INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 3 (Bavidge 23, Munro 60, MacDonald 75)
Calder, Duncan, Golabek, Teasdale, Tokely, Munro, MacRae (G Stewart 61), MacDonald, Bavidge, Bagan,
McBain (Robson 61) Subs � Wyness & Ritchie
ROSS COUNTY 2 (MacKay 21, Hislop 71)
Gonet, Campbell (Perry 46), Hastings, Maxwell, Webb, Cowie, Anselin, Tarrant (McCormick 62), Gethins (Boukraa 53), Hislop, MacKay Subs � Gonzalez & Prest
REFEREE � E Robertson ATTENDANCE � 508 SENT OFF � Mark McCormick (RC)
A narrow win for Caley Thistle but they did have most of the play. The tie was moved from Grant Street which gave Caley Thistle home advantage. They started well but were hit on the break in 21 minutes � Jim Calder punched a high ball away but only as far as Steven MacKay who scored from 12 yards. Two minutes later Martin Bavidge equalised with a low drive from 20 yards. In 26 minutes Bavidge was one-on-one with Gonet � he beat the �keeper but not the post. Karim Boukraa had a similar chance for County in 56 minutes and he also hit the post. Caley Thistle took the lead on the hour mark when a David Bagan corner fell neatly for Grant Munro and he scored from close range. County equalised in bizarre circumstances in 71 minutes. Steven Hislop hit an angled ball goalwards from the right but Calder seemed to have it covered. Somehow it squirmed past him at the near post. The winner came with 15 minutes left when a Barry Robson free kick was cleared only as far as Neil MacDonald. The youngster�s lively display was rewarded when he netted with a low ball from 15 yards. The game fizzled out after that except that County�s Mark McCormick was sent off with a minute left for swearing at the referee. A welcome trophy for Caley Thistle amidst an otherwise difficult spell.