Inverness gave their Scottish Championship play-off prospects a boost by beating 10-man Ayr 2-1 at Somerset Park.

The visitors went into the game on the back of a six-match winless run in the league but are now just five points behind Morton in fourth while faltering Ayr, without a victory in four, slipped to fifth.

Ayr took the lead in the 12th minute, Dipo Akinyemi converting Daire O’Connor’s delivery across the face of goal to notch his 19th goal of the season.

But Inverness levelled seven minutes later through captain Sean Welsh after Jay Henderson’s free-kick fell into his path.

The home side were reduced to 10 men just before the half-hour mark when O’Connor was sent off for a challenge on Wallace Duffy.

Inverness made the numerical advantage count 16 minutes from time when Henderson met Nathan Shaw’s cross at the back post.