Inverness CT 2 - 0 Elgin City

League Cup - Group F
Tuesday, July 15th, 2025, 7:45 PM at Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 1,296
Referee: Stewart Luke
Inverness CT  Elgin City

Goalscorers
Billy Mckay (36)
Luis Longstaff (39)
None.

Team Managers
Scott Kellacher Allan Hale

Starting Eleven
Ross Munro
Ross Millen
Remi Savage
Matthew Strachan
Daniel Devine
Paul Allan
Calum MacLeod
David Wotherspoon
Joe Chalmers
Luis Longstaff
Billy Mckay
Thomas McHale
Miko Vartanen
Jack Murray
Connal Ewan
Dylan Ross
Ryan Sargent
Ross Draper
Mark Gallagher
Jack MacIver
Josh O'Connor
Kane Hester

Substitutes
Logan Ross
Sam Thompson
Sam Nixon
Archie Kerr
Jordan Alonge
Robbie Thompson
Alfie Stewart
Ben Corner
Liam Sole
Tom Ritchie (GK)
Lyall Booth
Noah McDonnell
Oliver McDonald
Dylan Gavin
Daniel Fraser
Lewis Hyde
Brian Cameron
Liam MacDonald

Substitutions
Liam Sole for Joe Chalmers (69)
Alfie Stewart for David Wotherspoon (77)
Robbie Thompson for Billy Mckay (84)
Jordan Alonge for Ross Millen (84)
Lyall Booth -> Dylan Ross (60)
Lewis Hyde -> Mark Gallagher (60)
Oliver McDonald -> Ryan Sargent (60)
Brian Cameron -> Josh O'Connor (74)
Dylan Gavin -> Kane Hester (77)

Bookings
None. Miko Vartanen (42)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Ross Munro (GK) 1 app (debut) -
Ross Millen 1 app (debut) -
Daniel Devine 255 apps10 goals
Remi Savage 60 apps2 goals
Matthew Strachan 27 apps -
Paul Allan 35 apps6 goals
Joe Chalmers 97 apps6 goals
Calum MacLeod 29 apps1 goal
David Wotherspoon 12 apps5 goals
Luis Longstaff 66 apps5 goals
Billy Mckay 337 apps118 goals
Alfie Stewart (sub) 19 apps3 goals
Robbie Thompson (sub) 38 apps -
Jordan Alonge (sub) 1 app (debut) -
Liam Sole (sub) 1 app (debut) -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Calum MacLeod (19 years 165 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (36 years 275 days)
Average Player Age:27 years 273 days
Domestic Players:7 (63.64 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Archie Kerr (17 years 151 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (36 years 275 days)
Average Player Age:24 years 240 days
Domestic Players:14 (70.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts
Ross Millen(Signed June 19th, 2025)
Ross Munro(Signed June 17th, 2025)
Jordan Alonge(Signed July 3rd, 2025)
Liam Sole(Signed July 7th, 2025)

Milestones

Off to a winning start in the League Cup.

Scott Kellacher made a late loan signing with a familiar face returning to the Caledonian Stadium in young Alfie Stewart. He comes back to us on a six month loan along with another well known face in ex-player David Proctor; now a qualified physiotherapist, Welcome back guys. Alfie was on the bench with Doc Proc in the dugout.

With Elgin City taking advantage of the loan partnership co-operation with Aberdeen, they immediately bolstered their squad for tonight's Premier Sports Cup tie against the Caley Jags. 17 year old Left-back Dylan Ross started and central defender Noah McDonnell also 17 made the bench (He must be a joiner). No room for James Mercer though. Ross Draper took his place in the visitors starting XI with Lewis Hyde on the bench.

A warm night in the Highland capital saw the first chance fall to Calum MacLeod but his shot was wide to the left. His next effort was saved low down by the keeper. Shortly after this Mathew Strachan's cross found Luis Longstaff in the box but his header was too high. Ross Draper saw his header saved as Elgin came out of defence and Longstaff had another header blocked before Paul Allan's shot was cleared off the line and David Wotherspoon's follow up was blocked. Half chances at both ends and around the half hour Jack MacIver hit the woodwork from twenty yards with a fierce effort to deny Elgin the opener. However, Billy Mckay did open the scoring minutes later from a tight angle after the visiting defence failed to clear their lines properly when Wotherspoon was blocked by Ross Draper. Longstaff added a second five minutes before the break knocking in from Strachan's cross. Elgin forced a couple of corners as the interval approached but Ryan Sargent headed over as the first half came to a close. Not much in it at the break, but it's Inverness that have the goals.

HALF TIME: 2-0

Kane Hester got a shot away early in the second half with Ross Munro saving before a flurry of activity around the visitors box saw Billy Mckay's effort blocked with Wotherspoon firing over and Strachan also being blocked. Munro saved from substitute Lyall Booth, spreading himself well and Hester blasted wide when put through towards goal just before he was substituted. The inevitable spate of second half substitutions broke play up and play became untidy but with three minutes remaining two of the subs combined with Jordan Alonge heading over a tempting ball in from Liam Sole.

That ended the action and Inverness kick started their League Cup campaign with a hard fought but ultimately comfortable win over auld enemies Elgin City.

FULL TIME: 2-0

Match report written by tm4tj



None.