Ayr United 5 - 1 Inverness CT

League Cup - Quarter Final
Wednesday, November 28th, 2001, 7:00 PM at Somerset Park
Attendance: 2,710
Referee: D McDonald
Ayr United Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Grady (12)
Robertson (16)
McGinlay (56)
Annand (77, 83)
Ross Tokely (9)

Team Managers
Gordon Dalziel Steve Paterson

Starting Eleven
Craig Nelson
Craig McEwan
Paul Lovering
John Robertson
John Hughes
David Craig
Gary Teale
Pat McGinlay
James Grady
David Moss
Paul Sheerin
Nicky Walker
Ross Tokely
Bobby Mann
Stuart McCaffrey
Charlie Christie
Mike Teasdale
Barry Robson
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Dennis Wyness
Paul Ritchie

Bench
Marvyn Wilson
Eddie Annand
Brian McLaughlin
Lee Sharp
John Dodds
Jim Calder
Stuart Golabek
Graeme Stewart
David Bagan
Martin Bavidge

Substitutions
Wilson -> Moss (61)
Annand -> Grady (75)
McLaughlin -> Sheerin (81)
None.

Bookings
Craig (59)
McGinlay (63)
Wilson (80)
Ross Tokely
Charlie Christie (60)
Dennis Wyness (63)

Red Cards
None. Ross Tokely (11)
Appearances & Goals To Date
Nicky Walker (GK) 12 apps -
Bobby Mann 109 apps10 goals
Ross Tokely 175 apps9 goals
Stuart McCaffrey 56 apps -
Charlie Christie 256 apps32 goals
Barry Robson 102 apps13 goals
Russell Duncan 17 apps1 goal
Mike Teasdale 218 apps19 goals
Roy McBain 61 apps4 goals
Dennis Wyness 91 apps44 goals
Paul Ritchie 21 apps12 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (22 years 271 days)
Oldest Player:Nicky Walker (2003 years 119 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 96 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (22 years 271 days)
Oldest Player:Nicky Walker (2003 years 119 days)
Average Player Age:33 years 37 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Ayr completed a five day league and cup double over Caley Thistle with this convincing win. It started so well for the visitors when Ross Tokely headed them into the lead in nine minutes from a Barry Robson corner but Tokely's world fell apart a minute later. He was red carded for a retaliation incident with Pat McGinlay and it was an uphill struggle after that. The remaining 10 players put heart and soul into the match but Ayr took only two minutes to take advantage of the extra man. James Grady hit a low ball from outside the area wide of the diving Nicky Walker to equalise. Four minutes later a Paul Sheerin corner from the right was flicked on by John Hughes and John Robertson hit home for 2-1. Charlie Christie was brought down in 23 minutes but Bobby Mann's 30 yard free kick was saved by Craig Nelson. Walker then saved from Gary Teale and David Moss but it was Caley Thistle who created more chances for the rest of the half. The final touch was not there and it remained 2-1 at half time. Ayr had an excellent spell at the start of the second half and it was no surprise when they extended their lead. The third goal nearly came in 50 minutes when a Teale corner came off Stuart McCaffrey and onto the bar but the pressure did pay off six minutes later. Moss set up McGinlay who dummied Walker then chipped into the net. Caley Thistle did not give up but the task was nearly impossible. In 62 minutes a Mann free kick went just past with Nelson rooted to the spot then Hughes blocked a Roy McBain shot and Nelson saved from Robson. The forward pressure left gaps at the back and these began to be exploited by Ayr. Teale intercepted a clearance in 77 minutes and the ball reached substitute Eddie Annand via Sheerin and he hit it into the roof of the net to kill the game. Walker diverted a Brian McLaughlin shot onto the bar in 82 minutes before Annand scored the fifth a minute later. Before full time Annand had netted twice more but he was yards off side and on one occasion four Ayr players were in offside positions as the tired Caley Thistle legs left blank spaces in defence when most of the team were searching for goals. The dream of a cup semi-final place was over and disappointed fans were left wondering what would have happened with 11 players on the park for 90 minutes.

Match report written by Ian Broadfoot