Scotty

Euro door is still ajar Inverness failed to clinch a European spot, despite St Johnstone going down heavily against Celtic, after their profligacy enabled Dundee United to steal all three points in a game where missed chances cost Inverness dearly. Last weeks hat-trick hero Billy McKay once more missed a penalty and Doran, Ross, McKay and Shinnie all passed up glorious chances to seal the points. Aaron Doran had opened the scoring but Ryan Dow levelled in a rare United foray forward and the sickener came in injury time when Gary MacKay-Steven knocked home the winner to stun Inverness. The Euro dream is hanging by a thread, a very thin thread at that after Inverness spurned enough chances to win three games. It was set up nicely earlier in the day as Celtic trounced St Johnstone 4-0 to leave Inverness the relatively straightforward task of beating an understrength Dundee United side to clinch their Europa League slot ahead of Perth and Dingwall, but it was not to be, despite Inverness pushing hard for victory on a blustery afternoon. It all started promisingly for Inverness with Foran and Shinnie directing shots at Cierzniak in the opening few minutes. It was over ten minutes before United came out of their shell and a lovely MacKay-Steven back heel set up Armstrong for a crack at goal but Meekings saved the day with a block in the six-yard box with Reguero beaten, the ball heading close to the far post. Meekings tried his luck with a free kick, no doubt inspired by his shot last weekend which set up the winner, but this time it was wide of the mark. There followed an untidy period as neither side were able to exert any sustained pressure although Inverness always held the upper hand and Billy McKay should have done better when he tried to tee up Doran but his pass never quite reached the Inverness man and the defence just squeezed the ball round the post for a corner. You got the feeling it was not going to be McKay's day as he fluffed a volley from twelve yards after Foran and Ross had teed him up with headers, but Billy trundled his shot goalwards allowing the keeper to make a diving save to claw the ball away. McKay and Doran had shots charged down by the overworked United defence and you could sense that something was about to give, and give it did. However McKay's day of woe would be complete as he passed up a chance from the spot after Rankin had felled Doran. He hit this one firmly enough but Cierzniak guessed correctly diving to his left to keep the ball out. Andy Shinnie then decided to take matters into his own hands and he tried in vain to get the opener, flashing a couple of attempts wide but Inverness took the lead in style when Aaron Doran turned sharply on the edge of the box and whistled a low shot across and beyond the outstretched arms of the keeper, the ball nestling in the bottom corner. Great goal after some neat interplay, Foran, Hogg, McKay and Raven setting up the chance. Daly had a chance to level matters just before half time but he headed straight at Reguero from 10 yards when a yard either side would have done the trick. That was about the last action of the first half with Inverness getting a foot in the Euro door. Half Time 1-0 Inverness came out after the break intent on extending their vulnerable lead and Doran tested Cierzniak before Foran fizzed a shot wide, but it was the visitors who made more headway as Ryan Dow pounced on a knockdown from Draper who was under pressure from the irritating Jon Daly to crash the ball past Reguero from seven yards. More ebb and flow about the game now and Doran fired one high over the bar. Russell tried a spectacular volley from thirty-five yards as the ball sat up nicely for him but Reguero was alert to it. Undeterred by this set back, Inverness pushed forward at every opportunity and this would eventually be our downfall. Shots were raining in at both ends and Reguero was fortunate as he flapped at a corner which the defence eventually hacked clear. With ten minutes left Doran missed a glorious opportunity to get the second foot in the Eurodoor but he blasted a cut back high over the North Stand from ten yards when a simple controlled stab would have done the job. The Eurodoor was slammed shut for now as United broke swiftly in time added on and MacKay-Steven showed Doran how to execute the trick by side footing home a brisk cross to steal all three points and leave Inverness' season hanging by a sliver. Still time for Andy Shinnie to bring his last home game to a close in style but Cierzniak was equal to it and that was game over in such disappointing style for the home fans who trudged away dreading the thought of next weeks Highland Derby deciding our seasons fate one way or another. Full Time 1-2 To summarise, we had enough chances to win this game and next weeks game, but for one reason or another we failed to capitalise on our superiority and United battled hard for their win, fair play to them. We were the architects of our own downfall and it sets it up now for a winners take all weekend next week. tm4tj MotM:- My award goes to Andy Shinnie in his last home game before heading South. He tried his utmost but those around him were incapable of providing the finishing touches to his link play. No doubt we will be the poorer next season without Andy and good luck to him at Birmingham. Meekings also put in another solid shift and Foran worked himself to a standstill, but it was not enough as United won the day. With Ross County losing 2-0 on Sunday afternoon, only two teams can now qualify, Inverness or St Johnstone, it is much clearer now what we need to do next weekend. 11th May 2013 - Scottish Premier League - Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness CT: 1 TEAM: Reguero, Raven, G.Shinnie, Meekings, Hogg, Doran, Ross (Sutherland 87), Foran, Draper (Tudur-Jones 80), A.Shinnie, McKay SUBS: Esson, Polworth, Pepper, Devine, Taylor Scorers: Doran (42) Booked: Draper (54) Sent Off: none Dundee Utd: 2 TEAM: Cierzniak; McLean, Daly, Souttar, Dow (Millar 64), Flood, Rankin, Armstrong, Gauld (Gardyne 68), Mackay-Steven, Russell (Boulding 73) SUBS: Anderson, Ryan, Tornstrand, Johnston Scorers: Dow (50), MacKay-Steven (90) Booked: Rankin (34), Cierzniak (35) Sent Off: none Referee: Crawford Allan Attendance: 3728

The Real McKay A Billy McKay hat-trick earned Inverness a vital three points in a pulsating encounter in the Highland Capital. He even had the luxury of missing a penalty before securing the points with his third poachers goal of the game. Birmingham bound Andy Shinnie rifled one home in the first half as Inverness blitzed the Steelmen before they staged an amazing comeback to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. James McFadden scored a double and top scorer Michael Higdon converted a penalty as the roller coaster went into overdrive, but it was the hosts who showed their mettle and snatched all three points. It was a less than pleasant early summers day as the teams took to the park, but it was a momentous day for Chris Hogg as he returned to first team action at the heart of the defence with David Raven and Gary Warren absent. Owain Tudur-Jones found himself on the bench with Nick Ross included in the starting eleven. Motherwell unsurprisingly were unchanged from the side that humped Celtic the previous week. The game got off to a blistering start and it was the visitors that created the first attacks around the hosts goal, twice in the first couple of minutes. However, Inverness responded by opening the scoring as chief poacher Billy McKay nicked in ahead of the defence at the near post to convert a Meekings cross after a free kick had been charged down by the Motherwell wall. Just the start Inverness needed and they took the game by the scruff of the neck, attacking Motherwell at pace and creating plenty of optimism amongst the crowd. Well were being pressed at every opportunity by the hungry Inverness attack and this led to Foran almost scoring a second goal. Randolph played his defence into trouble with a loose pass and Foran latched onto an even looser pass from Hately. He drove into the box exchanging a one-two with Andy Shinnie and almost scored a spectacular goal from a tight angle as he smacked the post with Randolp beaten. It wouldn't be long before Inverness would extend their lead and McKay turned provider this time as he held up, juggled with the ball then layed off for Andy Shinnie to show why Birmingham want the young Scot as his quick feet took the shot early and the ball whistled low past Randolph for a superb second goal. The third goal was coming as Inverness went looking for more. A long ball forward by Motherwell aimed at Higdon was dealt with by Meekings and Foran sent Andy Shinnie scampering down the right side with a perfectly weighted through ball. He returned the compliment to McKay who once again got across the defender at the near post to direct the ball into the net for another supeb goal. Was this really the same team that played so negatively at Perth last week and had the fans doubting their belief. Twenty seven minutes gone and 3-0 to Inverness. Dreamland! But Motherwell are not second in the league for no reason, and James McFadden threw them a lifeline when he drove a low twenty yarder beyond Reguero to give the Steelmen some hope before the break. Half Time 3-1 Stuart McCall obviously had a wee word in their ear at the interval and Well came out of the blocks flying and within four minutes Higdon had the ball in the net from the spot. Hogg was adjudged to have clipped Ojaama who had got in behind him, the big striker calmly slotting home the penalty, his seventh goal against Inverness this season. Enter Henrik Ojamaa, the flying Estonian would play a big part in the next few moments. He found himself in Willie Collum's book for diving, right on the edge of the box after Chris Hogg went near him and shortly after this he almost scored as Motherwell had Inverness on the back foot now and it took a fine block by Reguero to deny him as he raced in on goal. Inverness should have restored their two goal cushion as Nick Ross was knocked over in the box in a rare break forward. Unfortunately Billy McKay made the job easy for Randolph as his spot kick was weak and predictable, the big keeper diving low to his right to turn the ball away one handed. Two penalties so far and I'm not convinced about either of them. Inverness struggled to clear a concerted Motherwell attck and Ojamaa fed McFadden who drilled home from eight yards. 3-3 in an incredible game where Motherwell should have been out of site by half-time, but were now looking the most likely to go on and win the game. Ojamaa then sprinted clear on the right but Nicky Law could not keep his shot down as he curled one a foot over the bar. Henrik's next involvement would be his last. A rash challenge in midfield on Andy Shinnie drew a second yellow from Collum, and off went Henrik. This turned the game once more and Inverness smelled blood. The outstanding Josh Meekings took the bull by the horns and thundered a 25 yarder towards goal which Randolph did well to parry, diving to his right, but who else, Billy McKay was onto it in a flash to poach his third goal of the game. Inverness saw out the rest of the game without any more problems, but it was not one for the faint hearted and the three points were much needed with the news that St Johnstone had defeated Dundee United to remain one point adrift of us. Full Time 4-3 Well well, who would have thunk it! What a game with both sides giving it laldy, a tremendous advert for the SPL and a far cry from some of the dreich stuff we have been subject to lately. Hats off to Chris Hogg in his first team comeback in such a crucial game, just like he had never been away. Loads of heroes today. Billy McKay is the obvious one, but Andy Shinnie was involved in everything. Graeme Shinnie had his finest game in a long time, subduing the speedy Chris Humphrey and Josh Meekings just gets better and better every time I see him play, outstanding. It would be unfair to single out anyone after that performance, but I'll play it safe and go for Billy McKay. He not only scored a hat-trick, he missed a penalty, set up a goal and ran his little cotton socks off..........bless him! 4th May 2013 Scottish Premier League Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness C.T. 4 - McKay (3, 27, 84), A.Shinnie (25) TEAM: Reguero, G.Shinnie, Hogg, McKay, Draper, Foran, A.Shinnie (Tudur-Jones 89), Ross, Meekings, Doran, Devine SUBS: Mathieson, Sutherland, Polworth, Pepper, Taylor Booked: Foran (5), Draper (57) Sent Off: none Motherwell 3 - McFadden (36, 64), Higdon (pen.49) TEAM: Randolph, Hammell, Law, Hutchinson, Hateley, Humphrey (Kerr 81), Ojamaa, Higdon, Lasley, Ramsden (McHugh 85), McFadden SUBS: Hollis, Higginbotham, Carswell, Francis-Angol, Cummins Booked: Hutchinson (7), Hammell (41), Ojamaa (50), Law (57) Sent Off: Ojamaa (73) Referee Willie Collum Attendance 3857