Inverness CT 1 - 0 Ross County

Challenge Cup Match
Tuesday, August 26th, 2003, 7:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Attendance: 2,631
Referee: W Young
Inverness CT  Ross County

Goalscorers
Steven Hislop (49)
None.

Team Managers
John Robertson Unknown.

Starting Eleven
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Bobby Mann
Stuart Golabek
Stuart McCaffrey
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Richie Hart
David Bingham
Paul Ritchie
Steven Hislop
Stewart
McCunnie
MacKay
Tait
Malcolm
McCulloch
Rankin
Hannah
Higgins
Hamilton
Winters

Substitutes
Michael Fraser
Grant Munro
David Proctor
Darran Thomson
Lewis MacKinnon
Bayne
Gethins
O'Donnell
Cowie
Fridge

Substitutions
Darran Thomson for David Bingham (87)
David Proctor for Steven Hislop (89)
Bayne -> Higgins (54)
Gethins -> Hamilton (65)
O'Donnell -> Winters (77)

Bookings
None. Hannah
Malcolm

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 50 apps -
Stuart Golabek 127 apps2 goals
Stuart McCaffrey 109 apps2 goals
Ross Tokely 245 apps17 goals
Bobby Mann 176 apps16 goals
Richie Hart 43 apps11 goals
Roy McBain 129 apps5 goals
David Bingham 6 apps2 goals
Russell Duncan 79 apps1 goal
Steven Hislop 20 apps7 goals
Paul Ritchie 91 apps41 goals
David Proctor (sub) 4 apps -
Darran Thomson (sub) 4 apps -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (24 years 177 days)
Oldest Player:David Bingham (2005 years 25 days)
Average Player Age:24 years 177 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:David Proctor (19 years 178 days)
Oldest Player:Lewis MacKinnon (2005 years 25 days)
Average Player Age:21 years 360 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones
Mark Brown played his 50th major competitive game for the Club.

Steve Hislop scored his fifth goal of the season against his former club to earn Caley Thistle a place in the semi-final of the Bell’s Cup. This was the first time that these teams had met in a national cup competition and the game was played at a fast pace from the start. David Bingham’s fifth minute header was held by Colin Stewart then the ‘keeper saved a low Roy McBain shot. At the other end Mark Brown held a long shot from John Rankin in the tenth minute. Seven minutes later Brown dived to collect a curling Rankin free kick which he saw late. In 27 minutes a chip over the defence set up a Bingham chance but he elected to pass to Hislop in space - he was tackled before shooting. A Hislop low shot was well stopped by Stewart in 31 minutes then Brown came out of goal to tackle Sean Higgins after a short back pass had created danger. In 36 minutes neat play between Paul Ritchie and Bingham set up a Ritchie shot but his angled effort was touched away by Stewart. It remained 0-0 at half time despite plenty of home pressure and only an occasional threat from County. The winning goal came four minutes after the break and it was almost identical to the crucial goal against St Johnstone. A Bingham backheeler set Hislop on an angled run goalwards – from eight yards he hammered it low past Stewart. County had a chance in 58 minutes but Brown saved Jordan Tait’s shot. Brown also did well in 66 minutes to hold an angled ball from substitute Graham Bayne. Stewart Malcolm handled in 73 minutes but the referee deemed it accidental. In 76 minutes a second goal looked like coming when a Hislop ball reached Ritchie ten yards out – he took it first time but his volley came off the bar. County pressed hard in the closing stages but achieved little. With a minute left Stephen O’Donnell tried a long range strike but it flew over the bar. The two added minutes dragged for the home fans but time ran out for County.

None.