Cameron Blues -> Thomas Taiwo (59) James Craigen -> Kevin OHara (59) Nathan Austin -> Alex Harris (67) |
Daniel Mackay for Jake Mulraney (85)
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Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
Youngest Player: | Connor Bell (21 years 96 days) |
Oldest Player: | David Raven (32 years 226 days) |
Average Player Age: | 26 years 139 days |
Domestic Players: | 7 (63.64 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
Youngest Player: | Jack Brown (16 years 83 days) |
Oldest Player: | Ryan Esson (37 years 218 days) |
Average Player Age: | 25 years 9 days |
Domestic Players: | 11 (61.11 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
At least we were no Skelpied: Inverness showed much improvement in the land of the Kelpies as they more than matched Falkirk in a no score draw at the Falkirk Stadium. Despite hitting the woodwork a couple of times, the ball managed to stay out and we took a well deserved point back up the A9. Falkirk fans pretty much in agreement that we should have won all three, anything from three to five goals is the going rate at the moment.
John Robertson made two changes from the side that beat Peterhead. Out went the injured Owain Fon Williams with Mark Ridgers deputising and Riccardo Calder dropped to the bench in favour of Jake Mulraney.
Paul Hartley, in his first game in charge, reinstated Robbie Thomson in goals as expected, but Nathan Austin only made the bench with Sammy Hippolyte starting. Lee Miller missed out altogether.
4107 fans were on hand to watch Hartley's first game in the hot seat with 160 fans in the away end.
Alex Harris and Joe McKee were first to get shots away, Mark Ridgers having to deal with the second one with a save low down.
Inverness began to compete but early efforts from Polworth and Baird petered out. Thomson stopped the first one and Baird just missing the target with his attempt. Polworth looks to be on a mission and tried another from distance but this time his shot was blocked. Good opening quarter from the visitors and Chalmers won a corner after his shot was deflected behind and from the corner kick, Brad Mckay won another from his header. Thomson stops the flow this time as he gathers in his box.
What a surprise, Jake Mulraney gets booked for alleged simulation. Polly goes in the book as well for questioning the decision. Jake gets a lot of this, travelling at speed brings it's own downfalls at times.
Half an hour gone and Chalmers delivers a decent ball into the area but it's turned behind for another corner to Inverness.
Jordan McGhee was thwarted by a fantastic tip over from Mark Ridgers, his header looking like it was about to open the scoring. Looks like the video cameraman wasn't quick enough to catch the action, so I have added the photo from the Falkirk website match report to give you an indication of the quality reaction save by Ridgers. Tremendous reaction from close range.
Five minutes before the break and John Baird won a free kick in a promising position, however Chalmers' shot went narrowly wide of the mark with Thomson scrambling across his line as the ball fizzed past his left hand post..
An encouraging opening half from the visitors and they went in at the break on level terms.
Half Time 0-0
Baird started the second forty-five in similar fashion to the first, shooting just wide again. Mulraney made good progress and found Baird who played it to Vigurs, but he shot wide as well. Recurring theme here. Carl Tremarco burst into the box but he also fired high over the bar.
Hartley has seen enough of Tom Taiwo and Kevin O'Hara and replaces them with Cameron Blues and James Craigen as he looks to get a better grasp of midfield where Iain Vigurs was running the show.
Baird headed over as the near misses continued. Connor Bell was next to break into the box, he went closer but his shot clips the outside of the post and goes behind for a goal kick. Next attack and Baird fed Bell at the back post but Thomson blocks. He also gathers an effort from Polworth as Inverness look for the opener and a Vigurs corner starts a melee in the box, but it is eventually gathered by the keeper.
Mulraney shows a clean pair of heels to the Falkirk players and a corner is won as a result of this. From the set piece, Mulraney smacks the post. Everything but a goal from Inverness and Coll Donaldson flicked a header wide.
With five minutes left, Jake Mulraney left the field to be replaced by last weeks young record breaker Daniel MacKay.
Both sides went looking for the winner in the dying moments of this game, but despite plenty of effort, the ball remained out of the net.
Full Time 0-0
So, despite fearing the worst, we were untroubled for the greater part of this game and with a bit of luck could have scored two or three and Falkirk would have had no complaints had we done so. Like the League Cup game, we more than matched the Bairns, but this time we cut out the comedy defending and thoroughly deserved our point.
A few plus points for Inverness. A clean sheet for under fire keeper Mark Ridgers, a solid defensive display for Coll Donalson, Jake Mulraney doing what he should be doing, and no fighting in the dugout this week. Iain Vigurs was in control mode in the midfield and gets our MotM award. Minus point was the familiar failure to score goals given the opportunities available.
Some wayward results today with Livvi beating the Arabs and Dunfermline drawing with Queens. Defeat for Brechin keeps them rooted to the bottom and we remain second bottom, but after today's performance, there is a great deal more optimism than there was a couple of weeks ago.
Match report written by tm4tj