A boring end-of-season encounter this most certainly was not. In December Craig Dargo scored twice at Fir Park to take the points and this time his 27th minute strike was enough to see off a determined Motherwell side. The Inverness side was shaken up a little with Liam Keogh, Graham Bayne and Stuart Golabek coming into the starting eleven. There was also a first bench appearance for eighteen year old Zander Sutherland.

 

Motherwell had the first crack at goal in five minutes when Scott McDonald threaded the ball through for Phil O’Donnell but Mark Brown turned his shot past for a corner. The home side continued to press and a dipping Steve Hammell free kick in 22 minutes just cleared Brown’s bar. It was the visitors who took a decisive lead in 27 minutes when a high Grant Munro ball out of defence was aimed for Dargo and he outpaced two defenders to set up a one-on-one with Graeme Smith. Dargo neatly sent a low ball into the net for the game’s only goal. Three minutes later an Alan Morgan ball in from the left wing rebounded off Dargo’s back into the path of Russell Duncan – his 25 yard blast was well saved by Smith. A Jim Hamilton close-range shot was deflected for a corner by Darren Dods in 35 minutes then, close to half time, Dargo ran half the length of the park then set up Barry Wilson. Wilson’s shot was saved by Smith but it came back out to give Wilson another chance – once more Smith was equal to the task.

 

Half Time: 0-1

 

Six minutes after the break the match flared up when Richie Foran fouled Duncan on the left. Alan McCormick waded in as Duncan expressed his displeasure and yellow cards were shown to both Duncan and McCormick. Inexplicably a minute later McCormick raced over to the right and clattered Ross Tokely. The rest was inevitable – a second yellow and a walk to the dressing room. ICT never managed to take real advantage of the extra man and it was the Steelmen who next came close. In 64 minutes a quick Brian Kerr free kick was sent into the box by McDonald and it came off both Kerr and Brian McLean – it could have gone anywhere but it went over for a goal kick. Brown dived to collect an O’Donnell header in 76 minutes then, with seven minutes left, ICT substitute Rory McAllister won the ball off William Kinniburgh to set up a couple of chances – McAllister’s shot was blocked then Keogh’s follow-up was well saved by Smith. Three minutes from time a dangerous curling Richie Hart effort from 20 yards was pushed away by Smith.

 

FullTime: 0-1

 

A hectic three minutes of added time came to nothing and the points pushed Caley Thistle above Motherwell into seventh place.  With 46 points on the board, and four games left, last season’s total of 44 has also been overtaken.