Caley Jags have got a semi

This KDM quarter final match was more than just a Challenging knock-out tie. It offered the winners bragging rights and the psychological advantage in the race for promotion to the Championship as League1's top two sides squared off at the Caledonian Stadium. A bitterly cold night probably kept the crowd down to a minimum as a biting wind cut across the stadium. Not a night for brass monkeys to be honest. It has been a hectic January schedule for both sides and The Caley Jags in particular are recently off the back of seven away games on the bounce. With that seven in mind, the hosts made a number of changes, seven in fact. Robertson in for Devine, Chalmers in for Alonge and Allan for Stewart. Wholesale changes up front with Billy Mckay, Spoony, Longstaff, and Willox starting in place of Zimba, Bavidge, Sole, and MacKinnon. For the visitors, a couple of changes with Finlay Gray, Euan Reilly and Kelsey Ewen coming in and Dale Carrick and Nicky Jamieson on the bench and Mikey Anderson dropping out.

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The Warriors came for a battle and got a bloody nose

So, looks like seven changes from the win over Alloa and just the three for the Warriors as the game got underway in Arctic tundra conditions. First moment of danger came from the visitors when Ross Meechan's header went awry off a cross into the box. The early posturing came from the Warriors and Finlay Gray's inviting ball just evaded Matty Aitken. In his first start, Kieron Willox was first to make a keeper work after linking up with Billy Mckay, but it was Jamieson that won this battle as he pulled off a one on one with the loanee from Stoke. At the other end Finlay Gray slalomed past three defenders with Ross Munro denying him with a reflex save. Willox looking interested in the early stages for the Caley Jags with Finlay Gray doing likewise for Stenhousemuir. Midway through the half Oscar MacIntyre was almost on the end of Longstaff's dangerous cross into the box but Jamieson was able to smother the ball. The visitors were totting up their corner corner count some ten minutes before the break, something we would do well to stop conceding as it can often be a cause for concern, Archie Graham heading narrowly wide from one such occasion when he could just as easily have opened the scoring. Half a dozen corners to Stenny, but in time added on, we won our first corner only for David Wotherspoon's header to be blocked and the half ended without a goal. A distinct lack of big chances in a frustrating first '45 with the visitors not afraid to put themselves about. All to play for in the next hour or so.

HALF TIME: 0-0

They reinforced the angry man attitude with Scott McGill getting his birthday card from the referee, booked in the first minute after the break. Calum MacLeod ended a good burst forward with a disappointing effort that missed the target. Surprise surprise, Gregor Buchanan followed McGill into the book. Paul Allan headed a Willox cross over before Willox departed around the hour to be replaced by Alfie Bavidge. A clearance by Finlay Gray kept the scores level as a ball into the six yard box was handily placed for a tap in. The substitutes flowed from the hour with Chanka Zimba and Dale Carrick amongst others entering the field. And it was a substitute Alfie Bavidge that opened the scoring with seventeen minutes remaining after his first effort was deflected behind for a corner. Following the corner Alfie shot high into the net from inside the box to put the hosts ahead after the keeper made a hash of trying to clear Paul Allan's corner kick, the ball bouncing off a ruck of players allowing Alfie to spin and lash the ball high into the net from six yards. Into time added on Zimba held up for Jordan Alonge to get a shot away with keeper Jamieson saving well. With no further scoring Inverness moved into the semi-finals to await the winner of St Johnstone v Ayr United which was postponed tonight. In the only other game that went ahead tonight, Raith Rovers progressed on penalties against Queens Park.

FULL TIME: 1-0

Date:  27/01/2026  Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 1114 Referee: Peter Stuart 
 
Inverness CT: 1

• Manager: Scott Kellacher

• Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod, Robertson, Savage, MacIntyre, Longstaff (Sole (82), Allan,

• Chalmers, Willox (Bavidge 58), Wotherspoon (Zimba 66), B Mckay (Alonge 82)

• Subs (not used): Ross; Davidson, Devine, MacKinnon, Stewart

• Scorers: Bavidge (73)

• Booked: Sole (90+2)

• Sent Off: none

Stenhousemuir: 0

• Manager: Gary Naysmith

• Lineup:  D Jamieson; Meechan, Graham, Buchanan, Bilham (Simpson 67), Ewen,

• O'Reilly (Carrick 67), Gray, McGill, Whyte, Aitken

• Subs (not used): Lyle; , N Jamieson, Cameron,

• Scorers: none

• Booked: Whyte (36), O'Reilly (41), McGill (46), Buchanan (53), Aitken (82)

• Sent Off: none