Last updated on .From the section Football

Ten-man Inverness Caledonian Thistle recorded a valuable league win against a below-par St Mirren in Paisley.

Caley's Greg Tansey netted from the spot after Marc McAusland fouled Billy MacKay inside the penalty area just before half-time.

Shortly after the restart Ryan Christie was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

St Mirren were unable to make the extra man advantage count and remain without a single point at home all season.

First-half opportunities were scarce, although Saints midfielder Kenny McLean fired wide of Dean Brill's left-hand post.

McKay's strike was ruled offside, but the match was brought to life in the 25th minute when John McGinn attempted an audacious 30-yard effort which Brill watched fly a couple of yards over his crossbar.

Things then began to became a little feisty, with Caley's Marley Watkins, Ross Draper and Josh Meekings all cautioned by Willie Collum in a 12-minute spell and Saints' full-back Jason Naismith also having his name taken before the interval.

The subsequent free-kick almost led to the breakthrough as Tansey's dangerous delivery into the Saints box was met by McKay but his header flew wide.

Moments later and it was the Paisley men who threatened with Callum Ball unlucky with a looping effort.

McKay, looking for his first goal since the opening day of the campaign, was thwarted shortly afterwards as Marian Kello got down well to block his next attempt.

Thomas Reilly was next to be cautioned as the number of bookings began to tot up.

Then, three minutes before the break, referee Collum left most in attendance dumbfounded by pointing to the spot after spotting a shove by McAusland on McKay.

The Saints skipper was booked and up stepped Tansey to coolly slot the ball past Kello into the bottom right-hand corner.

After the interval, the referee booked James Marwood before Ryan Christie received a second yellow card, this time for a challenge on McGinn, resulting in the visitors playing the remaining 40 minutes with 10 men.

Ten minutes later and McGinn was unlucky not to draw the Buddies level when he was denied by Brill, who produced a fine save.

A well-worked corner 14 minutes from time caught the home defence off-guard, with Inverness substitute James Vincent flicking the ball into the path of McKay. But the Northern Ireland international's drought in front of goal continued as Kello came out to block his attempt.

Despite a late penalty claim for handball against Carl Tremarco, the home team never really came close to finding an equaliser.