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Inverness CT
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Airdrie United
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Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (24 years 238 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Bobby Mann (2005 years 86 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 28 years 67 days |
| Domestic Players: | 11 (100.00 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (24 years 238 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Darran Thomson (2005 years 86 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 28 years 67 days |
| Domestic Players: | 16 (100.00 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
| Paul Ritchie played his 100th major competitive game for the Club. |
David Bingham and Steve Hislop ensured that the Bell�s Cup came to Inverness � a fitting celebration of ten seasons in the Scottish League. Caley Thistle went into the game as favourites but Airdrie put up a good fight and could easily have been in the lead at half time. Close on 3000 fans made the trip south despite the earlier pessimism about the size of the travelling support and they were not disappointed. Caley Thistle dominated the early part of the game but could not make the breakthrough. Richie Hart had a 25 yard shot blocked in the third minute then Barry Wilson flicked the ball neatly past Sandy Stewart before sending over a cross that was cleared for a corner. A good move between Bingham and Hart in 13 minutes set up Wilson in the box � his first effort was blocked then the follow-up went wide. The pressure on Airdrie continued and they did well to survive a series of five corners in the 17th and 18th minutes. Airdrie began to push forward and Alan Gow made a good solo run in 27 minutes but hit wide. A Jerome Vareille drive in 34 minutes cannoned off Stuart Golabek for a corner then Mark Brown held a glancing header from Mark Roberts. Vareille nearly opened the scoring in 37 minutes but Brown pushed his close range shot onto the bar � it could have gone anywhere but it came down kindly for Brown and the danger was over. In 52 minutes Bingham was brought down 25 yards out and Bobby Mann�s on-target free kick was held high by Mark McGeown. Substitute Hislop added a new dimension to the Caley Thistle attack over the last half hour and McGeown had to be alert to take his close-range flick in 62 minutes. Hislop headed past from a corner in 70 minutes after a low Wilson shot was deflected past. Airdrie�s defence finally cracked in 79 minutes. Hislop swung over a cross from the right and Man-of-the-Match Bingham rose high to head past McGeown. Wilson chipped onto the bar from an acute angle in 82 minutes but the game was put beyond Airdrie�s reach a minute from time when Hislop made it 2-0 and took the title of the tournament�s top scorer. It was a solo effort made all the more difficult as his shirt was being held by Marvyn Wilson as he headed for goal. He still managed to hit a low ball into the corner of the net from close range. Airdrie had one final attack in injury time but Brown took the ball off the feet of David Dunn. There was no way back for Airdrie and the final whistle went. Bobby Mann collected the cup and the team went to salute their fans. For John Robertson and Donald Park this was a proud moment � a major honour after only ten months in charge of the team.