Early goal sinks Inverness


Before you could say half past twelve, Kris Commons had the ball through Dean Brill's legs and into the back of the net to score what proved to be the winner.

Inverness though, to their credit never wilted and had the better of the rest of the half but were unable to penetrate a holding Celtic defence who saw out the game relatively untroubled bar a couple of decent long range efforts.

The lunch time kick off saw a sizeable crowd gather at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium to watch first take on third in the SPFL on a fine December afternoon.

Celtic were quick out of the blocks and with only two and a half minutes on the clock Commons buried a ball through Brill after a one-two on the left edge of the box saw him stride forward to despatch the ball into the net. Slack defending from Inverness and a great start for the Champions. Many Caley Jags fans were left wondering if the return of Raven would have prevented the defence being opened up so easily and so early.

Comedy moment was provided by Ross Draper in midfield as Crawford Allan crossed his path, the big lad brushing Crawford aside with ease, poor Crawford left to dust himself down and get off the floor to continue his refereeing, electing not to book Draper in the meantime, but his card was marked.

Aaron Doran managed to get one on target after some neat build up play from the left flank and at the other end Inverness were fortunate there were no takers for Stokes inviting cut back as the ball rolled across the box and out for a throw in. Top scorer Billy McKay bottled a header when the ball reached him in the area, but he was unable to get any purchase on the ball and Forster gathered easily.

Inverness were now on top but needed that goal to draw level and it almost came.  Graeme Shinnie warmed the hands of Fraser Forster as he let rip after Marley Watkins won the ball back at the corner flag and fed it into Shinnie's path, and from the angle of the box his powerful shot was well saved by the big keeper.

Half Time 0-1

Graeme Shinnie continued the one man onslaught on Celtic's goal and Forster once more denied him, diving low to his left to turn a 25 yard effort out for a corner.

Commons almost flicked home number two from six yards, the ball going a yard wide when he should have done better, and soon after he lifted a cross onto the back corner of the bar with Brill looking on. It would have been somewhat fortuitous had it gone in but that was about as close as it got in the second half which was slowly drawing to a close with Inverness unable to get behind the Celtic defence.

Best move of the match saw Commons strike from the edge of the box after a neat step over by Samaras and a touch by Stokes, but Brill was just that, diving to his left to push the ball away, Scott Brown making a complete hash of the rebound firing it well wide.

Doran brought out a TV save from Forster from distance, the ball never troubling him enough as Inverness came back into the picture and from the clearance, Stokes set up Brown, who forced Brill into an equally comfortable save from the edge of the box.

Hughes made a last ditch attempt to salvage something from the game and threw on the twinkle toed son of an Inverness footballing Legend. Former Inverness Thistle, Inverness Caledonian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle legend Charlie Christie was bulging with pride as his 17 year old son Ryan entered the fray, and he showed some moments of skill and almost latched onto Drapers headed ball in the last minute of the game, but the lineman had flagged for offside, maybe just as well as wee Ryan could not get over the ball and his header went amiss. Draper himself should have done better with the initial attempt as he headed Doran's cross down and across goal, missing the target, and that was that.

Full Time 0-1

  

tm4tj MotM:- I'm going for Graeme Shinnie who did his best with a couple of fierce shots on target, but like many others feel it's only a matter of time before David Raven returns to right back, then maybe we will see the benefit of Shinnie foraging on the left. Remember we are still without Vincent and Foran and needs must.