Binos pay the penalty. 

A blistering hot day in Scotland that would have made new signing Felitciano Zschusschen, (now to be known as Susan from here on in), right at home. The Curaçaoan international started on the bench as Robbo went with a similar line-up to the one that eased past Brechin at the weekend. The Binos made three changes from the team that went down at Falkirk. Lee Hamilton, Andrew Black and Callum Morrison in for Scott Davidson, Liam Caddis and Ross Kavanagh. 

It would take penalties to separate the sides. Inverness had less rubbish penalties and sneaked back up the A9 with the bonus point.

Robbo expected his side to take the game to the hosts and they did some early pressing, Iain Vigurs volleyed wide after three minutes as the visitors looked for that early opening. Five minutes later and Macdonald heads over from a corner at the other end.

Gary Warren is booked in the tenth minute as he gives away a free kick on the edge of the box, but Ridgers is equal to the shot from McGeachie after the free kick is taken. Liam Polworth made Cammy Binnie work with a low long range effort, but it's well saved by the keeper.

Andrew Black was booked for Stirling after fouling Polworth and soon after Jake Mulraney has to be subbed through injury with Joe Chalmers entering the field.

George Oakley ruffled the side netting as he went close to scoring around the half hour. The pressure began to mount on the home goal and Polworth dragged a shot wide after Oakley shot over. Still no goals though with the interval approaching fast. 

Not the first half Robbo was looking for and it ends goalless. Maybe it'll soon be Susan time.........

Half Time 0-0

Six minutes into the second half and Robbo has seen enough, and as Oakley hooks the ball over the bar, Robbo hooks Oakley. Susan makes his debut so soon. 

Ricardo Calder is closest to opening the scoring in the second period but he pulls his shot wide of the target. Story of the night so far. Binnie then denies Warren and Draper on the follow up as the visitors fail to impress. Baird does manage to get the ball in the net but is adjudged to have fouled the keeper in the process. He also received a booking for his troubles.

One or two frantic scrambles in the home end as Warren goes to ground. Play on, but not for Warren as he is soon replaced by final sub Matt Elsdon with just over ten minutes remaining. Iain Vigurs drills a low shot goalwards but Binnie denies him.

Susan has the ball in the net but it suffers the same fate as the previous one for Baird. This time high feet from Seedorf ruins the moment.

Right at the end, Mark Ridgers is called upon to make a decent save to deny Morrison.

Full Time 0-0

Straight to penalties after our inability to score carries on from last season. When will this end? Stirling to start the shoot-out for the bonus point.
Dickson - Wide 0-0
Baird - Wide 0-0. (ffs, how narrow are these goals).
Morrison - Saved by Ridgers 0-0
Chalmers - Shoots high over 0-0
Smith - Shoots over the bar 0-0
Polworth - Scores, at last 0-1
McMullan - Another over the bar 0-1 (good grief)
Vigurs - Scores to seal it 0-2

Shockingly poor penalty shoot-out ends with Inverness picking up the bonus point.

More match reaction to follow...............

Stirling Albion: 0

Binnie, McGeachie, Noble, Hamilton, McNeil, Black, Morrison, Robertson, McDonald, Smith, Dickson
Subs: Foden, Davidson, Banner, McMullan, Caddis, Henderson, Kavanagh

Inverness CT: 0 (0-2 after penalties)

Ridgers, Warren, Polworth, Draper, Baird, Vigurs, Oakley, Mulraney, Calder, Seedorf, McKay
Subs: Esson, Raven, Chalmers, Zschusschen, MacDonald

Referee: Mike Roncone
Attendance: 591