Trust Trophy Triumph

It's a couple of years since we edged past Stirling Albion in a Scottish Cup tie at the Caledonian Stadium and they were back today for a Challenge Cup 3rd Round tie against a Caley Jags club in crisis and ravaged by injury. Wallace Duffy was fit enough to start as did our two recent loan signings of James Nolan and Connall Ewan. In a first half dominated by the hosts, Adam Brooks scored twice to give the Caley Jags a comfortable lead at the interval. After the break Adam Mackinnon added a third after an hour with another deflected effort to kill the tie as Inverness cruised into the fourth round.

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

Reslpendent in our new away kit, Billy Mckay was first to make a keeper work when Derek Gaston saved his low effort. Inverness had a goal disallowed for offside before Adam Brooks backheeled to Mckay, but his shot from the edge of the box missed the target. Inverness had been knocking on the door in the opening stages and it was no surprise when Adam Brooks opened the scoring on the half hour after being fed through by Adam MacKinnon to slot behind the keeper. Musa Dibaga took a knock soon after but was able to continue after treatment as our medical staff held their breath. When Brooks was brought down thirty-yards out some ten minutes before the break he took the kick himself and with the aid of a deflection the ball nestled behind Gaston for his second of the afternoon.

HALF TIME: 2-0

Lewis Milne replaced Aaron Weir at the break for the visitors. However, it was the hosts that added to their lead through Adam Mackinnon with deflection now topping the assist list after James Nolan's shot had been brilliantly blocked by Gaston. After a spate of substitutions the game became a bit more disjointed and Ally Roy brought a save out of Dibaga ten minutes from the end before shooting over moments later. Brooks failed to get his hat-trick as Gaston saved in the final minute and that was it for the first outing of the 30th Anniversary shirt.

FULL TIME 3-0

With Duncan Ferguson red carded last week, Gary Bollan was in charge against the Bino's and a 3-0 win is a good way to hand the team back. Great for Brooks to grab a couple but my MotM was Adam MacKinnon who set up the first and scored the third goal. His general play between the boxes was one of our main driving forces and he capped it with the shot for his goal.

a