Inverness and Celtic warmed up for their Scottish Cup semi-final showdown next weekend with a 1-1 draw at a blustery Tulloch Caledonian stadium, yesterday.
Returning Hoops striker Leigh Griffiths opened the scoring for the visitors in the third minute only for his Caley counterpart Edward Ofere to level just over a minute later.
Caley lost keeper Dean Brill, back in the side for the first time in 11 weeks after recovering from a knee problem, to a 15th-minute injury.
He was replaced by Ryan Esson who made a couple of game-saving stops to deny the Scottish Premiership leaders who went eight points clear of Aberdeen who play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park today.
The third-placed Highlanders laid down a marker for the cup semi-final clash at Hampden Park with some dogged defending, especially in the second half, although Celtic will look to improve in what is hoped will be better conditions at the national stadium.
A whirlwind start to the game saw both sides score before five minutes had elapsed.
Gary Warren was the only one back in the Caley defence when Griffiths raced on to a pass by Scott Brown and he did not very much at all to stop the Hoops’ striker firing a drive from 25 yards low past Brill and into the far corner.
It was a perfect start for the visitors.
But 90 seconds later the home side were level when David Raven’s shot was helped towards goal by Christie and blocked by Celtic defender Jason Denayer on the line but only to Ofere as the 29-year-old Nigerian forward hammered it in from close range.
Scottish Premiership
Dundee United-Hamilton - 1-0
Inverness CT-Celtic - 1-1
Partick Thistle-Motherwell - 2-0
St Johnstone-Dundee FC - 1-0
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Celtic | 31 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 64 | 15 | 73 |
| Aberdeen | 31 | 20 | 5 | 6 | 51 | 27 | 65 |
| Inverness | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 44 | 33 | 55 |
| Dundee Utd | 31 | 15 | 4 | 12 | 52 | 46 | 49 |
| St Johnstone | 33 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 29 | 32 | 48 |
| Dundee FC | 32 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 44 | 43 | 44 |
| Hamilton | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 42 | 48 | 43 |
| Partick | 33 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 41 | 38 | 38 |
| Kilmarnock | 31 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 33 | 40 | 38 |
| Ross County | 32 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 36 | 56 | 34 |
| Motherwell | 33 | 9 | 4 | 20 | 33 | 57 | 31 |
| St Mirren | 32 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 22 | 56 | 21 |
Playing today:
Kilmarnock vs Aberdeen - 13:15
Tomorrow:
St Mirren vs Ross County - 20:45
Scottish Championship
Alloa Athletic-Dumbarton - 3-0
Cowdenbeath-Livingston - 1-2
Playing today:
Hibernian vs Hearts - 15:15
Queen of South vs Falkirk - 16:00
Rangers vs Raith Rovers - 16:00
League One
Ayr United-Peterhead - 2-4
Brechin City-Stirling Albion - 2-1
Dunfermline-Stranraer - 1-0
Forfar Athletic-Airdrieonians - 2-0
G. Morton-Stenhousemuir - 3-2
League Two
Berwick Rangers-Clyde - 0-0
East Fife-Albion Rovers - 1-0
E. Stirlingshire-Montrose - 0-1
Elgin City-Arbroath - 2-1
Queen’s Park-Annan Athletic - 2-0