Inverness CT 1 - 1 Livingston

League Match
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018, 3:00 PM at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 2,239
Referee: Greg Aitken
Inverness CT  Livingston

Goalscorers
Aaron Doran (6)
Alan Lithgow (82)

Team Managers
John Robertson David Hopkin

Starting Eleven
Mark Ridgers
Coll Donaldson
Gary Warren
Brad Mckay
Joe Chalmers
Charlie Trafford
Iain Vigurs
Aaron Doran
Liam Polworth
Jake Mulraney
George Oakley
Neil Alexander
Alan Lithgow
Craig Halkett
Declan Gallagher
Jackson Longridge
Shaun Byrne
Josh Mullin
Nicholas Cadden
Raffaele De Vita
Scott Pittman
Dylan Mackin

Substitutes
Ryan Esson
David Raven
Riccardo Calder
Alex Cooper
Nathan Austin
John Baird
Connor Bell
Nikolay Todorov
Matthew Knox
Scott Robinson
Dale Carrick
Gary Maley

Substitutions
Riccardo Calder for Jake Mulraney (45)
David Raven for Joe Chalmers (58)
Nathan Austin for Aaron Doran (70)
Dale Carrick -> Nicholas Cadden (58)
Nikolay Todorov -> Josh Mullin (66)
Scott Robinson -> Dylan Mackin (66)

Bookings
Iain Vigurs (36)
Liam Polworth (36)
Riccardo Calder (81)
Declan Gallagher (41)
Craig Halkett (84)

Red Cards
Iain Vigurs (43)
None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Ridgers (GK) 23 apps -
Brad Mckay 53 apps3 goals
Gary Warren 201 apps18 goals
Joe Chalmers 25 apps -
Coll Donaldson 17 apps -
Aaron Doran 177 apps22 goals
Charlie Trafford 14 apps -
Iain Vigurs 124 apps20 goals
Jake Mulraney 53 apps -
Liam Polworth 140 apps13 goals
George Oakley 23 apps5 goals
Riccardo Calder (sub) 20 apps2 goals
David Raven (sub) 187 apps5 goals
Nathan Austin (sub) 1 app (debut) -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Jake Mulraney (21 years 277 days)
Oldest Player:Gary Warren (33 years 147 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 215 days
Domestic Players:6 (54.55 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Connor Bell (21 years 176 days)
Oldest Player:Ryan Esson (37 years 298 days)
Average Player Age:26 years 203 days
Domestic Players:9 (50.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts
Nathan Austin(Signed January 1st, 2018)

Milestones

Time for Vigurs to grow up: For the third game in a row, Inverness were reduced to ten men after Iain Vigurs got a second yellow for an attempted overhead kick. However it was the circumstances surrounding the first yellow that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth and something our talented midfielder needs to grow out of. Many felt that his sending off changed the game. We were leading 1-0 at the time after Aaron Doran drilled in the opener, but Livi levelled in the second half when Alan Lithgow headed home unchallenged.

John Robertson made a few changes to the starting XI, some enforced and some to freshen up the side. Carl Tremarco missed out through suspension and Colin Seedorf through injury. John Baird paid the price for his lack of goals and George Oakley started. Connor Bell made way for Aaron Doran and captain Gary Warren returned to the defence. Brad Mckay was the right back and Joe Chalmers filled Tremarco's boots. Nathan Austin began on the bench with David Raven who would make his last home appearance for the Caley Jags later in the game when Chalmers had to leave the field through injury.

It all started so well for Inverness and Aaron Doran scored in the sixth minute with a low shot placed beyond the keeper from within the left side of the box.

It was starting to look good for the hosts and a Doran cross/shot bounced off the crossbar as we searched for a second goal.

Liam Polworth was booked for fouling Josh Mullin in the 36th minute. Iain Vigurs poked his nose in and was also foolishly booked and that would lead to his dismissal later in the game, just before the break.

Gary Warren had a header saved as we pressed hard then in the 43rd minuted after a scramble in the Livi box Vigurs was shown a second yellow followed by a red for his attempted overhead. The Livi defender doing the dying swan act obviously caught the referee's attention and that was sufficient to see Vigurs head for an early bath.

Livi were nowhere to be seen in the first half, but that sending off would change the shape of the game and ultimately the outcome.

Half Time 1-0

Robbo reacted at the interval by removing Jake Mulraney and fitting Ricardo Calder in at left back and moving Joe Chalmers into the space vacated by Vigurs' departure. That would change again when Chalmers had to leave the field and Raven ended up at left back with Calder moving into midfield.

Down to ten men for the third game in a row is something that Robbo needs to look into and the flow of the game began to swing towards Livi now as we reshuffled.

However, we still looked dangerous on the break and should have scored a second when Trafford burst into the box only for his cross to fall awkwardly for Doran and the moment passed without him getting a clean shot away.

Livi were seeing plenty of the ball but most of their crosses were mopped up by the home defence and keeper Mark Ridgers.

Just when it looked as though we might hold out for all three points, Livi equalised. Raven and Calder combined to give away a free kick on the Livi right. When Raffaele De Vita swung in the ball it was Lithgow who climbed first to head past Ridgers as our defence watched on.

Liam Polworth almost scored after the restart when he gathered a ball just outside the box but his curled effort just shaved the side netting on it's way past the post with the keeper beaten.

We did manage another couple of moments around the visitors box after the introduction of Nathan Austin who seems to have the ability to drift past defenders as if they were not there.

Surprisingly, we almost lost the game in injury time when Dale Carrick skied a shot over when it looked much easier to at least hit the target and thus endeth the match.

Full Time 1-1

Iain Vigurs needs to have a word with himself. Having an abundance of skill is no use to anyone when you are taking an early bath. There is no doubt in my mind that his sending off cost us two points and the chance to climb the table next week.

Nathan Austin looks a tasty addition and Aaron Doran took his goal well. Mark Ridgers was fairly comfortable all afternoon and will be disappointed in the defence at the goal. Chalmers went off injured as well and that will be another midfielder missing for the next game with Vigurs needlessly out. David Raven played his final home game coming on around the hour and got a good send off at the end as the fans chanted his name.

Difficult to pick a MotM in this one with so many playing in unfamiliar roles. I'll go for Gary Warren who returned to the heart of the defence and made some crucial tackles and blocks as Livi used their extra man to good effect late in the game.

However, it's not a point gained but two dropped when others around us were drawing, so Vigurs, think about your actions next time for the good of the team and not your own inflated ego. You let your team mates down today. If I'm honest, it's not just today as he has been booked far too many times for petulant immature actions all too often.

Tough game next week away to St Mirren who were held to a 1-1 draw by Morton today.

Match report written by tm4tj



None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. St. Mirren 20 13 3 4 38 23 15 42
2. Dundee Utd 19 12 3 4 29 17 12 39
3. Livingston 18 8 6 4 29 23 6 30
4. Dunfermline 19 8 5 6 36 24 12 29
5. Queen of the South 19 7 6 6 32 27 5 27
6. Inverness CT 19 6 6 7 22 22 0 24
7. Dumbarton 19 4 8 7 15 25 -10 20
8. Falkirk 18 2 8 8 12 29 -17 14
9. Brechin City 19 0 3 16 15 45 -30 3