Match Report: ICTFC 4-0 Forres

Match Report: ICTFC 4-0 Forres

Three goals in the second half against Forres added gloss to a comfortable 4-0 win at home in the semi-finals of the North of Scotland Cup. As they had in previous games, ICTFC fielded a largely young team, sprinkled with experience in the forms of Jamie McCart, George Oakley, Riccardo Calder and Charlie Trafford.

They faced off against The Mighty Cans, knowing that a win would set up a final game against either Ross Country or Brora Rangers. It didn’t take long before the Caley Jags put themselves on their way to the final. Barely five minutes in, Daniel Mackay skipped past the opposition fullback and smacked a low cross to Roddy MacGregor. The attacker stooped low to nod in to the far corner of the net.

Throughout the rest of the first half, the home team probed to extend the score-line. A speculative long range shot from Mackay was hit from 25yards, but it failed to dip enough to threaten the goal. Two minutes later, George Oakley was fed through one on one with the keeper and managed to push the ball past him for a great opportunity, but his shot was blocked by a well-timed tackle and sent out for a corner.

Perhaps the home team hoped to have scored a second goal by the half time break, but the momentum certainly carried on at the start of the second half. The Caley Jags earned a corner on the right hand side and whipped it in for George Oakley to tee it up. A defender cleared the ball slightly, but with the goalkeeper off his line, Daniel Mackay was there to confidently volley the ball from 12 yards to finally extend the lead.

With the second goal scored, Forres tried to get back into the game by fashioning a chance on goal in response. At the 52nd minute, Captain Stuart Sloane tested Daniel Hoban with a close header that threatened but which was eventually smothered.

ICTFC eventually notched their third with George Oakley breaking the offside trap for a high defensive line. With the goalkeeper looming down, the Englishman cut a pass back to an onrushing Daniel Mackay, who notched his second of the night into an open net.

Not to be outdone, Jack Brown copied George Oakley ten minutes later by keeping onside to receive a cute through-ball. He rounded keeper and with the angles looking a little tight, he slipped a shot into the net. The final place was theirs.

The Caley Jags will now face either Ross County or Brora Rangers in the final, which is due to take place either on October 6th/7th.

ICTFC: Hoban, Hastings, Fyffe, McCart (C), Harper, Trafford (Gunn 64), Brown (Hyde 84), MacGregor, Mackay, Calder, Oakley (Kennedy 75).

Subs Unused: Mackinnon (GK), Nicolson, Harkness