Buddie Hell

Inverness and St Mirren played out a 2-2 draw on a brisk Spring afternoon. The visitors took the lead soon after the start and the home fans feared the worst but they went in at half time ahead. It was a lead they could not build on and the Saints equalised with Inverness playing the final twenty five minutes with ten men.

It was a bright afternoon, but don't cast yer cloot till May is oot. A biting North East wind and a pitch more suited to playing kerbie killed any hopes of watching a classic encounter.

Ryan Christie and Liam Polworth started for Inverness who had Doran and Foran out.

St Mirren stunned the home fans after only three minutes when slackness allowed Naismith to rattle the ball home from close range following a driven cross from John McGinn, David Raven seemingly getting the final touch.

That hurt the home fans and it was looking grim as St Mirren kept the early pressure around the Inverness area and our defence seemingly never learned the harsh lesson from Tannadice by passing the ball back to Brill on a hard and bumpy surface, not the best option if you ask me.

After ten minutes Chris Dilo tipped over a powerful header from Meekings as Inverness looked for a way back into the match.

A goal was coming and it came from the head of Ross Draper when Shinnie played a deep cross for the big midfielder to nod home. This one as I thought at the time might go down as an own goal with Draper reluctant to accept the plaudits, rather sheepishly celebrating the fact the defender probably scored it. Oh well!

Billy McKay can't buy a goal just now and he passed up a glorious chance to put Inverness ahead. Slack defending on the half way line saw McKay sprint clear with only the keeper to beat. But Billy scores when he wants, unfortunately he didn't want to do it yesterday and the wee striker sclaffed his shot high and wide to put the home fans back in their seats holding their heads in utter dismay. I believe a nasty wee bobble was the reason for the error.

McKay bounced back though and he set up Greg Tansey with a header from Polworth's cross for Greg to fire Inverness ahead from ten yards with a low drive. This was a brilliant move involving the boys in blue and set up nicely for Tansey to score.

It was a somewhat towsy affair not helped by the pitch and the swirling wind and Inverness went in at the break nursing their lead.

Half Time 2-1

The quality in the first half was low, and the second half was probably even poorer with the surface playing havoc, but Shinnie tried his luck just after the break but his shot missed narrowly.

Nick Ross replaced Greg Tansey after he went down injured and that seemed to give St Mirren the urge to try and create more with Inverness almost content to hold what we had.

The game was opening up now and just after the hour St Mirren equalised after our defenders rode their luck a bit. Sean Kelly headed high past a helpless Brill.

Our run of red cards continued. Josh Magennis powered forward and Josh Meekings had little alternative but to bring him down just outside the box as the burly Buddie burst goalwards. Willie Collum saw that as a foul and last man challenge and promptly sent off Meekings.

Down to ten men the game looked beyond us now and St Mirren sensed a welcome three points were on offer.

Nick Ross almost stole it for us after a scramble in the box, but the ball would just not fall for us.

Dean Brill has been the butt of some joke keeping recently but he saved the day late in the game with a tremendous block to keep the game level and that's how it finished.

Full Time 2-2

A bitterly cold afternoon with the wind chill and bumpy pitch ensuring that defenders had to be on their toes. A big well done to Brill who got on with the job today despite some edgy back passes early on, maybe that was the plan. Willie Collum is off most peoples Xmas cards list, for reasons I will keep to myself.

 

tm4tj MotM:- Is going to Ross Draper. The big man did plenty of grafting yesterday and popped up to nod a goal into the bargain. Solid display from Ross who held the midfield together in the absence of Foran. Moan of the match for me was Vincent remaining on the pitch when substitutions were being made, I thought he was a prime candidate for being replaced. Note to Yogi; he is not a winger.

 
Inverness CT: 2
Lineup: Brill, Raven, Shinnie, Vincent, Warren, Meekings, Mckay (Watkins 71), Draper, Tansey (Ross 50), Polworth, Christie (Devine 68)

Booked: none
Sent Off: Meekings (67)

St Mirren: 2
Lineup: Dilo, McGregor, Goodwin, McGinn (McAusland 49), Thomson, McLean, Campbell (Magennis 63), Kelly, Naismith, Newton, Wylde (Teale 63)

Subs (not used): Mathers, Van Zanten, Reilly, Djemba-Djemba

Booked: McAusland (73)
Sent Off: none