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Robbie Muirhead gives visitors early lead

Edward Ofere taps in equaliser

Danny Williams volleys Inverness in front

Caley Thistle seven clear in third place

Inverness Caledonian Thistle strengthened their grip on third place as they came from behind to beat Dundee United.

The visitors took the lead when keeper Ryan Esson's kick went straight to Robbie Muirhead, who lobbed home.

However Edward Ofere tapped in Marley Watkins' cut-back before Danny Williams thumped in a brilliant volley.

Inverness now lead both United and St Johnstone by seven points with three games remaining.

A win for John Hughes' side away to Dundee on Saturday would seal qualification for next season's Europa League for the first time.

That would leave Jackie McNamara's United with only fourth place to fight for, and even then they would need Inverness to win the Scottish Cup final on 30 May to join the Highlanders in Europe.

It took just two minutes for United to take the lead. Muirhead finished into the unguarded net from around 40 yards after Gary Warren's back-pass got stuck on the wet surface and Esson's hurried clearance failed to get past the in-form striker.

Muirhead, who scored his first goal for the Terrors in Saturday's 1-0 win over Aberdeen, was in the mood and soon hit the crossbar before Esson clawed away another effort from the 19-year-old.

Greg Tansey shot over as Inverness came back into the contest, and the equaliser arrived when Graeme Shinnie's driving run opened up space for Watkins, whose square ball gave Ofere a simple tap-in.

Shinnie also played a pivotal role as Inverness took the lead.

The Inverness captain's cross was cleared only as far as Williams, who rocketed the ball into the net on the volley beyond Radoslaw Cierzniak.

From an Inverness free-kick, Watkins out-muscled his opponent and sent the ball across for Ofere who knocked the ball wide as the home side started the second half well.

Watkins put a header wide for Inverness and at the other end Nadir Ciftci shot wide under pressure from Ross Draper.

Henri Anier might have equalised after good play down the left from Chris Erskine. The Estonian's first shot was blocked but his second was blasted over the bar.

Muirhead's dangerous ball caused problems for Josh Meekings who miscued the ball and almost turned it into his own net.

The visitors, inevitably, piled the pressure on but time ran out with goalkeeper Esson rarely troubled.

Robbie Muirhead gave Dundee United an early lead

Edward Ofere pulled Inverness CT level before Danny Williams put the home side in front

Things got heated between Jaroslaw Fojut and Edward Ofere (right)