Inverness CT 5 - 3 Queen of the South

League Match
Saturday, November 16th, 2002, 3:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Attendance: 1,855
Referee: D MacDonald
Inverness CT  Queen of the South

Goalscorers
Paul Ritchie (6)
Barry Robson (pen.) (43)
Barry Robson (49)
Paul Ritchie (59)
Paul Ritchie (89)
O’Connor (37, 53)
O’Neill (pen 73)

Team Managers
Steve Paterson Unknown.

Starting Eleven
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Bobby Mann
Stuart Golabek
Barry Robson
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Richie Hart
Dennis Wyness
Paul Ritchie
Goram
Nielson
Anderson
Weatherson
Allen
Thomson
McColligan
Bowey
O’Connor
Lyle
Atkinson

Substitutes
Ally Ridgers
Stuart McCaffrey
Charlie Christie
Anthony Low
Liam Keogh
Shields
O'Neil
McLaughlin
Gray
Scott

Substitutions
Liam Keogh for Grant Munro (60)
Charlie Christie for Russell Duncan (60)
Anthony Low for Ross Tokely (71)
Shields -> O'Connor (58)
O'Neil -> Lyle (71)
McLaughlin -> Atkinson (74)

Bookings
None. Thomson
McColligan
Bowey
O'Neil

Red Cards
None. McColligan (48)
Weatherson (45)
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 18 apps -
Bobby Mann 149 apps12 goals
Ross Tokely 213 apps15 goals
Grant Munro 50 apps1 goal
Stuart Golabek 97 apps1 goal
Roy McBain 98 apps5 goals
Russell Duncan 57 apps1 goal
Barry Robson 143 apps20 goals
Richie Hart 16 apps5 goals
Dennis Wyness 133 apps69 goals
Paul Ritchie 61 apps30 goals
Liam Keogh (sub) 12 apps -
Charlie Christie (sub) 290 apps33 goals
Anthony Low (sub) 14 apps -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (23 years 259 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 107 days)
Average Player Age:23 years 259 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (23 years 259 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 107 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 67 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones
Grant Munro played his 50th major competitive game for the Club.
Paul Ritchie reached 30 goals for the Club.
Paul Ritchie reached 30 goals for the Club.
Paul Ritchie reached 30 goals for the Club.

Caley Thistle made it six wins in a row but all credit to Queens’ nine men who fought like terriers. Paul Ritchie scored the first of three in six minutes when he took a Dennis Wyness pass in the box and touched it past Andy Goram with a neat flick. Goram then touched over a low ball from Wyness and blocked a Roy McBain shot with his legs. Robbie Nielson made a strong run into the home area in 12 minutes but Barry Robson saved the day with a fine tackle. In 24 minutes Robson took a free kick from wide right and Ritchie’s low header went past the post. The Queens’ defensive formation stood up to Caley Thistle’s pressure then they scored on the break in 37 minutes. A header from the left was met by the raised foot of Sean O’Connor at the back post. The ball went into the net but the assistant referee had his flag up. All expected a free kick for a high boot but after consultation the goal was given. Goram tipped over a Robson long shot in 41 minutes then two minutes later McBain was bundled in the box and a penalty given. Robson blasted it past Goram for 2-1. A straight red card on the whistle saw Peter Weatherson off for a bad foul on McBain. A second yellow for diving sent Brian McColligan to the dressing room in 48 minutes then a magnificent 20 yard strike from Robson made it 3-1. It should have been an easy win after that against nine men but O’Connor scored from close range in 53 minutes, after a fine run by Derek Lyle, to reduce the deficit to 3-2. In 59 minutes Ritchie scored the fourth with a low angled shot from just inside the box after a fine pass from McBain. Liam Keogh hit the post in 66 minutes after intense pressure but Queens grabbed another lifeline in 73 minutes when Robson brought down Nielson to concede a penalty. John O’Neil had only just come on before he took the penalty and scored. Goram touched over a Bobby Mann free kick in 83 minutes. Queens just would not lie down and they set up a scramble following a corner with four minutes left – this could easily have led to a 4-4 scoreline but with a minute left Ritchie completed his hat trick. Robson drove the ball in from the left, Goram parried and Ritchie hit it into the roof of the net. A welcome three points, a hat trick for Ritchie, second place consolidated and an amazing match.

None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Falkirk 14 10 3 1 33 12 21 33
2. Inverness CT 14 10 1 3 36 12 24 31
3. Clyde 14 7 4 3 24 14 10 25
4. St. Johnstone 14 7 3 4 15 8 7 24
5. Ayr United 14 5 4 5 12 15 -3 19
6. St. Mirren 14 4 4 6 20 30 -10 16
7. Queen of the South 14 4 3 7 16 23 -7 15
8. Ross County 14 3 4 7 15 17 -2 13
9. Arbroath 14 2 4 8 11 25 -14 10
10. Alloa Athletic 14 2 2 10 6 32 -26 8