It's a cinch

After a goalless first half Shane Sutherland broke through the middle to drink the ball neatly over Gaston for the opening goal with just over twenty minutes left. A late rally from the hosts should have drawn them level but Inverness hung on grimly to take all three points. In the opening forty-five, Sutherland had an effort cleared off the line and Nouble proved to be an awkward customer as he bulldozed his way around the park spurning the Lichties best chance of the first half. It was a welcome three points but a difficult watch throughout.

Billy Mckay and Anthony McDdonald were both on the bench for the opening fixture. David Carson was fit enough to start but Sean Welsh missed out through injury.

Bright sunshine and football fans welcomed the teams onto the park for the opening fixture of the cinch championship. 

Inverness started on the front foot with Tom Walsh prominent down the left flank and Manny Duku a willing chaser. Despite Walsh seeing plenty of the ball, most of his efforts to cut inside and cross the ball ended on the head or feet of an Arbroath defender. 

The closest call in the opening exchanges came at the other end when the bustling Joel Nouble broke forward on the inside right channel but dragged his effort just wide across the keeper.

At the other end Allardice arrived on the edge of the box just in time to meet a lay off between Walsh and Duku but he lashed his shot just over the bar. Minutes later Duku did well to find Sutherland in the box but his shot was blocked inside the six-yard box en route to the net. That would be the best opportunity for either side in a tousy first half.

Half Time: 0-0

The second period saw Nicky Low fire a yard wide from a free kick and a super headed 'goal' from Duku was adjudged offside as both teams looked for the opener. Ridgers saved well after McKenna headed goalwards as Arbroath began to open out.

However the deadlock was broken when Shane Sutherland pounced on an error on the halfway line as Donnelly intercepted a Duku lay-off and tried to head the ball back to safety. Sutherland anticipated brilliantly, and as he raced forward he dinked the ball over the keeper from 19 yards to put the visitors ahead. A classy finish out of context with the rest of the game.

That goal seemed to agitate Arbroath and they started to put the visitors on the back foot thereafter. For all their possession, they were unable to create many clear cut opportunities although the visitors back line led a charmed life at times. Devine and Broadfoot were able to mop up most attacks as Arbroath looked to feed the mountainous Nouble to no avail. By the ninetieth minute they seemed to have blown over and we saw out the four minutes of injury time with Arbroath eventually resigning themselves to defeat.

Best for Inverness in a difficult watch were mostly in midfield where Allardice and McAlear shone through the dross with Sutherland applying that classy finish to raise the profile of a somewhat tedious game. Good to see Billy Mckay getting a few minutes on the park.

Oh, and the referee; He's the real deal.

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