Report: ICT -V- St Mirren

Gnakpa Came So Close to Debut GloryInverness CT 0-0 St Mirren
Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League

A goalless stalemate in the Highlands as despite a flurry of chances, especially in a pulsating second half neither side could find a break through in this evenly matched affair.

Inverness made one change to the starting 11 from the side that beat Hearts last week with Ross Tokely replacing the injured Steve Williams and new signings Sam Winnall and Claude Gnakpa named in the substitutes. St Mirren also made one change from the side that were beaten by Celtic last week with Steven Thomson replacing Kenny McLean and an old face returned to the highlands in the shape of Dougie Imrie, this time wearing the black and white of the Buddies.

Sam WinnallIn a fairly uneventful first half Paul McGowan had a great opportunity to put the visitors in front after 15 minutes but his tame effort went straight at Ryan Esson.

Greg Tansey then blazed over from the edge of the box as the home side were struggling to test the fluorescent figure of Greg Samson.

St Mirren looked much more dangerous coming forward with McGowan and Carey both testing Esson from long range.

Esson then had to be alert to keep out Thomson's goal bound header 10 minutes before the break.

ICT did have a good chance to go in front at the break with Kenny Gillet, who was cruelly denied a first goal for the club last week, doing well to cut inside his marker but his shot failed to test Samson.

Half Time: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-0 St Mirren

Whatever Terry said to the players at half time seemed to have the desired effect as inverness came out all guns blazing with Tade and Foran both getting into good crossing positions but frustratingly no one was on the end of them.

Tade then missed a glorious chance minutes later, stretching to get onto the end of Jonny Hayes's cross but the Frenchman could only put his shot wide.

Nick Ross is Hong Kong Phooey!!!McGowan then passed up another great chance, this time receiving the ball in the box from Stephen Thompson's cutback but the former Celtic man dallied on the ball and once again his shot was straight at Esson.

Just over midway through the second half the new boys got their chance, both Winnall and Gnakpa replacing Sutherland and Tade. Gnakpa looked a threat everytime he got on the ball and he came agonisingly close to getting a debut goal but his shot hit the inside of the post and bounced out.

Both sides went in search of a late winner and it was Inverness who came closest with Nick Ross somehow turning Hayes's cross over instead of into the back of the net.

Full Time: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-0 St Mirren

On the balance of play possibly a fair result as Inverness stretch their unbeaten run to 7 games and with the green half of Glasgow coming North next week to defend their Scottish Cup crown hopefully ICT can have another fairytale story to write come next Saturday.

Report by: Jack Davis

	Post Match Interviews
Terry Butcher
Kenny Gillet

28th Jan 2012	Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
CLYDESDALE BANK SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Inverness CT	0 -
	TEAM: Esson, Tokely, Proctor, Gillet, Meekings, Hayes, Tansey, Ross, Foran, Tade (Winnall 70), Sutherland (Gnakpa 64)
	SUBS: Tuffey, G.Shinnie, Piermayr, Morrison, McKay
	Booked: Foran (34), Gnakpa (74), Tansey (76)
	Sent Off: None
St Mirren	0 -
	TEAM: Samson, van Zanten, Barron, Mair, McAusland, Tesselaar, Thomson (Teale 75), Carey (Murray 75), Imrie, Thompson, McGowan
	SUBS: Smith, Naismith, Mooy, Hasselbaink, Reilly
	Booked: van Zanten (69), Mair (85)
	Sent Off: None
Referee	Stephen Finnie
Attendance	3044