There is light at the end of the tunnel after all

Inverness had to come from behind in a tough encounter at Caledonian Stadium to edge out St Mirren.

 McAusland opened the scoring against the run of play but Man of the Match Andrew Shinnie restored parity after half an hour then had a big hand in the winner as  Gregory Tade knocked in a rebound with twelve minutes remaining, but in a pulsating game, sighs all round as the Buddies had a goal chalked off in injury time for offsides, and there endeth the action as Inverness claimed a well deserved second win of the season.

A dreich day after the Indian summer conditions earlier in the week kept some fans in the pre-match boozer a bit longer than usual, and they missed the first opportunity of the game as Foran missed a sitter inside the first minute.  Andrew Shinnie had dispossessed Mair and teed up Foran, only for the captain to put the ball wide.  A big let-off for the Saints and agony for the home fans.

The wintery conditions made the ball extremely difficult to control and perfect for sliding tackles and with ten minutes gone the impressive Davis tested former County keeper Craig Samson in the Saints goal with a long range effort which he saved well considering the damp atmosphere.

 Foran saw a netbound header deflected agonisingly the wrong side of the post as Inverness kept the pressure on the visitors.

Inverness were taking the game to their more fancied opponents and forced a series of corners which the Saints defence dealt with.  Strong running by Davis and Tade was causing the visitors some anxious moments but Saints scored in their first foray upfield.

Gary Teale swung a corner into the box and a moment of slackness by the home defence saw Marc McAusland head home virtually unchallenged.  Frustration for the home fans as Inverness had started very brightly and all the good early work was undone by a moment of indecision at the back.

Big Steven Thompson was putting himself about and his robust style was causing the home defence some problems in the air as Saints eventually started playing but Inverness were level within ten minutes, but not before Tade missed the first of a number of one-on-ones, pushing the ball just wide of the post and into the side netting.

 An excellent goal from neat build up play when Davis crossed for Foran to head into the path of Andrew Shinnie, and he directed a low shot past the helpless Samson from twelve yards.  No more than Butcher's boys had deserved.

Esson was called into action near the break as he blocked an effort by Paul McGowan, but Inverness trooped of at half time deservedly back on level terms.

Half Time 1-1

The second half was a continuation of the first one, and Andrew Shinnie was unlucky not to score his second of the game as he surged forward and unleashed a powerful 25 yarder which bounced off the post with Samson well beaten.

Danny Lennon obviously did not like what he was witnessing and made a double substitution with midfielders  Thomson and Teale leaving the action, but Inverness still dominated and Tade still missed one-on-ones, but he was definitely proving a handful for the overworked Paisley defence.  He pulled yet another one across the face of the goal and left us all wondering if that was going to be the story of the match, but he had the last laugh as he bundled in the ball after Andrew Shinnie had struck the post once more.  Not sure if he hit the ball, or the ball hit him, whatever, it ended up in the net and Inverness were in front for the first time with twelve minutes remaining.

 Saints realised the game was slipping away from them and came to life in the last ten minutes as they tried to salvage an unlikely point from a game that Inverness should have won at a canter, but too many good opportunities went astray with the industrious Tade the main culprit, but you can't deny his energy and passion for the game.

As Saints pushed for an equaliser an unlikely hero in the shape of David Proctor stood firm and between himself and the rock that is Ross Tokely they mopped up the visitors last remaining hopes of taking a point down the A9, ably assisted by Richie Foran who defended when he was needed.

 Saints did put the ball in the net, but their celebrations were brought to an abrupt halt when they eventually spotted the linesman waving his wee flag, what a shame.........not.

Full Time 2-1

 One or two players had something to prove to the home fans today and I think they aquitted themselves rather well.  David Proctor has had his knockers (ooerr missus) but he came onto a solid game today and made some vital clearances as Saints tried to snatch a point.  Gregory Tade is maybe not the most gifted player to have played for Inverness, but his work rate is tremendous and he deserved his goal, although he could also have had a handful of goals, still, he is getting into these positions and hopefully that will come.  Ross Tokely did what he does best, cleared his lines and was crucial alongside Proctor at the end, oh how the Saints fans love him.

To be honest there were no failures, maybe Nick Ross was having a quiet game today as he seemed to slip under the radar, but one lad who came good today was Andrew Shinnie, my MotM and also the sponsors MotM, thoroughly deserved and he was unlucky not to score a hat-trick.

This was an important win today as it puts us back in touch with the pack and yes, there does appear to a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.

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

It's your lucky day folks, two for the price of one, Hislopsoffsideagain has also handed in a report for this game and he saw the action like this:-

01/10/11	Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
I.C.T.	2 - A.Shinnie (31), Tade (78)
	TEAM: Esson, Tokely, Proctor, G.Shinnie, Piermayr, Tansey, A.Shinnie, Ross, Davis, Foran (Sutherland 90), Tade (Chippendale 87)
	SUBS: Tuffey, Golobart, Gillet, Morrison, McKay
	Booked: Ross (57)
	Sent Off: none
St. Mirren	1 - McAusland (23)
	TEAM: Samson, van Zanten, Mair, McAusland, Tesselaar, Goodwin, Thomson (Barron 59), Teale (Mclean 58), Thompson (Carey 72), McGowan, Hasselbaink
	SUBS: Smith, Haddad, Mckee, McShane
	Booked: Carey (85)
	Sent Off: none
Referee	George Salmond
Attendance	3249

Gregory Tade's late winner might have been fortuitous, but Caley Thistle were good value for their 2-1 win over St. Mirren, our second win of the season and a result which, whilst leaving us still at the foot of the table, brings us to within a point of the team above and only four off sixth place. Andrew Shinnie's first goal for the club had cancelled out Marc McAusland's opener, and Tade's 78th minute effort proved decisive.

Terry Butcher made only one change to the side that lost at Celtic Park, with Andrew Shinnie brought in for Aiden Chippendale, while Gavin Morrison returned to the bench after a hip injury. Shinnie slotted in behind central striker Richie Foran, with Gregory Tade starting the game on the flank. The weather might have been wet, but there was nothing damp about the home side's start – within two minutes Andrew Shinnie had robbed the dawdling Lee Mair and squared for Foran to tap into an empty net...only for his captain to scuff his right-footed shot past the post. The phrase “my granny could have scored that” was not, in this case, an exaggeration.

The Buddies were not sparked into action by the let-off, and Caley continued to dominate the early exchanges. David Davis sent in a fizzing effort that was straight at the goalkeeper, then Foran saw a header deflected narrowly wide by defender Jeroen Tesselaar. But a failure to take chances has been a recurring theme so far this season, and the profligacy was punished when Gary Teale's corner was headed home by an unmarked Marc McAusland to give St. Mirren the lead against the run of play.

Tade should have equalized soon afterwards, outpacing and outmuscling McAusland to find himself with only keeper Craig Samson to beat, but hit the side netting; however, the equalizer arrived soon after when Davis' deep cross was headed back across goal by Foran and Andrew Shinnie smashed a volley into the back of the net from twelve yards. Caley deserved nothing less, though they survived a scare soon after when Paul McGowan's long range effort brought Ryan Esson just into action, and then just before the break Stephen Thompson was denied by a Ross Tokely block.

But as the second period wore on there was an increasing feeling that luck might not be on Caley's side. Andrew Shinnie's deflected effort shortly after the restart hit the inside of the post, then twice Tade was sent clean through, only for the Frenchman to display his lack of confidence by spurning both opportunities. St. Mirren had plenty of possession but little to show for it bar a Gary Teale effort that flew wide.

It was, however, to be Tade's day after all. The energetic Andrew Shinnie was once more involved, with his shot again beating Samson and again hitting the base of the post, but Tade was rewarded for following up the shot as the ball rebounded off his shin and into the net for the winner. McGowan thought he had nicked a last-gasp equalizer, but his effort was chalked off for offside. They say it's better to be lucky than good, but while Tade was lucky, Inverness were good enough.

Cheers hissy, great minds think alike. 

And, these reports are like buses, none for ages then three come along at once, here's granty24's take on the proceedings.

An Andy Shinnie inspired Inverness managed to come from behind to snatch victory against an uninspiring St. Mirren in this afternoon's SPL encounter. The home side hoping to cut the deficit between themselves in bottom spot, and Dunfermline in eleventh, to just a single point following the Pars humbling at the hands of Aberdeen in the first ever Friday night SPL fixture the night before. The Buddies made just one change from the side that defeated Kilmarnock 3-0 seven days previously, with the workhorse Nigel Hasselbaink drafted in to replace youngster Kenny McLean in the role just behind forwards Steven Thompson and Paul McGowan. Inverness also made just the one change with Shinnie coming in to replace Aidan Chippendale who couldn't consolidate his place after making his first start at Parkhead last week. Caley Thistle looked impressive in the opening stages, with A. Shinnie pulling the strings and forcing an early chance with just 36 seconds on the clock, capitalising on a heavy touch from stalwart Lee Mair, before sliding in a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the unchallenged Richie Foran who somehow skewed the ball past Craig Samson's goal from little over six yards out. On-loan midfielder David Davis then warmed the gloves of Samson for the first time, but his 25 yard strike was straight down the throat of the keeper who gathered with ease. Foran had the chance to atone for his earlier miss, getting on the end of Graeme Shinnie's cross only to see his headed effort creep agonizingly wide of the right hand post after taking a deflection off Jeroen Tesselaar which caught Samson flat footed. However, St. Mirren grabbed the lead against the run of play mid-way through the first half after Thomas Piermayr conceded a corner, robbing Hasselbaink of the chance to get a clear shot at goal by knocking the ball out of play. Ex-Scotland international, Gary Teale, whipped in the resulting corner which was met by Marc McAusland, who had evaded the attention of Gregory Tade, to nod home, despite the last ditch effort to clear off the line from G. Shinnie. Things didn't seem to be going the way of the home side when Tade passed up an opportunity to redeem himself for his poor marking for the Saints' goal: the former Raith Rovers front man was released by Foran's through ball but despite having the pace to beat Mair, his finish left a lot to be desired, his weak effort striking the side netting from the edge of the 6 yard box. Two minutes later, Inverness were level after some tremendous work from Davis. He first intercepted Paul McGowan's wayward pass, before outpacing McAusland and delivering an inch perfect cross to Foran who's knock-down was promptly rifled home by the impressive Andy Shinnie. Saints thought they had pinched the lead again right from the kick off; some cute skill from McGowan took him past Ross Tokely before unleashing a 20 yard strike, but Ryan Esson in the Inverness goal was equal to the challenge, parrying clear low to his right before Piermayr cleared to safety as the opening 45 came to a close. The second period begun much as the first had, with A. Shinnie probing the Buddies defence, collecting the ball midway inside his own half from his brother Graeme's throw and setting off on an audacious fifty yard burst down the pitch, but all to no avail for the ex-Rangers playmaker as his deflected thunderbolt cannoned off Samson's right hand post. The finishing of the tenacious Gregory Tade provided food for thought for the ICT manager, Butcher, as he passed up another wonderful opportunity to give his team the lead when A. Shinnie put him through 1-on-1 with Samson, but his delayed thought process allowed the 'keeper to fly out of his goal, narrowing the angle and making it difficult for the Frenchman to find the net. Minutes later, Tade was at it again, not giving the Saints defence a moments peace but again couldn't provide that killer finish. Graeme Shinnie slipped the ball through to the forward, who was left with perhaps the simplest of all of his chances thus far, but this time his scuffed effort swayed well wide of Samson's post. By the sheer law of percentages, Inverness deserved the second goal, and the three points. That goal came with just 12 minutes remaining of the ninety, a dainty chip through to the onrushing A. Shinnie by Greg Tansey was brilliantly controlled by the ICT number 10, but his rasping shot rattled the foot of the post only for the ball to hit the static Gregory Tade and trundle in off his knee for the winner. Tade would later describe the goal as the “worst of his career” but “he would take 20 more of them”. Danny Lennon was quoted in a post-match interview as saying his team “didn't deserve anything from the match” but they nearly broke highland hearts in the 92nd minute, a neat turn and pass from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's nephew Nigel was converted by Paul McGowan, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside as the home side clinched their second win of the season and closed the gap on themselves and Dunfermline, Hibs and Aberdeen to a single point.

No highlights found