Inverness CT 3 - 0 Ross County

League Match
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, 7:45 PM at Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 5,411
Referee: S. MacDonald
Inverness CT  Ross County

Goalscorers
Richie Foran (13)
Eric Odhiambo (16)
Johnny Hayes (40)
None.

Team Managers
Terry Butcher Derek Adams

Starting Eleven
Ryan Esson
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Stuart Golabek
David Proctor
Russell Duncan
Lee Cox
Johnny Hayes
Adam Rooney
Richie Foran
Eric Odhiambo
McGovern
Miller
Morrison
Scott
Boyd
Keddie
Gardyne
Kettlewell
Di Giacomo
Brittain
Vigurs

Substitutes
Kyle Allison
Nauris Bulvitus
Robert Eagle
Daniel Stratford
Dani Sanchez
Malin
Barrowman
Craig
Smith
Watt

Substitutions
Dani Sanchez for Eric Odhiambo (71)
Robert Eagle for Adam Rooney (82)
Daniel Stratford for Johnny Hayes (86)
Watt => Kettlewell (50)
Craig => Gardyne (53)
Smith => Vigurs (82)

Bookings
Johnny Hayes (6)
Adam Rooney (25)
Vigurs (40)
Craig (86)

Red Cards
None. Keddie (13)
Appearances & Goals To Date
Ryan Esson (GK) 65 apps -
Stuart Golabek 253 apps5 goals
David Proctor 128 apps8 goals
Ross Tokely 511 apps33 goals
Grant Munro 323 apps11 goals
Lee Cox 39 apps2 goals
Russell Duncan 318 apps9 goals
Johnny Hayes 38 apps9 goals
Adam Rooney 76 apps26 goals
Richie Foran 52 apps14 goals
Eric Odhiambo 29 apps4 goals
Robert Eagle (sub) 21 apps3 goals
Daniel Stratford (sub) 19 apps1 goal
Dani Sanchez (sub) 35 apps6 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Lee Cox (19 years 282 days)
Oldest Player:Eric Odhiambo (2011 years 243 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 345 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Lee Cox (19 years 282 days)
Oldest Player:Adam Rooney (2011 years 243 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 345 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Perfect Storm:

Caley Thistle took a huge leap closer to the league title tonight with a 3-0 victory over Ross County.

For the first time this season, ICT are now clear in top spot and no longer need the chasing pack to lose or draw their games in hand to maintain that position.

Destiny is now in our own hands...  

Caley Thistle have taken a huge leap closer to the league title tonight with a 3-0 victory over Ross County (whilst Dundee were going down 2-1 to the Pars at East End Park).

A Perfect Storm

Inverness gained some revenge for dismal showings earlier in the season when they trounced Ross County 3-0. The game was over as a contest before tea break as goals from Richie Foran, a Jonny Hayes super assist for Eric Odhiambo, and Jonny on his own sent the upstarts from over the bridge homewards tae think again.

The weather caused some concern for the officials, who had threatened to call off the game if the severe weather conditions caused the match to degenerate into a farce. The wind was the main culprit and the driving sleet, hail and snow flurries were just a sideshow, as the game did descend to a farce, but for different reasons.

County were reduced to ten men when Alex Keddie was adjudged to have taken out Richie Foran as he bore down on goal. He was red carded for his troubles, although those of a dark blue persuasion will tell you otherwise.

The game started amid scenes from a holocaust type movie, the vicious wind driving the elements horizontally across the park towards the A9. The full effects of the weather not so evident until you went for your half time cuppa.

The opening exchanges were tit for tat as both teams probed for an opening. Foran had the first notable effort on target as he forced McGovern into a diving save from the right side after he fired from a slight angle, the keeper parrying the ball round the post for a corner. Number thirteen proved to be the County’s downfall as Keddie was given a straight red for his challenge on Foran, much to the chagrin of the Dingwall hordes behind the goal. One minute later, when the dust had settled, Foran took the resultant free kick and from 19 yards he nestled the ball behind a diving McGovern, with the aid of a slight deflection. Up stepped little Jonny a couple of minutes later, our very own pocket rocket. He had been harshly booked in the sixth minute for clattering Morrison, but he produced some tantalising wing play as he danced a fandango on the right wing, before laying the ball onto Eric’s boot and he made no mistake from close range, burying the ball behind an exposed keeper.

County were in disarray, their promotion dreams evaporating in a blur of anti-football and it was no surprise when a rampant ICT notched a third before the break. Lee Cox, who was having a superb derby, won the ball in midfield and threaded through super sprinter Jonny Hayes darting towards the spot where Keddie was missing from. He showed a clean pair of heels to the floundering pack and delightfully curled the ball behind the outstretched keeper from the edge of the box. That old cliché about boxing matches was coming back to haunt the County management.

Half Time: 3 (three) – 0

If the first half was the climax, then the second was an anti-climax, as Inverness were prepared to sit on their lead and not push forward in a gung ho fashion. A fifth consecutive clean sheet was on the cards and our defence coped well with the meagre offerings that County scraped together. We still found time and space to hit on the break and squandered a couple of great chances to put them to the sword. Eric skiffing the top side of the post when he tried to chip a close range ball home, but it drifted agonisingly wide in the hurricane. Even the lights blinked in amazement at that miss.

Lee Cox tried his luck with a long range strike, but McGovern earned his corn with a great save. Rooney almost scored as he raced in on goal, but he lifted his lob onto the roof of the net when he should have done better. Look away Ian Stewart. The last close shave was when Munro rolled a ball across the six yard box, unfortunately and inexplicably, about four ICT players left it for everyone else and the chance was wasted.

Full Time 3-0

This was just the result that Inverness had been looking for. What a difference a week makes as Inverness have turned a four point deficit into a four point lead at the top of the table. For County, who have been having their best season yet, the fixture schedule was starting to take its toll and they looked a tired lot at the final whistle. Still, they have a semi-final game to look forward to at Hampden and I am sure they will enjoy that. But this game was about trying to win promotion to the SPL, and so far, wilsononourwing has got it spot on, he believed when all those round about him scratched their heads and looked at him as if he were mad. Fifteen games unbeaten now, whereas Dundee are in freefall and County look to be finding it hard going with their small squad. Queens are still hanging on and the Pars are not out of it yet.

The fat lady has not sung her song yet, but I’m sure I can hear her humming!

Tm4tj MoM There were quite a few contenders for this accolade. The defence never put a foot wrong and snuffed out County, even with the threat of Andy Barrowman warming the bench. The strikers were once again playing great on a miserable night. Richie Foran, sorely missed in the Dingwall derby showed his class and energy, Adam Rooney ran the channels again, and could have added to his seasons tally, and little Jonny showed us why he has a sing song in the home stands, with a mickey taking performance. Russell Duncan once more put himself about, but this week, his understudy usurped him, and Lee Cox probably had his finest moments tonight as he broke up play, tackled ferociously, pushed forward, and had a rasper of a shot bang on target, and but for McGovern’s save it would have been a stunning goal. So, take a bow Lee Cox, you are my MotM.

Match report written by tm4tj



None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Inverness CT 30 15 10 5 53 28 25 55
2. Dundee 30 13 12 5 40 30 10 51
3. Dunfermline 31 14 7 10 46 38 8 49
4. Ross County 27 12 8 7 37 33 4 44
5. Queen of the South 27 12 7 8 41 30 11 43
6. Partick Thistle 30 12 5 13 41 36 5 41
7. Raith Rovers 26 8 7 11 26 33 -7 31
8. Morton 29 10 1 18 30 50 -20 31
9. Ayr United 28 6 10 12 25 38 -13 28
10. Airdrie United 28 4 7 17 27 50 -23 19