Report: ICT -V- Dons

Doran Returns from InjuryInverness CT 0-2 Aberdeen
Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League

Perhaps the only thing to come out of this game will be that at some point, it is bound to feature in a sports quiz as the game where the away side had one shot on target, didn’t score from it and came away with a two nil win. In a season where fans at Caledonian Stadium have endured rather than enjoyed, this was the nadir. It left fans, players and the manager mystified about just how Caley Thistle managed to contrive this defeat.


Terry Butcher sees these players every day, impressing in training and giving promise that redemption is only just around the corner and yet a curious malaise overcomes them at home games.

Foran takes it on the chin!!!Yet the first half was notable for the welcome sight of a fully recovered Jamie Langfield making a string of saves from Tade, Hayes and McKay, created fairly easily by a home side passing well but creating little.

Perhaps the exception to this was Aaron Doran, returning after a long absence who flashed a couple of efforts close enough to have Langfield scrambling. Williams, however, came closest after rifling a crisp shot past Langfield that was ruled out for offside.

Half Time: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-0 Aberdeen

The occupants of the stands had barely time to finish their Bovril when the deadlock was broken in bizarre fashion, Golobart dispatching a headed clearance past a horrified Jonny Tuffey. At that point, it became clear that Inverness would require a major change in focus to turn this around, and their inability to do this led to frustration that could be felt. Inverness had a good shout for a penalty when McGennis upended Tade on the border of the box, and appeared to be last man, but Hayes blasted the ball high into the stand. Sutherland and Ross came on to replace McKay and Tade. McKay had struggled after a first half knock, and Aberdeen’s McGennis had got the measure of Tade so the attacking focus had to shift. To no avail. If anything, the frustration increased in intensity, epitomised by Richie Foran being yellow carded for, as my granny would have said “losing the scone” at being flagged offside, when he clearly started his run from his own half. David Proctor replaced the disappointing Hayes as Williams charged up front.

Tade nailed on the edge of the areaAs Inverness pressed for an increasingly desperately needed equaliser, their afternoon descended into high farce. The rumbustious McGennis somehow muscled his way through the central defence in exactly the spot where Williams had patrolled and battered a shot which Tuffey did well to parry. What he couldn’t legislate for was that the ball then nestled in his net after all, as it cannoned back off the shins of a hapless Kenny Gillet.


Nick Ross, Owain Tudur Jones and Shane Sutherland all came off the bench, but too late in the latter two’s case to influence the outcome. It finished in obvious and unbridled delight for Hibs, but Inverness must now be eyeing the post-split fixture list with little relish and hoping that summer rolls along and rebuilding can continue. MOTM was Greg Tansey for his penalty, passing and vision.

Full Time: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-2 Aberdeen

Inverness need an injection of calm and belief before the next trip to Kilmarnock, and with Dunfermline drawing yesterday, three points would be welcome. Still, there’s always a dress rehearsal for the highland derby on Sunday for Munro and Duncan’s testimonial, which will hopefully draw a decent crowd. Any bets on a win? 

Report by: Davie Balfour

21st April 2012	Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
CLYDESDALE BANK SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Inverness CT	0 -
	TEAM: Tuffey, Meekings, Williams, Golobart, Gillet, Tudur-Jones, Hayes (Proctor 88), Foran, Tade (Ross 64), McKay (Sutherland 62), Doran
	SUBS: Mathieson, Piermayr, Morrison, Winnall
	Booked: Foran (82)
	Sent Off: None
Aberdeen	2 - Golobart (og.46), Gillet (og.89)
	TEAM: Langfield, Reynolds, Considine, Arnason, Fallon (Smith 54), Fyvie, Magennis, Jack (Clark 78), Megginson (McArdle 70), Anderson, Rae
	SUBS: Rogers, Mawene, Fraser, Masson
	Booked: Jack (36), Considine (39), Magennis (61)
	Sent Off: None
Referee	S McLean
Attendance	3487