Match Report

Inverness win 6-5 on penalties aet.

Stenhousemuir v Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 25.9.12

Scottish Communities League Cup Third Round    Att 705

Stenhousemuir 1 [Ferguson 40 pen] Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 [McKay 22] [ICT won 6-5 on penalties]

It was mixed emotions at Ochilview after this game amongst the Stenhousemuir support. Of course there was pride in the fact that the team once more were a credit against SPL opposition but there was also disappointment that they at the end lost out in the penalty shoot out.

After the victory over holders Kilmarnock in the previous round the Warriors were hoping to create another shock. They were having to do so without keeper Callum Reidford who was injured as was his deputy Dean Shaw who had picked up a knock in the warm up at Cliftonhill on the Saturday. This meant that Martyn Corrigan had to draft in an emergency signing in Robbie Thomson who is part of the Celtic Futures squad.

The keeper proved to be a sound acquisition with his handling in the difficult conditions catching the eye. The weather which for long periods consisted of horizontal rain and driving winds made play difficult for both sides though to their credit they served up a decent football match.

Stenhousemuir from the start showed that they were going to take the game to the highlanders where ever possible and they had the first real effort at goal in six minutes when John Gemmell showed his power and skill to create an opening but after doing the hard work he shot wide of the target.  Aaron Doran had the visitor’s first attempt on target in the 12^th minute but Thomson proved up to the task. Inverness were looking busy but were lacking penetration  until they took the lead in the 22^nd minute when a Ritchie Foran pass took a slight deflection and held up for Billy McKay who was able to nip in and head home. McKay had so far been the main outlet of the Inverness attacks and it was no surprise that it was he who scored the opening goal.

This could have knocked the stuffing out of some teams but  Stenhousemuir regrouped and they were given a lifeline in the 40^th minute when David Raven tripped Brown Ferguson in the box. ’Bomber’ stepped up to take the award himself and scored with a clinical finish. Play was flowing from end to end at this stage and the Warriors came close to taking the lead before the interval when Stewart Kean clipped the woodwork following an injection of speed by Sean Dickson who then set up the chance.

The second half though short of goals was not short of action, with attempts at either end. Andrew Shninie saw a shot deflected then Kevin McKinlay encapsulated Stenhousemuirs  performance by winning the ball with a sliding tackle before hitting a fizzing shot just over the bar. The save of the night came in the 75^th minute when Thomson fingertipped a Ross Draper effort over the bar. Towards the end of the half Stenhousemuir had an escape when McKinlay cleared off the line before Thomson was to deny Raven with another top class save.

With the game looking to be going into extra time the Warriors should have scored when they had a man advantage in an attack and when Gemmell set up Kean it looked as if another shock was going to take place but the striker shot into the side netting.

In extra time the main threat came from the Inverness sub Philip Roberts on loan from Arsenal but he was thwarted by Thomson on a couple of occasions and the game finished with the teams still level despite the efforts of both side and thus the tie went into penalty kicks.

It started with promise for Stenhousemuir when Richie Foran’s effort struck the post but after Brown Ferguson, Graeme Shinnie, Andy Rodgers and Gavin Morrison all scored Bryan Hodge fired over to bring the scores level. After this Aaron Doran, John Gemmell, Andrew Shinnie, Ross McMillan, Ross Draper, Stewart Kean and Phillip Roberts all scored before Darren Smith saw his effort saved by Ryan Esson as Inverness progressed to the next round.            

Stenhousemuir – R.Thomson, Ross, McKinlay [b119], Buist [Rodgers 96][b106], McMillan, Hodge, Ferguson, I.Thomson [C.Anderson 103], Gemmell, Kean and Dickson [Smith 69]. Subs not used – Lawson and Shaw.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle – Esson, Raven, G.Shinnie, Doran, Warren [b113], Meekings, McKay [Roberts 102], Draper, Foran, A.Shinnie and Pepper [Morrison 79]. Subs not used – Cooper, Oswell and Reguero.

Referee – Bobby Madden            Assistants – Alasdair Ross and Gavin Harris          Fourth Official – John McKendrick