First time for everything

The Caley Jags headed to Aberdeen looking for their first win in 18 competitive matches.  Andy Barrowman opened the scoring on 27 minutes, picking up on a through ball by Ross Tokely, which evaded the Aberdeen Defence, and slotting it home with ease.

Roy McBain then put the game beyond Aberdeen, scoring a great goal with his right foot...a great present for a man playing his 300th game for Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC.

The trip home along the A96 will likely be the happiest ICT Fans and Players will ever have had now that the Aberdeen Curse has been laid to rest...3 points on the board, and top of the league...for now at least.

9th August 2008 - 3.00pm	Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
ABERDEEN FC	0
Team: Langfield, Foster, Severin, Considine, Mulgrew, De Visscher (Mackie, 46), McDonald, Kerr (Diamond, 74), Smith, Miller, Maguire (Young, 64) Subs - Bossu, Duff, Mair, Smith
INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC	2 - Barrowman (27), McBain (90)
Team: Fraser, Tokely, McGuire, Munro, Hastings, Cowie, Black (Wilson, 85), Duncan, Imrie, McBain, Barrowman (McAllister, 90) Subs - Esson, Djebi-Zadi, Sutherland, Wood, Kerr
Referee	M Tumilty
Attendance	12659
Man of the Match

18TH TIME LUCKY FOR CALEY AS BARROWMAN'S OFF THE MARK

The 9th of August was here and with it the start of the new SPL season. We’re entering our 5th SPL season and looking for only our 2nd opening day victory. So who do the SPL give us, Aberdeen! Would that prevent us from winning? No way! With many tipping us for relegation and Billy Dodds saying Aberdeen should beat teams like Inverness CT, there was only going to be one winner - a great game to open the season - and what a game it was.

Now that my home town is Aberdeen, I made the 30 minute walk to Pittodrie in plenty time, I thought, until it took forever to get my reserved tickets, due to the ticket office having them in the home support box and not checking there for ages after sending me all around the ground!! Thankfully I did not miss much.

I think Aberdeen should reduce ticket prices like Celtic do for restricted view. The amount of sea eagles flying about provides a restricted view like a pole is in your way!! It seemed worse in the 2nd half!!! Brewster’s first team selection of the new season didn’t bring many surprises. Barrowman played as a lone striker and Cowie played as an attacking midfielder with Dougie Imrie playing on the right.

Throughout the opening exchanges, Caley Thistle slowly crept into the game and Roy McBain had a decent chance blocked for a corner. A Scott Severin volley almost gave the hosts the lead but I believe it was McBain who saved us on the line. Jeffrey de Visscher had a great chance as well but Fraser managed to parry to safety.

"I cannot begin to describe just how good the ball from Tokely was to set up the goal - RiG "However on 27 minutes it was a debut goal for BARROWMAN!!!! Good play on the right with Imrie playing Tokely down the line and Tokely managing the perfect cross along the 6 yard line to evade the whole defence and find Barrowman who stuck a foot on it to open his goal scoring account for the Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The fans went berserk and the team looked delighted to take the lead.

Don Cowie did have a chance to double the lead just before half time but Langfield was quick out of his goals and his shot went wide.

Half time 1-0 to Inverness CT, and we're half way there.

The second half started with Aberdeen getting a corner in the very first minute. Was this going to be a long 2nd half? I think so. Darren Mackie should have scored against the club he went on loan to back in 2004, but his strike from the middle of the box went wide of the mark. Dougie Imrie then managed to cut in field and hit one that sailed agonisingly past the post.

I can't speak highly enough of Grant Munro today, he was absolutely magnificent and could be seen cajoling and urging his teammates as a captain should. - hislopoffsideagain

Aberdeen was starting to gather momentum a wee bit but it seemed our defence was equal to the task most of the time. Many a pass from the Dons went astray as their fans got frustrated. Dougie Imrie could have scored to make it 2-0 after a blunder from Langfield but from 20 yards the ball flew over the bar. Roy McBain then had a goal disallowed and I will need to have a look at the highlights to see if it was the correct decision or not.

Grant Munro made the challenge of the match though when Darren Mackie was on the left and cut it back past Fraser and all it was going to need was a tap in. But for the charging Munro who intercepted the goal saving challenge to put it behind for a corner.

Then with 88 mins on the clock it was hard working midfielder McBAIN who guaranteed our first ever win over Aberdeen. And on his 300th appearance for the Caley Jags, there was no better player to do it. We hit on the break with Imrie setting Roy clear and his 50 yard run was neatly finished by slotting the ball past the helpless Langfield. The fans went crazy, Brewster was delighted and the players looked ecstatic. A couple more minutes past and that was it, the full time whistle went and with it our first ever win over the Aberdeen.

The referee had an ok game but nothing special, and the linesman near our support didn’t have the greatest of games. £800 for the match? I will let you decide!!

Thanks for that stunner Roy, can you buy me a new mobile phone please. When the ball was on it's way to the sweet sweet back of the lovely juicy Dons net, in my youthful exuberance I (and a few hundred others) leapt to my feet and bounced around uncontrollably. At the apex of my orbit, my mobile phone slipped quietly out of my top pocket and landed at Uncle Albert's feet in the row in front... (During the war that often happened). Caley100 did a similar leap and his hands whisked the specs straight off the head of The Mantis in the row behind. (What a spectacle) The specs are OK I believe, but my mobile is goosed, the screen is burst. Anyway, great to see grown men and women united in unison and belief, belief that we will be top of the league (and you're no) even if only for a day, for to stick one on the Dons chin in their own backyard was worth the toothache and six hour round trip. I was there, yes, I was there the day we beat the Dons, something to remember when I am old........hmmnnn. - themannforthejob

A great team performance but a few players I thought deserve mention are Munro who had a solid game, McBain who worked hard all afternoon, Imrie who looked hungry for the ball, Cowie did well and Barrowman looked a handful. He reminds me of Bayne with his work rate and I think he could have a good season. Fraser looked good but sometimes he comes out when he shouldn’t and McGuire still worries me when running back. Brewster’s tactics were spot on with 5 man midfield. The fitness of the players told towards the end with McBain's 50 yard run.

A great start; 3pts, and one of the best matches I have ever been at. We were bound to beat them sometime, and the first time was always going to be a classic. Now let’s hope we kick start our home record with a win over newcomers Hamilton next week. Will we have any new signings before then? Only time will tell.