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COVE RANGERS 1–2 INV CAL THISTLE

A sparkling second half saw the visitors claim a deserved victory, but it was a game Cove might have had sewn up but for a crazy couple of minutes. Having already put us in front with a fine finish, Mitch Megginson saw his penalty saved, and Caley Thistle went up the pitch to equalise with a deflected MacKinnon shot. They played the better football after the interval and Keith Bray secured the win with a low drive from outside the box.

With Arron Darge joining Liam Parker on the sidelines – the midfielder out with an ankle injury and missing for the first time since early March – Paul Hartley made just the one change, Findlay Marshall returning alongside Blair Yule at the heart of the midfield.

Arron’s absence left three players – Connor Scully, Ryan Harrington and Mikey Doyle – as ever-presents this season. Doyle, closing in on a half century of Cove Rangers appearances, made his thirty-fourth start in a row since the end of January.

Inverness kicked-off on a cold, blustery afternoon and enjoyed the better of the early play, but we looked dangerous, and a superb Fyvie pass found Lobban running in behind. His low shot was saved by Dibaga’s foot, but the offside flag then went up.

A Fyvie cross from the right was half-cleared and Scully’s shot flew wide before Caley Thistle threatened for the first time, McKay’s twenty-five yard volley saved comfortably by Balint Demus.

The opener came in our next attack. Fraser Fyvie threaded through an excellent pass and Blair Yule raced beyond Nolan to take possession. The midfielder looked up then squared the ball for Mitch MEGGINSON who took a touch before shooting confidently beyond Dibaga.

It was a good open game thereafter, both sides enjoying spells of possession without making the respective keepers work too hard, and series of crosses were either cut out or failed to find their target.

The match then swung in a decisive two minutes.

Doyle was fouled wide on the Cove right and when Scully swung in the free-kick there was a scramble in the Caley Thistle area during which Charlie Gilmour upended Megginson. The striker, full of confidence after his recent scoring run, stepped up to take the penalty but his low effort lacked power, and Dibaga saved with his legs.

Inverness countered immediately and when the ball ran to Adam MacKINNON the midfielder let fly from twenty yards. The strike was decent, but it looked as if Balint Demus had it covered only for a wicked deflection off Will Gillingham to send it high into the roof of the net. It ended a run of 415 minutes without conceding for the big goalkeeper.

Luis Longstaff shot wide for the visitors then Megginson had an effort blocked in the box as both sides pushed for the lead heading towards the break.

Inverness were impressive after the interval and made a succession of openings. Longstaff shot just wide from twenty yards and Billy McKay had a go from a similar distance, his effort clearing the bar.

They came even closer in their next attack when, after a good passing move, MacKinnon’s drive from the edge of the area came crashing back off the keeper’s left upright.

James Nolan was next to have a try, shooting over from Davidson’s low delivery.

We began to get a bit of a foothold, and more possession, but despite the probing of Fyvie, Megginson and Lobban, and Emslie seeing more of the ball, were unable to breach the away defence. The closest we came was a Megginson shot from eighteen yards which was comfortably saved.

Caley Thistle rallied, and after another fine move, Keith BRAY cut in from the right and found the bottom corner with a well-struck shot.

We pushed to try to find an equaliser in the final quarter, but were wasteful in possession, and all too often failed to find the killer pass.

Substitute Declan Glass came closest on a couple of occasions, first fizzing a shot inches over and then, after a pass from fellow sub Reuben McAllister, seeing his low effort saved by Dibaga.

While disappointed to see the winning run ended, manager Paul Hartley conceded afterwards he had no complaints about the result and said the target now will be to get back on track again in the coming weeks.

COVE RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Demus; Doyle, Gillingham, Harrington, Scully; Yule, Marshall (McAllister 70); Lobban (Glass 70), Fyvie (c), Emslie; Megginson (Gaffney 90)

Substitutes: Suman, Murray, McGrath

Goalscorers: Megginson (10)

Booked: Fyvie (90)

INV CAL THISTLE (4-2-3-1): Dibaga; Davidson, Devine (c), Savage, Nolan; Gilmour, Allan; Bray, MacKinnon, Longstaff; McKay (Cairns 90)

Substitutes: Rebilas, Strachan, MacLeod, MacKay, Thompson, Reid

Goalscorers: MacKinnon (39), Bray (67)

Booked:

Referee: Euan Anderson

Attendance: 551

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