Inverness CT 0 - 5 Dundee Utd

Scottish Cup - Q-Final
Sunday, March 9th, 2014, 12:30 PM at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 3,146
Referee: William Collum
Inverness CT  Dundee Utd

Goalscorers
None. Nadir Ciftci (16)
Nadir Ciftci (28)
Gavin Gunning (pen.36)
Gary Mackay Steven (49)
Stuart Armstrong (57)

Team Managers
John Hughes Jackie McNamara

Starting Eleven
Dean Brill
Josh Meekings
Gary Warren
David Raven
Graeme Shinnie
Aaron Doran
Greg Tansey
James Vincent
Marley Watkins
Richie Foran
Billy Mckay
Radoslaw Cierzniak
Keith Watson
Gavin Gunning
Sean Dillon
Andrew Robertson
Paul Paton
John Rankin
Stuart Armstrong
Ryan Dow
Gary Mackay-Steven
Nadir Ciftci

Substitutes
Ryan Esson
Daniel Devine
Carl Tremarco
Nick Ross
Liam Polworth
Ryan Christie
Danny Williams
Calum Butcher
Brian Graham
Mark Wilson
John Souttar
Marc McCallum
Morgaro Gomis
Farid El Alagui

Substitutions
Liam Polworth for Richie Foran (60)
Danny Williams for Aaron Doran (60)
Ryan Christie for Billy Mckay (87)
Farid El Alagui -> Ryan Dow (54)
Morgaro Gomis -> John Rankin (59)
Brian Graham -> Nadir Ciftci (60)

Bookings
None. Nadir Ciftci (28)
Gary Mackay-Steven (74)

Red Cards
Greg Tansey (44)
Marley Watkins (72)
None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Dean Brill (GK) 33 apps -
David Raven 65 apps1 goal
Josh Meekings 95 apps -
Gary Warren 69 apps9 goals
Greg Tansey 48 apps6 goals
James Vincent 18 apps1 goal
Marley Watkins 22 apps1 goal
Graeme Shinnie 133 apps4 goals
Aaron Doran 105 apps13 goals
Billy Mckay 102 apps50 goals
Richie Foran 193 apps44 goals
Liam Polworth (sub) 21 apps -
Danny Williams (sub) 18 apps1 goal
Ryan Christie (sub) 4 apps -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Aaron Doran (22 years 306 days)
Oldest Player:Graeme Shinnie (2015 years 223 days)
Average Player Age:26 years 51 days
Domestic Players:6 (54.55 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ryan Christie (19 years 17 days)
Oldest Player:Graeme Shinnie (2015 years 223 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 164 days
Domestic Players:11 (61.11 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Comedy on the Sabbath:

Goals from Ciftci (twice), Gunning, Mackay-Steven and Armstrong, aided by poor defending and red cards for Tansey and Watkins made it a Black Sabbath for Inverness who have conceded 10 goals in their last two games.

Inverness were totally embarrassed by Dundee United on and off the park as tangerine dominated both aspects of this game. Some folk wondered why other fans would not make an appearance as the game was being played on the Lord's day. It would appear that they were the lucky ones as comedy defending handed United an unassailable lead before half-time which Inverness never recovered from and then it all went tits up with red cards and more goals.

A massive vocal away support mustered in the South stand and could not have dreamt of the gifts that Inverness were about to shower upon them. Little indication of what was about to happen in a frantic opening quarter as a typical cup tie evolved with neither club getting to grips with the sandy playing surface.

That would change after 16 minutes when Ciftci nodded a ball round Brill and slotted it into the empty net to open the scoring. Rankin had floated a hopeful ball forward after Raven lost out in midfield. Meekings tried to make up the ground and Brill came to the edge of his area, but Ciftci nipped in ahead of both to nick the opener. Sloppy defending part one, but worse would follow.

Inverness replied with a Tansey free kick flighted into the box. Warren directed it to the far post but McKay headed over from two yards when he looked certain to score.

The comeback was short lived as Inverness served up comedy part two. Meekings tried to usher or pass back to Brill who once more came to the edge of his box. Instead of placing the ball away to safety, he blasted it against Meekings and Ciftci pounced as it rolled towards the vacant goal where he made sure by tapping in the second. Turkish delight, Inverness sh**e.

Graeme Shinnie was one of the few home players who looked interested and he warmed the palms of Cierzniak with a fierce drive, but he was a one man band today as others around him made error after error.

It was game over after 36 minutes when the overworked Shinnie was adjudged to have taken Gavin Gunning down from behind inside the area and he blasted his spot kick high down the centre of the goal to put United three up before the interval.

Our day got even worse when Greg Tansey was sent packing by Willie Collum who had strangely chosen to ignore a similar clatter on Billy McKay.

Half Time 0-3

A comeback of Ayr United proportions was killed of swiftly after the break when David Raven was, not for the first time caught out of position after a free kick in United territory was wasted. Gary Mackay-Steven wasted no time in sprinting half the length of the pitch before firing across Brill and into the far corner to completely cheese of the home support, the huge United support reduced to laughing and doing the Conga. Fair play to them.

Armstrong added a fifth with a powerful header as Inverness caved in and double figures looked a distinct possibility at this juncture.

But, we were not finished yet and Marley Watkins was sent off for another alleged studs up challenge that the bold Collum saw fit to flash red, despite appearing to get the ball.

That was the straw that broke the camels back for many Inverness fans and the Highland clearance began, the away end swathed in tangerine and loads of decibels.

I can't really comment on the last twenty minutes as I departed the scene hastily trying to hide my embarrassment, declining the kind offer from the steward to return to my seat instead of standing by the touchline. "No way lassie, I'm no staying to watch any more of that rubbish".

I'm told it finished 5-0 to United, I'll take that, but I had better things to do and watched the end of the half marathon at the Bught Park. Well done Shaz for getting the job done.

Full Time 0-5

Inverness' MotM was Graeme Shinnie, stinging the paws of Cierzniak twice but he was on his own. Dean Brill had a nightmare and looked edgy from the start, poor kicking and indecision which put us on the back foot from the off. Raven posted missing too often as was Vincent. Meekings and Warren played as though they didn't know each other. McKay and Doran had no service to work on and two red cards were not what we required.

Yogi. We have a cup final to play next week. I'm not sure the gung-ho 4-4-2 is working too well, can you please fix it before our season is in tatters.

Inverness CT 0-5 Dundee United

Match report written by tm4tj



None.