Darren Hynes -> Michael Ledger (59)
Reece Lyon -> Jamie Brandon (59)
Alexander Easdale -> Iain Wilson (81)
Lewis McGrattan -> Robbie Muirhead (81)
Gary Oliver -> Gary Oliver (85) |
Tom Walsh for Aaron Doran (49)
Cameron Harper for Austin Samuels (66)
|
Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Reece McAlear (20 years 75 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Kirk Broadfoot (37 years 267 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 27 years 96 days |
| Domestic Players: | 7 (63.64 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Lewis Hyde (19 years 287 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Kirk Broadfoot (37 years 267 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 272 days |
| Domestic Players: | 11 (68.75 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
Job Done: Inverness opened the scoring half an hour in through Roddy MacGregor with a low shot into the bottom corner from eighteen yards. It was a half of few chances. The second half was similar to the first with chances at a premium, Tom Walsh maybe could have done better on the break but overall Inverness did enough to secure third place with both Partick and Raith also winning. Partick should remain fourth with a superior goal difference to Raith. Morton find themselves safe but Queen of the South are officially relegated with Ayr and Dunfermline battling for the drop zone play-off place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who would get the job done today? We fluffed our lines in midweek once more against a bottom side as we went down 2-1 at Palmerston. Morton have eased themselves away to the top edge of the relegation zone and are virtually safe, but, like us, will be looking for points to ensure they get the job done without relying on others. Kilmarnock are now confirmed as Champions and Arbroath await the winners of third/fourth place play-off.
Billy Dodds was without recent scoring sensation Logan Chalmers (five in five), Shane Sutherland and Danny Devine who took a head knock at Palmerston. Long throw specialist and tenacious left back Lewis Strapp returned to the Morton starting XI after injury with Gozi Ugwu and Gavin Reilly the big dangers up front.
Billy Mckay got the game underway and with less than sixty seconds on the clock, captain Sean Welsh gave away a free kick in a dangerous position and was yellow carded. Cameron Blues free kick was on target but gathered comfortably by Mark Ridgers.
Both teams probed for an opening in the first ten minutes and Aaron Doran almost got a good connection with his head on an inswinging ball into the box from David Carson, the ball bouncing wide for a goal kick.
Doran then fed Austin Samuels into the box with a perfectly weighted ball but the striker wasted a great opportunity with an extra touch that ruined his prospects.
Ridgers pushed away a ball that bounced through on goal with Ugwu almost getting his head on it.
An excellent deep corner from Doran caused some concern in the Morton box but the hosts were able to clear their lines midway through the first half. A long ball forward saw Robbie Deas lash a left foot shot wide from the left side of the box.
From a throw in on the right Inverness opened the scoring. Roddy MacGregor was given all the space he needed to stroll across the front edge of the box before drilling a low shot into the bottom right corner of Hamilton's net. Great strike!
Morton responded with a couple of corners and Ridgers punched clear under pressure.
A great burst forward by David Carson ended with Billy Mckay lobbing the keeper. Unfortunately he lobbed it over the bar as well onto the roof of the net.
Morton fashioned their third fourth and fifth corner of the game after some sloppy defending but were unable to capitalise as the interval arrived.
Half Time: 0-1
Morton wasted an early free kick opportunity and from that Inverness broke forward through substitute Tom Walsh, but he ended up toe poking the bal goalwards and Wilson blocked as Walsh ran out of steam.
Morton were awarded yet another free kick approaching thirty yards from goal and Muirhead just missed the target with a dipping effort.
One hour gone and Morton were starting to apply a bit of pressure as Dougie Imrie was carded, presumably for some vocals.
Tom Walsh volleyed into the arms of Jack Hamilton with the Inverness player slightly off balance and at the other end some last ditch defending cleared the visitors lines.
A scrappy period of play with twenty minutes left littered with loose passes and petty fouls ended with Hamilton having to make a good save from a Robbie Deas header off Reece McAlear's curling free kick.
Lewis Strapp's long throw-ins were a constant menace to the visiting defence but with ten minutes left they were still coping well with that threat.
Mckay saw a shot deflected just over as Inverness saw out the game comfortably to secure third place.
A needless late free kick for Morton saw Mark Ridgers save a header and that was the last action as the game came to an end.
Full Time: 0-1
Match report written by tm4tj
