Bizarre
Inverness were denied at least a share of the points by unheralded incompetency from the match officials, and in full view of a watching TV audience.
Take nothing away from a dogged Partick Thistle side who battled hard to stem the flow, but with the referee and the far side linesman unable to understand the rules of the game and a Dean Brill fumble, Inverness lost their first game at home this season thanks to a Kris Doolan double being enough to outdo a Garry Warren header just after half time.
A misty morning saw the sides take to the park for the 12:45 kick off with a sizeable travelling support hoping for the Harry Wragg's to pull off a shock result, and they would not be disappointed, but the controversy surrounding the game will rumble on for a while methinks.
The injured James Vincent was replaced in the starting eleven by Ben Greenhalgh who had made a decent contribution in our last home game against Hibernian.
The home side started brightly enough and soon had Partick on the back foot and conceding free kicks around their box, however free kicks are something we need to do a bit of work on and Doran curled one or two high and wide and not very handsome.
Aaron Muirhead was yellow carded as early as the second minute for one of his many indiscretions.
Ross Draper was putting himself about a bit and won another free kick which we promptly wasted but in the eighth minute we almost took the lead when Greenhalgh latched onto a ball in the box but his angled drive cannoned to safety off the base of the post.
Partick were rarely seen in an attacking sense in the early part of the game but they took the lead against the run of play when Kris Doolan did well after some neat play down the Partick left saw him get a touch ahead of Meekings in the box and he turned and sent a low drive behind Brill from the angle of the six yard box.
For all Inverness' possession, they were finding it difficult to trouble Fox in the Partick goal although he had to look lively to tip a rasping shot from Draper over the bar after a good lay off on the edge of the box. Inverness were beginning to pressure the visitors and this led to a high corner count throughout the game, but corners don't win matches.
Ben Greenhalgh was as ineffective as Doran with another free kick that was blasted high and wide as the half wore on.
Just when you thought you had seen it all, along comes something new to keep you on your toes, and this one takes the biscuit! Inverness won a corner on the far side and Ross Draper conjured up a bit of skullduggery. He thought he had taken the corner and confirmed this with the referee's assistant, who apparently OK'd the move. Aaron Doran was let in on the secret and he then dribbled the ball to the box and crossed to Billy McKay whose shot was knocked off the line and fell to Doran who rifled a low shot through a ruck of bodies and into the net. Joy for Inverness, or so we thought. At this point it was noticed that Stuart Stevenson had raised his flag, and when Euan Norris spoke to him, the goal was chalked off. Bizarre for a number of reasons, but mostly for the time lag before the flag went up.
That brought the half to a chaotic close and the Inverness fans and players were not happy, and justifiably so.
Half Time 0-1
The home side were obviously still raging by the injustice and within a minute of the restart they drew level. Ross Draper forced his way through a couple of tackles before hitting the deck and from the resultant free kick, Warren rose highest to direct a header down and across the keeper and into the net.
That should have spurred Inverness on to greater things, but there followed a period of inactivity as Partick tried to regain composure and Inverness appeared to be relieved to be back on level terms, despite the officials.
However, Norris would come to Partick's rescue once more disallowing what looked like a perfectly legitimate Foran headed goal. McKay was penalised as Fox crumpled to the ground on his line, despite the keeper seemingly trying to claw the face off the aforementioned Billy. Another contentious decision, but more would follow, Polworth being given a free kick as he burst towards the visitors box about to unleash a shot. The free kick once more wasted by Inverness.
The introduction of Marley Watkins with twenty minutes left was one of the bright spots in an otherwise grey day for refereeing and Inverness Caley Thistle. He certainly looks to have pace to burn and will be worth another look at in the near future.
In reality it was too little too late as Inverness tried to gain the advantage, but it was game over from an unlikely source after 83 minutes. A cross from the Partick left was smothered, but as the ball jumped up and into Brill's safe hands, he took his eye off it and it dropped onto the waiting Doolan's foot for him to turn the ball into the net. Disaster for Brill, joy for the 340 visiting fans.
A very late flurry of activity ensued around the visitors net but some stout defending and sheer misfortune denied Inverness a share of the points, the result being confirmed after Warren nodded another loose ball in the Partick box just over from close range.
Full Time 1-2
A game that from this moment onwards will be known as the cornergate affair. The officials got this so wrong it's almost laughable, but it's not funny, and I'm no laughing. They should be held accountable for their actions and in all honesty should be made to sit their certificates again after reading the rule book.
MotM must go to Stuart Stevenson, who is the only person who knows the truth and was Partick's match winner in a game that Inverness never looked like losing. Player nominations for me were Josh Meekings, Garry Warren and the duracell bunny that is Richie Foran. Marley Watkins did himself no harm with a pacey cameo and will be in contention for a start at Dingwall surely.
Date: 20.10.2013 Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 3154
Referee: Euan Norris
Inverness CT: 1
Lineup: Brill, Raven, Shinnie, Warren, Meekings, Mckay (Agdestein 90), Draper, Foran, Doran, Ross (Polworth 69), Greenhalgh (Watkins 71)
Subs (not used): Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Williams
Scorers: Warren (47)
Booked: Foran (44), Warren (63)
Sent Off: none
Partick Th: 2
Lineup: Fox, O'Donnell, Taylor-Sinclair, Welsh, Muirhead, Balatoni, Craigen (Elliot 72), Bannigan, Doolan, Osbourne, Higginbotham (Lawless 82)
Subs (not used): Gallagher, Forbes, Piccolo, Baird, Fraser
Scorers: Doolan (19, 83)
Booked: Muirhead (2), Osbourne (13), Welsh (41), Higginbotham (43), Bannigan (90)
Sent Off: none
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