Men against Boys
It was discussed in the preview that Inverness were a vastly more experienced squad than their Hearts counterparts, and having witnessed this demolition job that is exactly how it panned out. He scores when he wants grabbed a brace in the first half, but in all honesty he should have scored the proverbial barrowload. A second half penalty miss and a one-on-one opportunity were passed up by McKay but Inverness were utterly dominant and cruised to victory over the young Jambos who were tiring rapidly after their midweek adventures at Raith and ended up chasing shadows around the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, thankful that their goal difference only suffered a minus two set back.
The £5 cash back offer swelled the away support to what looked to be over a thousand Hearts fans and they got right behind their team and were in good voice throughout the entire game, matched by a vociferous home support to make this an entertaining encounter.
We appear to be playing our home games in traditional Winnie the Pooh fashion as another blustery day welcomed everyone to the ground, and our contingent from Watford liked what they saw as Inverness took the game to the youngsters who must have won the toss as we attacked the large away support end from the off.
Ginger Jaggy has a report for us after missing the ginger plane to Holland to watch this one unfold, or maybe he did get that plane. Here's one from me instead.
It was the home side who were first to trouble the scorers, but not before Jamie Walker dragged a shot wide in the opening exchanges as he cut into the box on the left side, but his shot was weak and missed the target. Hearts were intent on pushing forward and they paid for that after 10 minutes. Meekings broke up an attack and fed Raven, who threaded a brilliant ball down the flank where Doran never broke stride before looking up and placing an inviting cut-back in front of Billy McKay who needed only one touch to drive the ball high past a diving MacDonald who could only palm the ball into the roof of the net. McKay striking on the run some fifteen yards out for a superb opening goal.
Walker was again prominent up front but he rifled another shot wide from a tighter angle after good harrying by Paterson on the touchline. Nick Ross seems to have filled out nicely and he had a go from twenty-five yards but also saw his shot curl wide of the target. Similar to the first goal, Inverness swept forward at pace once more as McKay sprinted onto a superb volleyed clearance from Draper on the edge of his own box. Billy carried the ball over the half way line and held it up on the edge of the visitors box before picking out Doran who had made great strides down the right, his cross come shot was part blocked but Vincent helped it towards McKay who curled a tidy finish into the bottom corner.
But, we never do things the easy way and almost shot ourselves in the foot after Graeme Shinnie got himself in a fankle, the ball getting stuck between his feet after an excellent throw out from Brill was nodded back by Ross. This seemed to catch Shinnie unaware and from the resultant cock-up, Walker rattled Brill's post as he burst into the box, choosing to shoot to the tighter angle, a let off and warning for Inverness but half time came along at two goals to the good for Inverness.
Half-Time 2-0
Any thoughts that Inverness would sit on their lead were quickly dispelled as we took the game to Hearts in the second half which was as one-sided a forty-five as you could witness. Three minutes in and Gary Warren had crashed a header of the bar with MacDonald beaten as Warren got a second bite at the cherry after Ross and Draper played keep ball before the big midfielder swung over a teasing ball. McKay got the rebound back into the box but Vincent could not turn it on target.
Richie Foran tried a pot at goal but was wide of the mark as Inverness turned the screw and the Hearts players wilted after the midweek exertions. McKay was next to miss after a great run down the left by Ross, Billy flicking the ball just wide with the keeper scrambling across his line. It was turning into a procession now and Foran fired a chest high ball into the box which McKay controlled brilliantly but his half volley went straight down the throat of a grateful Jamie MacDonald.
Unlike the A9 outside the ground, it was all one way traffic now as Inverness turned this into a training routine and shots on goal were the order of the day.
Hearts were penned in their own area for most of the half and MacDonald pulled off a TV save from a Foran effort from all of thirty-five yards, the keeper doing well to turn the ball round the post. Doran volleyed over direct from a Raven throw in as he sprinted into the box, but his shot dipped just over the net which rippled as the ball narrowly missed.
Hearts misery was compounded as Jamie Hamill was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball as first Foran, then McKay tried to turn the ball goalwards. Hamill went down clutching his head and video evidence backs this up as he fortunately kept the ball out of the net with his eye, but saw red for his troubles, a verdict Hearts should be able to overturn surely. So as well as being sent off, Inverness were awarded a penalty but justice prevailed as McKay failed to convert, his third in a row. A weakish effort low to the keepers right was well saved but not totally unexpected and that decision left Butcher with a slight seethe.
Inverness played out the remainder of the game in total control and the only real surprise is that McKay never scored five or six goals himself and the team double figures such was our dominance over the youthful tiring Jambos.
Full Time 2-0
tm4tj MotM:- McKay takes the plaudits for scoring the goals, but he missed too many easy chances for me to give him man of the match, so that accolade goes to Nick Ross who has never looked better, aided by some superb performances from namely Doran, Foran, Draper; in fact most of the team were deserving of a mention. Jamie MacDonald in goal saved Hearts from a battering and Jamie Walker was unlucky up front in the first half, but Hearts had nothing to offer in the second forty-five and Inverness were worthy winners.
Moan of the Match was the delays on the roads leading to the ground, especially the roundabout which appears to have led to many fans deserting their buses and walking along the dual carriageway and crossing the busy road. Many people missing up to twenty minutes of the game.....sort it!
report by tm4tj
Date: 31.08.2013 Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 4034
Referee: John Beaton
Inverness CT: 2
Lineup: Brill, Raven, Warren, Meekings, Shinnie, Foran, Draper, Ross, Doran, Vincent (Greenhalgh 90), McKay (Agdestein 89)
Subs (not used): Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Williams, Polworth
Scorers: McKay (9, 32)
Booked: Doran (33)
Sent Off: none
Hearts: 0
Lineup: MacDonald, Hamill, McGowan, Robinson, Paterson, Walker (Nicholson 74), Holt, Mckay, Smith (B. King 55), Tapping (Oliver 61), McGhee
Subs (not used): Ridgers, A. King, Beith, Buchanan
Scorers: none
Booked: Holt (83)
Sent Off: Hamill (82)
