great chance to regain their advantage when on-loan Kilmarnock player Ben Brannan was pushed in the box by Cameron O’Donnell.
Mckay took the ball to the spot, but watched his penalty superbly stopped by Morrison.
With 12 minutes to go, a cutting pass from James Nolan found Bray and his searing drive rattled off the crossbar, with Morrison beaten.
A second booking for Savage saw him trudge off. That led to Connall Ewan come on in place of Nolan to retain the four at the back.
Alloa almost left with three points when a counter attack finished with Conor Sammon poking the ball home, but the offside flag ensured parity.
Inverness hit the road to Dumfries to face Queen of the South next Saturday, with six games to go.
Caley Thistle v Alloa Athletic ratings
CALEY THISTLE (4-3-3): Rice 6, Nolan 6 (Ewan 86), Savage 6, Devine 7, Brannan 6, Mackinnon 8, Gilmour 6, Allan 6, Stewart 7, Mckay 6 (Robbie Thompson 90), Bray 7.
Subs not used: Rebilas (GK), Strachan, Walker, Sam Thompson, Cairns.
ALLOA ATHLETIC (4-2-3-1): Morrison 7, Waters 1 (Mackenzie 3) , Mckay 6 (Dewar 46), Devine 6, Taggart 7, Roberts 6, Scougall 6 (Sammon 83), Honeyman 6 (Buchanan 63), Donnelly 7 (Cawley 83), O’Donnell 6, Rankin 6.
Subs not used: Ogayi (GK), Neill, Thomson, Mullen.
Referee: Dan McFarlane.
Attendance: 1,665.
Man of the match: Adam Mackinnon.
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