Inverness CT 2-1 St Mirren - SPL
ST MIRREN 1 (Broadfoot 77) Team: Bullock, McGowne, Potter (Gemmill 87), Broadfoot, Zanten, Reid (McCay 65), Corcoran, Brittain, Brady, McKenna (McGinn 46), Sutton Subs: Docherty, Maxwell, Millen & Smith
Referee Alan Freeland Attendance 4246 Man of the Match Graham Bayne (ICT) A good start to 2007 for Caley Thistle, a well-earned three points and revenge for the defeat by St Mirren on the opening day of the season. By half-time they could have been more than two up and were put under pressure when Saints improved after the break. The visitors eventually pulled one back through Kirk Broadfoot and there was a nervous finish for the home fans. Heavy rain throughout the country threatened sporting fixtures but Inverness was spared the worst of it and all was well. Ian Black dropped out of the home side through suspension and Russell Duncan came in. Barry Wilson returned and Alan Morgan reverted to the bench. St Mirren were without Simon Lappin and Hugh Murray. Bullock was under pressure from the start and in just two minutes Graham Bayne sent an angled ball across goal but wide of the mark. The first goal came in five minutes when Bayne passed to Roy McBain, moved to the centre and was there to expertly head home McBain’s cross from the right. This was just what ICT needed and they took control of the game. Saints however nearly pulled one back in nine minutes when Mark Brown dived to push a low ball from David McKenna over for a corner. Dennis Wyness scored his first SPL goal of the season in 21 minutes and it was a great strike. McBain powered goalwards then found Richard Hastings on the left - the defender’s cross reached Wyness in the box, he chested it down then hammered it into the net giving Bullock no chance. A Wilson free kick in 29 minutes troubled the defence as it bounced towards goal but Bullock pushed it for a corner. John Rankin had a chance in 33 minutes from his favourite position 25 yards out but it was on his right foot and he sliced it wide. A Wilson corner in 44 minutes reached Darren Dods at the back of the box but he was off-balance and failed to connect. Half Time: 2-0 Just after the break Bayne went down just inside the St Mirren box but nothing was given. Kirk Broadfoot tested Brown in 52 minutes from wide left but the ‘keeper held it. Bullock saved from Rankin in 55 minutes then pushed the ball for a corner as Wilson closed in for the rebound. Bullock saved well from Bayne in 62 minutes then Wyness hit over the bar in 67 minutes. Saints began to gain confidence and they scored in 76 minutes when Broadfoot ran in to head home Richard Brittain’s corner from the left. Garry Brady nearly managed an equaliser three minutes later but Brown dived to his left to push it away. Mark Corcoran then hit the bar from an angle on the right. With four minutes left Saints were awarded a free kick 19 yards out for hand ball amidst claims that it had been in the box. The kick came to nothing but the ICT fans feared the worst as Saints continued to press. There was an almighty scramble in the home box in the closing minute but Alan Morgan finally booted clear and it hit off a St Mirren player for a goal kick. That was enough to settle things down and the whistle went. Full Time: 2-1 In the topsy-turvy world at the foot of the SPL this win pushed ICT back up to eighth on 27 points. Dunfermline remain rooted at the foot on 14 points.
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