Below Par

Just under six months ago Caley Thistle came here with Donald Park in temporary charge and faced a Dunfermline side which featured Craig Brewster. The visitors had just climbed to ninth and would continue to climb to SPL safety with more than a little help from their player/manager who remains the Pars second top goalscorer despite having left for the north in late November. 

Brewster returned to East End Park for the first time to play against his old team with Dunfermline joint bottom of the league, on a downward spiral and fighting for their SPL lives. 

Caley Thistle made just one change from last week , Stuart Golabek came back from suspension and Richard Hastings reverted to the bench. The home side dominated the first half but failed to find a way past the strong Caley Thistle defence. 

Simon Donnelly was through in the seventh minute but shot straight at Mark Brown then the same player shot over in 15 minutes. Brown tipped over Noel Hunt's deflected cross three minutes later then Andrius Skerla headed wide from the resultant corner. Brown saved Campbell's curling free kick in 23 minutes then Darren Young hit wide. 

Hunt found the net in 27 minutes but he was offside. There was little action at the other end until close to half time when a strong Barry Wilson run ended with Derek Stillie tipping his shot over the bar.

Half Time 0-0 

Just after the break a Derek Young header was deflected past the post but nerves began to tell and Dunfermline faded. 

Caley Thistle came more into it and in 59 minutes Darren Dods latched onto Wilson's free kick but headed wide. Derek Young shot over in 64 minutes and Scott Wilson did the same in the 77th minute, but these were rare second half chances from the home side. 

ICT substitute Bajram Fetai tried to take advantage of Wilson's deep cross in 70 minutes but missed the ball at the back post. 

As time ran out Andy Tod shot over Brown's bar and Brewster did the same at the other end. 

Full Time: 0-0

Honours even but Dunfermline remain firmly in the relegation dog-fight. The head-to-head match next week against Livingston will go a long way to deciding who goes down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dunfermline: 0

Team: Stillie; Skerla, Wilson, Thomson, Campbell, Donnelly (Tod 79), Dar Young, Mason,

Der Young, Hunt (Mehmet 59), Hristov (Christiansen 59)

Subs not used: Langfield; Makel, Labonte, Ross - Booked: Hristov (58)

Inverness CT: 0

Team: Brown; Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Wilson, Hart (Fetai 66), Black, McBain,

Brewster, Prunty (Bayne 73)

Subs not used: Fraser; Hastings, Proctor, Duncan, Fox - Booked: None

Attendance: 4481 - Referee: Calum Murray