Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Lee Cox (19 years 118 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Daniel Stratford (2011 years 79 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 225 days |
| Domestic Players: | 11 (100.00 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Lee Cox (19 years 118 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Dani Sanchez (2011 years 79 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 225 days |
| Domestic Players: | 16 (100.00 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
| Grant Munro made his 300th competitive appearance for the Club. |
ICTs Jekyll and Hyde form...
continued after they dropped more points at home when they failed to hang on to a 1 goal lead against the Pars.
David Proctor had scored his second goal in as many games just before half time but with 20 minutes left a header from Andy Kirk levelled the scores.
In the remaining 20 minutes neither team was able to find the killer second goal and the Home fans were left bemused as to why their team can perform so well on the road but continues to struggle in Inverness.
ICTs Jekyll and Hyde form continued after they dropped more points at home when they failed to hang on to a 1 goal lead against the Pars. David Proctor had scored his second goal in as many games just before half time but with 20 minutes left a header from Andy Kirk levelled the scores. In the remaining 20 neither team was able to find the killer second goal and the Home fans were left bemused as to why their team can perform so well on the road but continues to struggle in Inverness.
Inverness started with largely the same team that emerged with three points from Starks Park midweek. The only change was Danny Stratford returning to the midfield in place of Russell Duncan. Dunfermline welcomed Andy Kirk back from international duty but he started on the bench.
The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors. In 8 minutes former ICT striker Graham Bayne picked the ball up on the right flank and drifted it in for Nick Phinn to power a header towards goal but he was expertly denied by Esson who pulled off a fantastic save, tipping the ball over the bar. The Pars were next to threaten when Gibson drove towards goal but his effort was pulled wide of Essons right hand post. Inverness struggled to carve out any significant early chances but one finally fell their way and, but for some excellent last ditch defending, they would have opened the scoring. Northern Irish winger Johnny Hayes scampered down the left and found Proctor who turned and shot goalwards but his effort was blocked and the rebound fell to Richie Foran who should have finished the move off but for a last second block by the Dunfermline defence.
The Pars forced a series of corners which culminated in a headed effort by Neil MacGregor who saw his powerful effort shoot across the face of the goal as the Home defence looked on anxiously. Tricky winger David Graham was next to threaten as he cut infield from the left wing and drove towards goal but his effort was blocked by the Inverness defence. And it was the Pars again who had the next effort of the game when Bayne beat the offside trap. As the Caley Thistle rearguard appealed to the linesman Bayne flashed a shot across the face of Essons goal and wide for a goal kick. A Hayes cross nearly lead to another goal for Proctor but his header sailed over. However the versatile Caley player did get his name on the score sheet on the stroke of half time. Despite Dunfermline creating the majority of the chances in the game so far, Inverness finally gave the long suffering Home fans something to cheer about by snatching a valuable lead. Stuart Golabek burst down the left hand side and his cross was nodded back into the box by Foran and hooked into the back of the net by Proctor who scored his second goal in less than a week. The celebrations showed how much getting the goal meant to the Inverness players who have had to deal with a lot of criticism concerning their home performances for some time now. Not long after the goal referee Alan Muir blew for half time.
Half Time 1-0
Keen to build on their one goal lead Inverness attacked from the off in the second period and Foran set up bustling midfielder Lee Cox who sent in a curling effort the looked destined for Flemings goal until a timely intervention from the Pars backline sent the ball looping wide for a corner.. Fleming then nearly landed his team in it when he blasted a clearance of a team mates back which left the Dunfermline keeper scrambling to get back into position but Caley Thistle couldn't take advantage of the keepers error. Another chance fell the way of Proctor after some neat interplay on the right between the ICT scorer and Foran but the Irishmans return ball was just too far ahead of Proctor and Fleming was quick off his line to claim the loose ball.
Inverness were to rue these missed opportunities as Dunfermline grabbed an equaliser in the 69th minute. A Gibson corner found an unmarked Andy Kirk who headed goalwards but didn't appear to get a good connection with the ball. Groans from the Dunfermline fans were heard as it appeared the chance had been fluffed but they soon turned to cheers as the ball somehow looped over everyone and nestled into the back of the net bringing Dunfermline right back into the game. Suddenly the heads went down from ICT and some supporters began to look uneasy in their seats dreading what the final 20 minutes might bring. However, they nearly regained the lead when substitute Adam Rooney broke clear and hared towards goal. As he looked to pass the ball to the left of Fleming the keeper spread himself well blocking the forwards shot with his legs and howls of frustration echoed round the stadium.
There was injury concern for Inverness when Hayes limped off in 77 minutes after a strong challenge. As the match edged towards full time Kirk nearly grabbed his second goal after his drive from a Bayne pass flashed narrowly past the post and Proctor again had another effort saved in spectacular style by Fleming as he tipped the ICT mans lobbed shot over the bar.
Full Time 1-1
In the end neither team was able to grab a winning goal and at full time whistle there was a mixture of boos and applause for the team from the Inverness supporters who continue to be frustrated at Home. A point a piece was definitely a fair result on the balance of play with Dunfermline having more of the ball than ICT but both teams created a decent number of chances with which they could have found the net.
Match report written by Site
