Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ben Brannan (19 years 30 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Billy Mckay (37 years 134 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 345 days |
| Domestic Players: | 7 (63.64 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Ben Brannan (19 years 30 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Billy Mckay (37 years 134 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 49 days |
| Domestic Players: | 13 (65.00 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
| Alfie Stewart played his 50th major competitive game for the Club. |
Just like the olde days
The Caley Jags headed to Somerset Park as massive underdogs in the KDM Trophy semi-final despite a Head 2 Head advantage of played 53, won 24, drawn 17 and lost just 12. Aye, those were the days when beating Ayr United was a regular occurrence. The boot is on the other foot now with Ayr sitting fourth in the Championship whilst we sit top of league1 with aspirations to reach the Championship for the start of next season. Both clubs have done well to reach the semi-final of the Challenge Cup. Ayr put Championship leaders St Johnstone out at the quarter final stage whilst Inverness put Stenhousemuir out at the same stage. Our big scalp was Partick Thistle in the previous round. George Oakley scored twice against St Johnstone and we know all about him. Oakley and McKenzie start up front for Ayr who have Ben Summers cup-tied and Dowds, Dempsey, Rus, Murphy, Ure and Watret all out injured. Inverness appear to have made six changes to the team that started against Stenhousemuir at the weekend with top scorers Alfie Bavidge and Chanka Zimba on the bench alongside Captain Danny Devine, Calum MacLeod, Liam Sole and Alfie Stewart.
Inverness stunned their hosts by marching into the KDM final after beating Ayr United 2-1 thanks to an excellent double from Jordan Alonge who scored one in each half. Everton loanee George Finney levelled before the interval but it was a relatively assured performance from the League1 side that saw them move into the final where they will face either Airdrie or Raith Rovers who face off tomorrow night.
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Inverness got the game underway but it was Jude Bonnar that dragged the first effort wide. A good ball forward from Ben Brannan offered a chance for Alonge but he mis-controlled and the chance disappeared. First corner to the visitors after a Paul Allan free kick was headed behind by the Ayr defence. Second and third corner came and went without troubling the keeper. Some neat touches by both sides in the early exchanges. A good turn by Oakley off a lofted ball into the box saw the striker get his shot away on the left side of the box but Ross Munro was well positioned to save comfortably at his near post. Munro was forced into pushing a shot round the post after a poor clearance from the keeper himself, Bonnar with the shot. The first save of note. Shortly after, Inverness opened the scoring when two great balls forward from Paul Allan then Longstaff played Alonge into the box and his powerful low shot beat the keeper from the right side to find the back of the net. It would have been two a few minutes later when Billy Mckay shot for the bottom corner only for keeper Max Thompson to dive full length to fingertip the ball just the wrong side of the post. Ayr levelled all too easily when they went forward on the left for McKenzie to clip the ball into the box for Finney to net. Longstaff zipped a low shot just wide as Inverness came forward again. Close, but no cigar. Munro was creating our own problems after a few rushed clearances, but we got away with them. Been a good first half from the Highlanders who ended the first 45 on the front foot.
HALF TIME: 1-1
Ayr replaced a Bonnar with a Dick at the break as they looked to change it for the second half but it was Billy Mckay that got a shot away on the turn but it lacked the power to trouble the keeper. A bit of a scramble in the Ayr box as we had two or three efforts blocked by a frantic defence five minutes into the second period. Luis Longstaff looked a constant menace to the hosts with his quick feet as we controlled the pace of the game. A rare venture forward saw Ethan Walker try his luck from distance but the low shot was easily gathered by Munro. A great burst forward through the middle saw Alonge feed Paul Allan who played a deft back heel flick across the box that almost put Mckay in on goal but for Max Thompson who dived headlong at his feet to grab the ball brilliantly. Clear chances were hard to come by with an hour played but anything positive was now coming from the visitors. Alonge was enjoying himself now and some ball wizardry saw him burst forward towards the Ayr box before being crowded out. Another superb ball forward by Brannan saw Mckay scampering forward down the left wing but once again Max Thompson did really well to get to the ball first and block. Very little coming from Ayr in an attacking sense as we entered the final twenty minutes with Bavidge and Sole now on the park. A good interception, run and cross by MacIntyre almost picked out a player in blue on the edge of the Ayr box as we looked dangerous again. Jordan Alonge sealed the win with a superb downward header off a pinpoint cross from MacIntyre with ten minutes remaining after he climbed highest in between two defenders. Late in the game Liam Sole looked to be a lucky man as he forced his head onto an Ayr player but the referee fortunately chose to ignore it and play continued. As it was, we played out the game comfortably and can now look forward to a Cup Final.
FULL TIME: 1-2
Caley Jags deservedly ease into the final at Somerset Park thanks to a brace from Man of the Match Jordan Alonge!!!
Match report written by tm4tj
