As you Were

Dundee came North looking to all but wrap up the title. Inverness were on a six game winning streak and looking to force their way into the play-offs with this late run.  There was a blow for Inverness with influential captain Sean Welsh missing, although defender Wallace Duffy was the mystery returnee this week. Jay Henderson returned after suspension with Austin Samuels, Dan Mackay and Aaron Doran on the bench with Duffy. Dundee had their big guns out for this one with perennial pest Paul McMullan on the bench. Strike pairing of Jakubiak and Robinson would be a handful.  A magnificently observed minutes applause for Tommy Cumming set the scene on a dry but breezy afternoon. As it panned out it ended all square. Dundee were quick out of the blocks and pestered Mark Ridgers early on without creating the clear cut chance to open the scoring. Level at the break, the Dark Blues continued in the same vein after the break and made the breakthrough on the hour when Lyall Cameron scored. However we have been resilient of late and substitute Austin Samuels earned us a point with fifteen minutes remaining as we came back at Dundee to quieten their raucous support who firmly believe Billy is a short rotund person born out of wedlock! Morton and Cove were the only winners today, so as you were at the top of the table as we hang on to third place. 

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Dundee started briskly and forged an opportunity in the opening minute when Luke Hannant's cross was not dealt with convincingly and the ricocheted shot from Luke McGowan had to be caught at the second attempt by Mark Ridgers. Alex Jakubiak should have done better when Zach Robinson sent an inviting low cross into the box but Jakubiak almost fresh aired and the ball trundled well wide. Dundee were in the ascendency with Inverness mostly firefighting and reacting to the waves of attacks. Despite their dominance, Ridgers was rarely troubled. In a rare foray forward Robbie Deas tried to improvise a shot from eight yards out but Legzdins pounced to catch the ball and the defenders head at the same time. Just before the interval Robinson headed a couple of yards wide from a good position.

HALF TIME 0-0

The second half started similar to the first, Dundee using pace and passing, Inverness using last ditch tackles and blocks to keep the eager visitors at bay. On the hour we lost possession twenty-five yards into the Dundee half. They transferred it swiftly forward through Robinson and Jakubiak. When the latter's shot was blocked the ball fell behind Lyall Cameron who had the presence of mind to step over it before backheeling into the net. Dodds made some game saving substitutions thereafter which paid off as all three were involved in the eqalising goal. It all began in our own penalty box from Ridgers. The main ingredients were Dan Mackay who turned well before driving thirty yards forward then delivering a dangerous ball into the box. Wallace Duffy who had already been involved two or three times in the move seemed to flick it towards the back post where Austin Samuels had arrived to tuck it behind Legzdins with his second touch. A superb team goal which was in stark contrast to the shelled balls Billy Mckay had been expected to deal with over the first hour. Ridgers made a save low down from a miscued clearance and Samuels turned and shot but it was straight at Legzdins and both sides had to settle for a point apiece.

Temwork works>>>

FULL TIME 1-1

From BBC Sport:

Inverness CT manager Billy Dodds: "Dundee edged the first-half without glorious chances. They looked the hungrier, we looked a bit jaded. "We go a goal down and then there's another fightback and we finish quite strongly for a team that are quite tired. We finish with a flourish. My subs made an impact and that's what I want. "

Dundee manager Gary Bowyer: "We dominated the first half, but we needed to be better with our final pass and the decision making. We didn't work the goalie enough. "The second-half the game became a bit scrappy but we scored a good goal. We had the domino effect of mistakes for their equaliser. It's something for us to keep working on and improving."

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