As you were, then.

Honours even. The route to Hampden for St Mirren will go through Inverness, and as soon as this Tuesday night. There is to be a replay in three days' time after a match more meaty than magical, more doughty than dazzling, and in which fittingly both goals were scored by big centre-halves.

Referee Calum Murray let a lot go, enraging both of sets of fans and making for an intense, physical contest.

In the second half St Mirren conceded a throw-in - except they hadn't, as Callum Ball clearly did not have the last touch.

Saints' manager Tommy Craig howled in fury from a few yards away. Then, as play restarted, Ross Draper threw himself in high on Isaac Osborne. Free kick, but he had already been booked; he had to walk and should be suspended for Tuesday.

Craig said he was encouraged by small signs of progress, but admitted: "They were better than us the second half. Their football was very, very good."

St Mirren could have few real complaints on a day when they welcomed captain Steven Thompson back from injury. Pre-match, the crowd cheered his name, and the veteran striker had fiery words of encouragement for each team-mate as they lined up. John McGinn, too, was back, but as important was the return of Osbourne to midfield; he added steel and composure and let Kenny McLean play further up.

One McLean burst into the box nearly doubled his side's lead, but the midfielder could only fire wide. Thompson was rusty, but won rousing applause when he was replaced by Ball.

The hosts' opener came from a mix-up between David Raven and Dean Brill. What should have been a simple header back ended up as a corner. McLean swung the ball in, it was cleared then swung back in again by Jason Naismith. Marc McAusland darted in at the near post to scuff the ball home.

In reply, Inverness's James Vincent deftly jinked past two players just inside his own half and played it wide for David Raven. He crossed it for Vincent arriving in the box, but Vincent shot straight at the keeper.

Inverness were without Greg Tansey and Marley Watkins, suspended after being sent off against Dundee United in this competition in early March. They did okay without them, especially in the second half, creating chances, but just not for the right players.

Danny Williams and Ryan Christie - twice - took aim from long range, but were off-target.

But the worst culprit by far was Raven. First, sneaking in unmarked at the far post, he could only stab wide. Later he ballooned another effort high and ugly.

The equaliser arrived around the hour mark, Mark Ridgers failing to collect a cross led to a goal-mouth stramash after a corner in which nearly everyone had a swipe. Draper hit the post and another couple of shots were blocked before Josh Meekings fired low to the goalkeeper's left.

"I don't think Dean Brill's had a save to make, really," said John Hughes, the Inverness manager. "A couple of things whizzed past the post. We gave them a poor goal. We just weren't quick enough, slick enough. But the most important thing is we're still in there."

For three days, at least.