Inverness CT 3 - 2 Partick Thistle

League Match
Saturday, April 24th, 1999, 3:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Attendance: 3,246
Referee: B McGarry
Inverness CT  Partick Thistle

Goalscorers
Scott McLean (30)
Scott McLean (34)
Mark McCulloch (85)
Robert Dunn (27)
Robert Dunn (55)

Team Managers
Steve Paterson Tommy Bryce

Starting Eleven
Les Fridge
Richard Hastings
Paul Cherry
Mark McCulloch
Bobby Mann
Charlie Christie
Mike Teasdale
Barry Wilson
Paul Sheerin
Scott McLean
Duncan Shearer
Arthur
Hood
McKeown
Burns
Jamieson
Gaughan
Lauchlan
Connell
Dunn
Avdiu
McDonald

Substitutes
Iain Stewart
Martin Glancy
Gary Nicol
Johnston
McArthur
McCann

Substitutions
Iain Stewart for Duncan Shearer (75)
Gary Nicol for Barry Wilson (82)
Johnston -> Lauchlan (82)

Bookings
None. McDonald

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Les Fridge (GK) 30 apps -
Paul Cherry 104 apps14 goals
Richard Hastings 152 apps2 goals
Bobby Mann 11 apps -
Mark McCulloch 71 apps6 goals
Charlie Christie 155 apps25 goals
Paul Sheerin 57 apps16 goals
Mike Teasdale 133 apps12 goals
Barry Wilson 113 apps29 goals
Scott McLean 65 apps30 goals
Duncan Shearer 59 apps19 goals
Gary Nicol (sub) 4 apps -
Iain Stewart (sub) 125 apps73 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Richard Hastings (21 years 346 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Sheerin (2000 years 265 days)
Average Player Age:28 years 213 days
Domestic Players:10 (90.91 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Richard Hastings (21 years 346 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Sheerin (2000 years 265 days)
Average Player Age:28 years 256 days
Domestic Players:13 (92.86 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones
Scott McLean reached 30 goals for the Club.
Scott McLean reached 30 goals for the Club.

A hard fought match but a deserved victory for Caley Thistle. They were well ahead in the first half but Partick came back in the second and nearly snatched a draw. The home side took the game to Partick from the kick-off and in 8 minutes Paul Sheerin hit the bar. For the first 20 minutes Partick just held on then started to create chances. In 23 minutes Martin Lauchlan ran free on the left and collected a cross-field pass before boring in on goal. Les Fridge blocked the ball with his feet. A minute later it took three defenders to take the ball off Kemajl Avdiu then in 27 minutes Partick took the lead. A through ball found Robert Dunn free but apparently offside. The linesman did not agree and Dunn strode forward before hitting it past Fridge. On the half hour mark it was 1-1. Charlie Christie passed to Scott McLean in the box and he knocked it to Paul Sheerin but his shot was blocked and it fell to McLean who scored with a volley. Four minutes later a high ball out of defence from Mike Teasdale reached McLean in the Partick area. He controlled it well under pressure then turned and hit it low past the keeper. Before half time Caley Thistle could have scored more but shots went off target and Kenny Arthur was in good form. In 55 minutes Partick equalised through a Robert Dunn header after a Paul McDonald corner. In 59 minutes Avdiu drove down the left then sent a low ball across goal but nobody could take advantage. There were chances at both ends with one of the best being a Sheerin low drive in 74 minutes which Arthur held at the second attempt. In 80 minutes Fridge had to keep cool to take a fierce Bobby Mann pass-back on his chest. With 5 minutes left a Christie ball found Mann on the Partick bye-line and he headed back across goal and Mark McCulloch side footed it into the net to send the fans wild. This put Caley Thistle back on top of the league after Livingston were held to a draw at Stirling. Next weeks game at Livingston has the makings of a classic with the winner odds on to take the Championship.

Match report written by Ian Broadfoot



None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Inverness CT 34 21 8 5 76 43 33 71
2. Livingston 34 20 11 3 60 31 29 71
3. Clyde 34 14 8 12 41 39 2 50
4. Queen of the South 34 12 8 14 46 43 3 44
5. Arbroath 34 12 8 14 36 48 -12 44
6. Alloa Athletic 34 12 6 16 61 54 7 42
7. Stirling Albion 34 11 8 15 47 58 -11 41
8. Partick Thistle 34 11 6 17 33 43 -10 39
9. East Fife 34 11 6 17 39 60 -21 39
10. Forfar Athletic 34 8 7 19 47 67 -20 31