SPL entry put paid to league derbies so this CIS cup clash was a bonus. The match was played amidst heavy rain and Caley Thistle were on top throughout. In the end the teams were only separated by a superb goal from ‘Man of the Match’ Ross Tokely. 

Roy McBain and Richie Hart were rested for ICT and their places were taken by Russell Duncan and Steve Hislop. Juanjo played pending an appeal against Sunday’s red card. 

In six minutes a Graham Bayne shot was held by Stuart Garden then a Barry Wilson effort cannoned off Hislop and ran past. 

Liam Keogh hit high from 25 yards in 10 minutes then County’s John Rankin did the same from a free kick at the other end. A Juanjo free kick curled wide in 12 minutes then Garden took a Wilson low shot at the post in 18 minutes. 

Sean Kilgannon had a chance for County in 22 minutes but he was off-balance and shot wide. Two minutes later a Wilson curling free kick from wide right reached Bayne but he headed wide. 

Mark Brown punched out in 27 minutes to set up Mark McCulloch but the ex-Caley Thistle captain drove wide. County’s best chance came in 37 minutes when a defensive slip let in Alex Burke but he hit past. 

In the run up to the break ICT had chance after chance – Wilson hit over, Keogh blasted high, Juanjo struck wide from an angle, Bayne headed off-target then Grant Munro shot over from the rebound. 

Half Time: 0-0

The pattern continued after the restart with Hislop chipping just over, Juanjo doing the same then Wilson and Bayne both hitting high. A poor pass back led to a sliced clearance from Garden and the concession of a corner on the right. Wilson’s kick was headed goalwards by Ross Tokely at the near post and it was 1-0. 

There was little else on target at either end with the closest effort coming four minutes from time. Wilson sent over a low cross from the right and Hislop’s low header was cleared at the back post. County had few chances but Sean Higgins did hit wide close to the whistle. 

Full Time: 0-1

A good night’s work and the hope of a home third round tie at Caledonian Stadium.

Same old County, always in our shadow.

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Ross County: 0

Team: Garden; Robertson, McCulloch, MacKay, Canning, Lauchlan, Rankin, Cowie, 

McSwegan (McGarry 59), Kilgannon (Higgins 74), Burke (Winters 59)

Subs not used: McCunnie, McCafferty

Booked: McCulloch, Rankin.

Inverness CT: 1 (Tokely 65)

Team: Brown; Tokely, Munro, McCaffrey, Golabek, Wilson, Keogh, Duncan, 

Juanjo (McBain 85), Hislop, Bayne

Subs not used: Fraser; Dods, Hart, Prunty 

Booked: None