Annan Athletic
|
Inverness CT
|
Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
Youngest Player: | Alfie Bavidge (18 years 287 days) |
Oldest Player: | Billy Mckay (36 years 97 days) |
Average Player Age: | 24 years 70 days |
Domestic Players: | 5 (45.45 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
Youngest Player: | Alfie Stewart (18 years 176 days) |
Oldest Player: | Szymon Rebilas (2026 years 176 days) |
Average Player Age: | 22 years 277 days |
Domestic Players: | 11 (61.11 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
3-0 on the Road
Wullie Gibson has a couple of absentees in defence with Rhys Breen and Scott Hooper out, but left back Rico Quitongo will be added to the squad for todays game. Unfortunately, Tommy Goss will require more detailed surgery after his pre-op showed more work required to tidy up his knee injury and striker Aiden Smith is suspended. Scott Kellacher once again went with Alfie Bavidge up front with Billy Mckay. Alfie Stewart started on the bench. With seven points separating the clubs before kick-off, this was a vital game to avoid defeat if we wanted to reel in Annan and aspire to climb out of the relegation zone.
A dull first half was interrupted by a goal and it was no surprise that it took forty minutes to open the scoring. Alfie Bavidge with his second goal in his second game made it 0-1 at the interval. Keith Bray doubled our advantage just after the break with a header and a late penalty won by Alfie and scored by Billy Mckay ended the scoring and brought us three points closer to Annan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul Allan had an early opportunity but he missed the target and Luis Longstaff brought out the first save of the game when Jamie Smith denied him from distance after a couple of minutes. It wasn't long before Musa Dibaga got a touch on the ball saving from Charlie Maxwell as Annan responded. Not much to shout about in the opening exchanges as Paul McGowan shot over approaching midway in the first half. Player manager Wullie Gibson earned his wages with a couple of great challenges and blocks to deny Paul Allen's effort from crossing the line. Around the half hour, Inverness missed a clutch of chances with Allen, Billy Mckay, Adam Mackinnon and Danny Devine all off target. Luca Ross was denied by Dibaga as Annan came out of their half before the interval but two minutes later the Caley Jags took the lead, and once again it was loan signing Alfie Bavidge that broke the deadlock after Longstaff sent in an inviting cross having made space for himself on the left wing, Alfie heading in from close range at the back post. Two in two for young Bavidge. He tried his luck with another couple of speculative efforts just before the break but never made the keeper work.
HALF TIME: 0-1
The Longstaff - Bavidge combination forced keeper Smith into action just after the restart with Smith saving Alfie's header. Four minutes after the interval the visitors doubled their lead when Keith Bray headed home Paul Allan's corner kick into the bottom corner. The Dunfermline loanee's corner kicks are becoming the stuff of legend. It had been a great start to the second half from the Caley Jags and Allen fired over before Bavidge was again denied by Smith with an excellent save. Dibaga kept out an effort from Quitongo ten minutes from the end but it was the visitors that were in control. The result was put beyond any doubt with three minutes remaining when Billy Mckay scored from the spot after Bavidge was tripped whilst skinning the defender. Billy drilling his spot kick down the middle when the keeper moved to his left. Game over!
What a result on the road and just what we needed as we clawed our way to within touching distance of Annan in eighth place. Alfie Bavidge has made a huge impact since coming in on loan and that's Billy Mckay's first goal since August 31st when he scored the winner against Queen of the South. That's his 114th goal for the Caley Jags and great to see him back on the scoresheet.
FULL TIME: 0-3
Match report written by tm4tj