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INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 1-1 COVE RANGERS

A much improved performance saw the team round off our Premier Sports Cup campaign with a merited draw in Inverness where the home side collected the bonus point after prevailing in the penalty shoot-out.

Roddy MacGregor had given Caley Thistle a 13^th minute lead, but that was quickly cancelled out by a superb first goal of the season from Mitch Megginson. There were plenty chances created by both sides, but neither could grab a second before the final whistle, and Scott Allardice settled matters after Fraser Fyvie saw his spot-kick saved by Mark Ridgers.

Jim McIntyre had made two changes from the defeat against Kelty Hearts, and altered his formation to allow Megginson to adopt a more familiar central striking role. Scott Ross returned to the back four in place of Morgyn Neill while Robbie Leitch, after his scoring appearance as a substitute in midweek, took over from Gerry McDonagh.

The home side, full of confidence after three straight wins in the group, saw plenty of the ball in the early stages and almost fashioned an opportunity in the opening minutes. Oakley and MacGregor linked up in midfield to free Shaw on a menacing run into the box, but Evan Towler was alert, and put in a strong challenge to avert the danger.

Cove looked to hit back quickly, and McIntosh gathered and switched play, but Fyvie’s attempted cross was blocked for a corner. Iain Vigurs swung the ball in, but Deas rose highest to clear, and as Caley Thistle looked to counter-attack, Mitch Megginson tripped MacGregor to earn the game’s first yellow card in the sixth minute.

Inverness looked bright and pacy in attack with Daniel MacKay, MacGregor and Shaw seeing plenty of the ball, and it was the latter two who combined for the game’s opening goal.

Oakley dropped deeper to gather, held off the challenge and fed Shaw. The right winger checked inside and delivered a pinpoint cross, and MacGREGOR timed his run to perfection to head past Kyle Gourlay from ten yards.

It took just five minutes for Cove to get back on level terms.

Fyvie sent in a corner from the left which Deas could only partially clear. Vigurs got on to the bouncing ball and when it fell to MEGGINSON, the captain swivelled and produced a clever finish with the outside of his right foot, stabbing the ball round the home defence and inside Ridgers’ right post, leaving the keeper flatfooted.

Seconds later, we might have snatched the lead.

Mitch peeled out to the left and skipped past a challenge before sending in a low cross. The ball evaded the Caley Thistle central defenders, but also skipped away from the onrushing Robbie Leitch.

Megginson was again involved soon after as he found Fyvie in midfield. After holding off two opponents, Fraser rolled the ball to Iain Vigurs who switched play with a first-time diagonal. Shay Logan controlled it and fed in Leitch, but the ball ran through and out of play before Robbie could reach it.

Back came Caley Thistle in what was becoming a very open match. Harper fed the ball in from the left and Oakley held off Ross before slipping a clever pass in towards the edge of the box. Shaw tried to bundle his way into the penalty area, but the ball ran away from him, and Kyle Gourlay raced off his line to gather.

The Cove number one was called into action again soon after. With the home side exerting more sustained pressure, Vigurs took too long on the ball at the edge of the box and Daniel MacKay nipped it away before firing in a powerful shot. Gourlay dived to his right to save well and divert the ball to safety.

The next opportunity fell our way and came as a result of good link-up play in midfield. Fyvie drove at the Inverness defence before feeding Vigurs. He in turn played in the overlapping Evan Towler whose cross was headed out only as far as Leitch. Robbie played a 1-2 with Mitch Megginson, but his twenty-yard effort took a deflection and Ridgers was able to gather comfortably.

Caley Thistle were next to threaten. Robbie Deas strode forward from defence and played a searching ball in behind Ross. Oakley was adjudged to have timed his run perfectly and spun in behind, gathered himself, then struck a powerful angled shot which Gourlay was equal to, diving left to parry away.

The second half began quietly with neither side able to construct a serious attack. It wasn’t until the 54^th minute that Inverness came closest to doing so when Deas fed Allardice, who in turn laid it off to Carson, but his chipped ball ran away from Shaw and out for a goal kick.

Fraser Fyvie then became the second name in the referee’s notebook, his sliding challenge on Allardice drawing a yellow card.

Megginson won a Cove free kick on the left which was taken quickly by Iain Vigurs. Mitch was on to it in a flash and his attempted cross was deflected for a corner.

Fyvie delivered it deep, Mark Reynolds found space at the back post to return the ball into the danger area, but from six yards out, Vigurs could only head over the bar. Seconds later, Leitch found McIntosh, but his shot was charged down by Deas.

Caley Thistle hit back and as a long ball bounced at the edge of the Cove penalty area, MacGregor ran into Ross and tumbled to the ground. Referee Newlands deemed Scott to have blocked the attacker and produced a third Cove yellow of the game. The free kick, from Cameron Harper, whistled over the bar.

Megginson pushed wide to try to set up another attack but was fouled by Duffy. Vigurs’ inviting delivery flew across the box, and McIntosh’s shot was diverted wide for a corner.

Inverness made a double switch as the match moved into its final quarter with Samuels and Billy McKay replacing Oakley and Daniel MacKay, and soon after, veteran Aaron Doran took over from Duffy after the full-back suffered a head injury in an aerial challenge.

Two of the substitutes were to the fore as Caley Thistle very nearly regained their advantage. Doran found space to roll in McKay, but the striker’s low effort flashed just wide of the far post.

The Northern Irishman had an even better chance seconds later. Samuels’ pace took him to the bye line and his low cross evaded Scully’s lunge, but McKay – just six yards out – failed to control it and Fyvie was able to clear.

Jim McIntyre made his first change with twelve minutes remaining, Gerry McDonagh on for McIntosh, and Caley Thistle made their fourth, Steven Boyd taking over from Shaw.

Boyd very nearly made an instant impact, firing in a ferocious 25-yard drive which Gourlay repelled, pulling off an excellent save to push the ball for a corner.

Connor Scully required lengthy treatment after a strong challenge, then Evan Towler was caught late by Samuels who was instantly shown the yellow card.

Towler and Vigurs then exchanged passes to free Mitch Megginson, but his effort was charged down. Towler was then booked for a sliding challenge on Samuels.

The final whistle sounded seconds later, the 1-1 draw being enough to ensure Caley Thistle’s progress to the last sixteen, and they were to take the bonus point from the penalty shoot-out.

Boyd, Samuels and Harper all netted for Inverness, with Megginson and Leitch replying for us. Fraser Fyvie stepped up to take the third, but his low effort was too central, allowing Ridgers to make the stop.

Billy McKay and Shay Logan both scored, so it was down to the impressive Allardice, and he made no mistake with a confident finish.

Caley Thistle topped the group, while the point Cove gained guaranteed third place in the table, matching our best finish in the six years the club has been playing in this competition.

More importantly, it was a much more assured and accomplished display, one which should instil confidence ahead of next Saturday’s kick-off to the cinch Championship season.

INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE: (4-4-1-1) Ridgers; Duffy (Doran 73 mins), Delaney, Deas, Harper; Shaw (Boyd 78 mins) Carson, Allardice, D. MacKay (Samuels 67 mins); MacGregor; Oakley (McKay 67 mins)

Substitutes: C. MacKay, Hyde, Cairns, Nicolson

Goalscorers: MacGregor (13 mins)

Booked: Oakley, Samuels

COVE RANGERS: (4-1-4-1) Gourlay; Logan, Ross, Reynolds, Towler; Scully; Leitch, Fyvie, Vigurs, McIntosh (McDonagh 78 mins); Megginson

Substitutes: McKenzie, Neill, McAllister, Thomas

Goalscorers: Megginson (18 mins)

Booked: Megginson, Fyvie, Ross, Towler

Referee: Alan Newlands

Attendance: 1,020

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