Eric's bundle of joy:
Substitute Eric Odhiambo kept Inverness' unbeaten away run going with a late equaliser at Ibrox after Maurice Edu had given Rangers the lead early in the first half with a thumping shot after mis-controlling the ball. With nine minutes left, Eric Odhiambo bundled the ball home to square the match. Richie Foran and Jonny Hayes spurned great opportunities to take all three points up the A9 and Rangers keeper Alan Macgregor kept the score down with the save of the day from Foran's downward header as Butchers boys looked very accomplished on the big stage. The late leveller was no more than Inverness deserved after soaking up some first half pressure from the home side, and displayed some attacking options of their own in the second half with Jonny Hayes shredding the defenders at will.
Unbeaten spoiled the Unblemished at Ibrox as Rangers dropped their first points of the season to Inverness. Rangers were looking to head towards a 112 year record start to the season, and Inverness were looking to preserve a proud unbeaten away record stretching back to the heady days of the first division last November. Something had to give and it was the Gers faultless start that came to an end.
Rangers lined up with McGregor restored to the gloves, and a back line of Broadfoot, Weir, Bougherra and the unfortunate Papac (more later). The midfield saw Davis, McCulloch, Weiss and Edu, with Lafferty and the prolific Miller up front. The visitors started with one change from the Kilmarnock game which meant that McCann replaced Odhiambo and went in at right back which allowed Stuart Duff to bolster the midfield alongside Russell Duncan. Youngsters Graeme Shinnie and Nick Ross started and new dad Grant Munro and Ross Tokely were the centre backs. Jonny Hayes (see Papac) and Richie Foran were the providers for a lone Adam Rooney. Who else but the magnificent Ryan Esson kept goal for ICT and he made a number of important saves blocks and interceptions throughout the game.
By kick off a vocal Caley Thistle support were on their seventeenth rendition of “Caley Thistle Champions”, no doubt aided by the pre-match aperitif’s in Brechins, one of Govan’s finest hostelries, and even the Immortal Howden Ender made it back to Ibrox in time for kick off, this time with his tickets in his pocket. Hemmed in to the wee triangle in the corner, the four hundredish away fans were creating more atmosphere than 43,000 bears. Naelifts turned up looking for trouble, but as he pointed out, what’s the problem.
Inverness kicked off in bright sunshine on a lush Ibrox pitch and started the game briskly forcing Rangers onto the back foot. Just when the away support thought we had settled the better, Rangers broke the deadlock with an unusual goal to say the least. A probing ball into the edge of the box found Edu in between the defenders, he tried to bring the ball down but missed it, however, to his delight, when he recovered from his embarrassment, the ball was still there, right in front of him and he lashed an unstoppable shot high past a diving Esson into the keepers top left corner. Brilliant finish, but a somewhat fortuitous break for Rangers, and despair for Inverness who had matched the champions up to that moment. Rangers were now on the ascendancy and Esson stopped a Miller effort after a brisk run at the Inverness defence. More home pressure saw Weir and Lafferty head harmlessly wide. Richie Foran was booked after catching scorer Edu with a tough challenge on the halfway line, the Rangers player failing to shrug off the knock staying in the dressing room at half time, along with Weiss. With Rangers being unable to shake off Inverness, the visitors grew in confidence and the tricky pocket rocket Jonny Hayes was about to start his own Halloween on the unsuspecting Papac. As half time approached the Highlanders began to encroach on the Rangers half of the field and this was to be the theme for the second half. Almost on half time, Adam Rooney smuggled the ball from Weir and almost made them pay for slackness at the back, but the ball broke away from him for a goal kick.
Half Time: Rangers 1-0 Inverness CT.
With the start of the second half, you could sense a change in presence. Inverness began confidently and Weir and Foran clashed in the box before young Nick Ross saw the headlines in front of him as he lashed a volley wide. Naismith and Fleck were the Rangers replacements at half time. The influential Steven Davis came close for Rangers as they looked to kill off the Highland uprising, but as play was now raging from end to end Alan McGregor stole the show with an outstanding save. Jonny Hayes turned Papac inside out and sat a cross up for Foran to meet as he raced into the box. His downward header was text book, but McGregor foiled him as he threw an arm upwards to tip the ball over the bar. From the resultant corner, Foran again looked to score but he shot wide from an angle into the side netting. Esson tipped a Fleck shot over as the game raged on but it was at the other end that the goal came. Foran who had come alive in the second half dispossessed Broadfoot and after some neat interplay laid the ball into the box where substitute Odhiambo produced his own bundle of joy as he rolled the ball through McGregor for a deserved equaliser. Cue a rendition of “that’s why we’re champions” breaking out from the shoehorned Inverness supporters, some who even bared their chests, what a Dude. No more than Inverness deserved and they could have snatched it at the end had Papac’ Nemesis Jonny Hayes not tried for glory instead of squaring the ball. Another teasing run saw him drive into the box and from an acute angle he tried to do the difficult thing and curve it into the far corner, however the ball drifted just over. In a frenetic finish both teams tried to get the winner, but a draw was the final outcome.
Full Time: Rangers 1-1 Inverness CT.
No failures for Inverness. Grant Munro produced the goods on and off the park and he gets my vote for MoM, ably assisted by Rossco at the heart of the defence. Jonny Hayes was an absolute star as he mesmerised Papac, who will still be unwinding today.
Great support in midfield and everyone played their part, with Duff being one of the coolest players on the park, and youngsters Ross and Shinnie showing why the future is bright, the future is Caley Thistle. As I said, no failures, only shining stars, so a Blue Peter Badge for everyone, including the supporters and referee.
Match report written by tm4tj
