Ian Broadfoot reports on the match between Caley Thistle and Hearts at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. High flying Hearts were trying to keep their 100% record intact and new owner Mr. Romanov flew in from Lithuania to watch them do it !!
Saturday 17th September 2005
Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE
0
Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Proctor, Black, McBain (Fox 46), Wilson (Morgan 77), Dargo (Hart 84), Brewster
Subs – Duncan, Parratt, Finnigan & Fraser
HEARTS (George Burley)
1 (Skacel 28)
Team: Gordon, Neilson, Fyssas (Wallace 63), Pressley, Webster, Skacel⚽, Jankauskas (Simmons 87), Hartley, Bednar, McAllister (Camazzola 55), Brellier
Subs – Cesnauskis, Berra, Elliot & Banks
Referee
M McCurry
Attendance
6704
Man of the Match
Ian Black (ICT)
For Hearts this was seven SPL wins out of seven and for Rudi Skacel it was seven goals in seven SPL games. For Caley Thistle it was disappointment despite a fine performance. On-loan Dennis Wyness was ruled out because of a prior agreement with his primary employers so the two Craigs continued up front. David Proctor replaced Liam Fox in the starting eleven and Chris Finnigan made his first squad appearance.
Wind and rain conspired to make things difficult on and off the field but the large Hearts support, visiting Inverness for the first time, were in good voice and clearly enjoyed the occasion. Hearts were not at their best and had a hard job breaking down the home defence but they were always dangerous. Caley Thistle worked their socks off and could have snatched a draw.
The visitors pressed hard right from the start and in less than 30 seconds Mark Brown had to dive to collect a deflected Paul Hartley effort. In two minutes, Steven Pressley headed a Jamie McAllister corner wide. Craig Gordon held a curling Barry Wilson free kick in six minutes then Brown had to dive to palm a long range shot for a corner. In 11 minutes Brown had to race out to clear a short pass back from Stuart Golabek with Roman Bednar closing fast. Bednar headed for goal in 18 minutes and went down just inside the box – play was waved on but he was lucky to escape a yellow card. The only goal of the match came in 28 minutes from Skacel and resulted from the prolific striker being given far too much room and time. In a packed box he found a route to goal and his 12 yard low ball went beyond the diving Brown. Skacel was booked for his exuberant celebrations. Almost immediately a Craig Brewster shot from 25 yards was deflected then Wilson hit over the bar. Pressley once more headed wide from a corner in 38 minutes then, three minutes later, came Caley Thistle's best chance for an equaliser. A Barry Wilson free kick from the left was headed off the post by Grant Munro then turned towards goal by Darren Dods – a final touch into the net came from Craig Dargo on the line but offside was called.
Half Time: 0-1
Hearts rarely looked like extending their lead in the second half and they seemed content to slow play and count down the minutes. Edgaras Jankauskas was through on the hour mark but he slipped at the vital moment and Munro cleared. In 67 minutes a Brewster free kick just outside the area was slipped to Liam Fox and his low shot went just wide. 15 minutes from time Hearts had a good spell but the home defence held firm then play switched to the other end and Craig Gordon's goal was under threat. An Alan Morgan corner from the left deflected in the direction of Munro but it bounced off him for a goal kick. A Morgan free kick from the left was headed clear then the Hearts defence dealt easily with all efforts in the dying minutes.
Full Time: 0-1
Holding the league leaders to just 1-0 was laudable but it was still three points lost and ICT now lie eighth.
