Inverness CT 1 - 1 Ayr United

Scottish Cup - Rd 3
Saturday, January 7th, 2006, 3:00 PM at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 2,126
Referee: Kevin Toner
Inverness CT  Ayr United

Goalscorers
Rory McAllister (52)
Wardlaw (52)

Team Managers
Craig Brewster Mark Shanks

Starting Eleven
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Stuart Golabek
Stuart McCaffrey
Darren Dods
Barry Wilson
Russell Duncan
Liam Fox
Alan Morgan
Dennis Wyness
Rory McAllister
McGeown
McKinstry
Ramsay
McLaughlin
Baillie
Casey
Hyslop
Robertson
Vareille
Wardlaw
Conway

Substitutes
Michael Fraser
David Proctor
Richie Hart
Liam Keogh
Craig Dargo
Phillips
Strain
Cashmore
Reid
Templeton

Substitutions
Craig Dargo for Dennis Wyness (75)
Richie Hart for Liam Fox (77)
Reid -> Hyslop (76)
Cashmore -> Wardlaw (81)
Strain -> Vareille (87)

Bookings
Liam Fox (48)
Darren Dods (57)
Stuart Golabek (74)
Craig Dargo (84)
Richie Hart (90)
Baillie (38)
Wardlaw (53)

Red Cards
None. none
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 158 apps -
Stuart Golabek 216 apps5 goals
Stuart McCaffrey 166 apps6 goals
Ross Tokely 345 apps24 goals
Darren Dods 53 apps1 goal
Russell Duncan 169 apps4 goals
Liam Fox 25 apps5 goals
Alan Morgan 13 apps1 goal
Barry Wilson 254 apps71 goals
Dennis Wyness 175 apps83 goals
Rory McAllister 12 apps1 goal
Richie Hart (sub) 123 apps15 goals
Craig Dargo (sub) 21 apps8 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (26 years 312 days)
Oldest Player:Rory McAllister (2007 years 160 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 141 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:David Proctor (21 years 313 days)
Oldest Player:Rory McAllister (2007 years 160 days)
Average Player Age:27 years 198 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones
Rory McAllister scored his first goal for the Club.

Rory McAllister got his first senior goal for the club in this Scottish Cup match against Ayr United. Unfortunately for Caley Thistle, Gareth Wardlaw equalised only a minute later and a replay will be required in 10 days time. Ian Broadfoot reports from the stadium on this match.

Caley Thistle have had more than their share of cup glory but this time it was Ayr who were the over-performing underdogs - no cup scalp but close.

Craig Brewster's 50th game in charge did not quite go according to plan. He made five changes to rotate the squad but the new formation never really got to grips with the second division side.

Ayr had two players suspended and therefore had to make changes themselves. Despite this they played well and their game plan worked - defend in depth and attack on the break.

Rory McAllister scored his first senior goal but it was cancelled out within a minute and in the end Ayr more than deserved a draw.

Liam Fox was first to go for goal in four minutes when his 18 yard dipping volley was tipped over by Ayr 'keeper Mark McGeown. Ayr's lively Paul Hyslop sent a dangerous cross over from the right in 11 minutes and it reached Craig Conway at the back post via the boot of Darren Dods - Conway could only hit wide but it was a chance gone.

Mark Brown saved a curling Conway shot two minutes later then a Rory McAllister drive was deflected and held by McGeown. Barry Wilson ran clear down the right in 20 minutes with McAllister in support - Wilson chose to pass inside to McAllister but by this time defender James McKinstry had raced back to intercept.

Wilson hit over the bar in 35 minutes then a goalmouth scramble led to shots from Dennis Wyness and McAllister being blocked.

Half Time: 1-1

Ayr came out in the second half with confidence and in 49 minutes a Hyslop run and shot was beaten out by Brown. Caley Thistle finally carved out an opening goal in 52 minutes. Ross Tokely crossed from the right and it fell for Wyness a yard out - he only had to tap in but somehow he scooped it onto the bar. First to react was Rory McAllister and he chipped into the net from eight yards.

The lead lasted just a minute. Virtually from the kick-off Gareth Wardlaw raced through the centre and hammered a low ball past Mark Brown from 18 yards. The small but vocal Ayr support raised the roof in the south stand and the home fans were stunned. After that it could have gone either way.

A low hard shot from Liam Fox was blocked in 69 minutes then Stuart McCaffrey's follow-up header was held high by McGeown. The last period was hectic. Brown saved from Andy Reid with 12 minutes left then Jonathan Baillie and Jerome Veraille both hit over the bar.

Stuart Golabek had a golden chance to take the tie with five minutes left. Wilson crossed low from the left, Craig Dargo dummied and Golabek hit past the post from a good position six yards out.

An Ayr fan celebrated prematurely with three minutes left - a solo pitch invasion and a half-streak. It was clearly too cold for the real thing but, with shorts left on, he was led away by two policemen.

There were five added minutes and the home side pushed forward. Nothing came off and Ayr managed to take play into the Caley Thistle half for the last couple of minutes - they held the ball in the bottom left corner and this was enough to see out most of the remaining time. The last kick of the ball was a Golabek lob into the Ayr box which McGeown took easily.

It is now down to Ayr on the 17th for a tricky replay.

Match report written by Ian Broadfoot



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