Inverness CT 3 - 0 Arbroath

League - Championship
Saturday, March 12th, 2022, 3:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 2,149
Referee: Euan Anderson
Inverness CT  Arbroath

Goalscorers
Shane Sutherland (5)
Reece McAlear (11)
Billy Mckay (68)
None.

Team Managers
Billy Dodds Dick Campbell

Starting Eleven
Cameron Mackay
Robbie Deas
Kirk Broadfoot
Daniel Devine
David Carson
Reece McAlear
Sean Welsh
Aaron Doran
Joe Hardy
Shane Sutherland
Billy Mckay
Derek Gaston
Scott Stewart
Ricky Little
Thomas O'Brien
Colin Hamilton
Chris Hamilton
Jason Thomson
David Gold
Michael McKenna
Craig Wighton
Jack Hamilton

Substitutes
Mark Ridgers
Wallace Duffy
Cameron Harper
Tom Walsh
Lewis Hyde
Sam Pearson
Logan Chalmers
Austin Samuels
Nicky Low
Dale Hilson
Bobby Linn
Luke Donnelly
Sam Ford
Michael Bakare
Calum Antell
James Craigen

Substitutions
Wallace Duffy for Kirk Broadfoot (59)
Cameron Harper for Aaron Doran (60)
Tom Walsh for Joe Hardy (72)
James Craigen -> Scott Stewart (68)
Nicky Low -> David Gold (68)
Bobby Linn -> Michael McKenna (68)
Sam Ford -> Chris Hamilton (74)
Michael Bakare -> Craig Wighton (75)

Bookings
Aaron Doran (55)
David Carson (93)
Colin Hamilton (42)
Thomas O'Brien (55)
Jason Thomson (87)

Red Cards
None. Dick Campbell
Appearances & Goals To Date
Cameron Mackay (GK) 24 apps -
Robbie Deas 70 apps1 goal
Daniel Devine 142 apps5 goals
Kirk Broadfoot 35 apps2 goals
David Carson 82 apps1 goal
Reece McAlear 30 apps3 goals
Aaron Doran 319 apps50 goals
Sean Welsh 95 apps13 goals
Billy Mckay 187 apps80 goals
Shane Sutherland 152 apps17 goals
Joe Hardy 7 apps -
Cameron Harper (sub) 62 apps2 goals
Wallace Duffy (sub) 32 apps1 goal
Tom Walsh (sub) 97 apps14 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Reece McAlear (20 years 33 days)
Oldest Player:Kirk Broadfoot (37 years 225 days)
Average Player Age:28 years 40 days
Domestic Players:6 (54.55 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Lewis Hyde (19 years 245 days)
Oldest Player:Kirk Broadfoot (37 years 225 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 349 days
Domestic Players:12 (63.16 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

The spell is broken: A blistering start by Inverness put them on their way to a first win in 12 starts. Goals from Shane Sutherland and Reece McAlear set them on their way inside eleven minutes. Billy Mckay sclaffed in a third with twenty minutes to go and there was no way back for Arbroath who lost ground at the top of the table with Dick Campbell sent to the stands. As Partick Thistle lost to Morton, we closed the gap to two points behind them with Raith still one point behind us. Away to Rovers next week. That's a massive game now as both sides chase a play-off spot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inverness were without Allardice and MacGregor but Tom Walsh made the bench and Cammy Mackay continued in goal.

Without a win over the last eleven games, it was a pleasant surprise to see Shane Sutherland bundle the ball in after a corner was prodded down to him almost on the goal line. Great start for the hosts but a bit shoddy from the visitors as Aaron Doran's inswinging corner was knocked down by Billy Mckay from waist high three yards out

The second goal was well constructed by Sutherland and Carson who played a lovely one two on the right side before Carson slid a low ball into Reece McAlear. He took a touch and drilled the ball wide of Gaston who was probably unsighted and into the unguarded side of the goal.

Arbroath hit back and Cammy Mackay was fortunate when he appeared to guide a low shot from McKenna wide. It bounced off the base of the post and was missed by the incoming Jack Hamilton and Danny Devine before being cleared by Sean Welsh

Despite leading 2-0, Arbroath had plenty of possession but our defence were working well as a unit, and thus restricted the visitors to very few opportunities. Furthermore, we seemed intent on shelling cloudbursting balls forward to a couple of vertically challenged personnel in Billy Mckay and Joe Hardy.

Half Time: 2-0

Into the second period and Sean Welsh passed up a tremendous chance to make it three. Great work down the right saw Sutherland, Mckay and Hardy combine to set up Welsh twelve yards out. He took a touch then volleyed just over the bar when he really should have scored.

Undaunted, we scored a third when Sutherland lofted a ball onto the edge of the box and Billy Mckay held off the defenders to dribble a left footer into the bottom corner. Good goal or sclaff? It mattered not but that was the one that took the wind out of the Smokies sails.

Thereafter we saw out the game without too much hassle over the last twenty minutes with Tom Walsh getting a run out and he looked composed which helped take the sting out of Arbroath.

I said to my grandkid's "that was an emphatic win" At only seven years old, Ava said "granda, what does win mean?" Yes, it's been a long time coming.

Shane Sutherland was the MotM with Reece McAlear, Billy Mckay and David Carson helping the cause more than most and another confident performance from Cammy Mackay in goal. Good to see Walsh looking lively when he entered the fray.

Another massive game next week in the context of trying to gain a play off place as we visit Starks Park. The table shows how tight it is for the final slot.

Match report written by tm4tj



None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Kilmarnock 29 16 5 8 39 20 19 53
2. Arbroath 29 13 12 4 40 22 18 51
3. Partick Thistle 28 12 9 7 41 26 15 45
4. Inverness CT 29 11 10 8 38 27 11 43
5. Raith Rovers 29 10 12 7 35 34 1 42
6. Morton 29 8 10 11 32 39 -7 34
7. Ayr United 29 8 8 13 30 43 -13 32
8. Hamilton Academical 29 7 11 11 31 45 -14 32
9. Queen of the South 29 6 8 15 29 42 -13 26
10. Dunfermline 28 4 13 11 26 43 -17 25