Scotty

Wot.......no goals Inverness drew a blank for the first time this season as the hectic Christmas schedule took it's toll on the players of both sides, the game ending 0-0 with very few clear opportunities for either side. When the dust settled, the point gained was a point closer to leaders Celtic as Inverness finished the calendar year in second spot on goal difference from Motherwell. If truth be told, it was a rather drab affair, but interesting enough to keep the fans on their toes as the Perth team tried to force the play in the second half only to be met by some stubborn and resolute Inverness defending, but a team still dangerous on the break, if only they could have found the final ball. Josh Meekings once more failed to make the starting eleven and young Mathew Cooper continued to deputise with Nick Ross making the bench. Gregory Tade would be the Saints main threat using his power and pace in direct opposition to Cooper, hoping to unsettle the lad, but Cooper and the back line held firm. Inverness CT ensured that they finished 2012 in second place in the SPL table despite being held to a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in the SPL - the first time all season that Terry Butcher's side have failed to score a goal. Here's the match highlights... 29th Dec 2012 Scottish Premier League McDiarmid Park, Perth St Johnstone 0 - TEAM: Mannus, MacKay, Davidson, Wright, McCracken, Cregg (Hasselbaink 75), Davidson, Craig, Pawlett, Tade, MacLean (Vine 58) SUBS: Tuffey, Miller, Caddis, Moon, Steeves Booked: Cregg (43) Sent Off: none Inverness CT 0 - TEAM: Reguero, Raven, G.Shinnie, Warren, Cooper, Doran, Draper, Tudur-Jones, A.Shinnie (Roberts 73), McKay (Ross 87), Foran (Pepper 67) SUBS: Esson, Sutherland, Morrison, Polworth Booked: Tudur-Jones (67), Draper (70), Raven (72) Sent Off: none Referee Bobby Madden Attendance 2975

Boxing Day Drama Inverness missed the chance to stay on their own in second place, but if truth be told, a draw was a bonus after St Mirren twice went in front only to be pegged back on both occasions in a pulsating match that was not good for the heart, but it was certainly entertaining and good value for the three and a half thousand Boxing Day fans. Can't top Rig's excellent report, so here it is in it's entirety Smashing game of football today. Disappointed that we dropped two points but by the end of the game a draw was definitely a fair result. Both teams played some great stuff and there was some fantastic performances from the likes of Andrew Shinnie for Inverness and Teale for St Mirren who turned Graeme Shinnie inside, out and inside again throughout the game. ICT lined up with the familiar 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 formation with Matthew Cooper coming in for Josh Meekings. St. Mirren looked like they were set up as a 4 - 5 - 1 with Steven Thompson the lone forward with support from McGowan in behind him. After what seemed to be only a few seconds Dougie Imrie got the ball on the ICT left midfield and moved towards goal before taking an opportunistic shot that seemed to catch Reguero off guard and found its way into the net across the keeper to put the Buddies one up. After this goal ICT started to dominate in terms of ball retention without actually threatening Samson in goal. Saint Mirren defended deeply and were easily blocking the ICT route to goal. Tudur Jones, after long range efforts against Hearts and Dundee, found himself with a bit of space at the edge of the box and rifled in a shot which drifted wide of goal. Foran then had a header saved by Samson before McGowan thundered in a free kick which cracked off the cross bar with Reguero beaten. Andrew Shinnie was denied a shot at goal following a last ditch tackle by Mair I think it was and then Samson then pulled off a wonderful save down to his right as he pushed a header from Aaron Doran round the post. Andrew Shinnie grabbed the equaliser for ICT after he gathered the ball on the ICT left and drifted infield. He glided past two men just outside the area and struck his shot fiercely into the top right corner with Samson only able to watch the ball fly past him. Gary Teale was having a fantastic battle with Graeme Shinnie on the ICT left and was regularly beating his marker and it was from one of his crosses that Steven Thompson was picked out but hew fired high over the bar with a very uncomposed effort. McKay, going for a goal in his 8th consecutive game, connected well with a cross from the right but his volleyed effort was just wide of the goal. Half Time 1-1 St. Mirren started the second half quickly and Imrie scurried to the byline before fizzing a cross all the way across the box but no one was on hand to tap it in. After that ICT started to turn the screw and passed up a great chance after some good work from Andrew Shinnie led to a half chance to McKay who opted to shoot instead of play in Foran who had a clear run at goal. McKays shot was weak and trundled wide of goal. Thompson headed St. Mirren back into the lead after more good work from Teale on the right and his cross was bulleted home by Thompson from around 8 yards out. By this point the game had swung back and St. Mirren were dominating proceedings as ICT struggled to get a foothold and resorted to some aimless punts forward as they abandoned some of the nice passing play that had been on show from both ICT and St. Mirren. Foran saw a header droft over the bar and Andrew Shinnie volleyed goalwards but Samson dealt well with his effort. However an equaliser soon came and it was the result of St. Mirren being unable to clear the lines from an ICT corner. Aaron Doran meet a high clearance and volleyed an effort back towards goal. Samson was only able to parry the shot and Foran was first to react and bundled his header into the goal. Suddenly ICT were on top again as the fantastic Andrew Shinnie was thwarted by a one handed Samson save after he had drifted through the St. Mirren defence and Doran also passed up a good chance with a very weak effort that trundled wide. However, going into the final few minutes of the game it was St. Mirren who suddenly looked like they could grab a winner as Lewis Guy met a wonderful cross and cracked an effort off the post with Reguero stranded. Two goals were ruled out for offside for St Mirren and St Mirren also had a penalty claim waved away as Carey (I think) was booked for diving. Full Time 2-2 Quite an incredible match with plenty of chances for both sides. It was great to see two teams, for the most part, try and play some good passing football. St. Mirren were more defensive for most of the game but when they stifled an Inverness attack the strode forward from the back with some great passing and movement which carved open the ICT defence on several occasions. Teale and McGowan had good games and Matthew Cooper struggled against Thompson who gave him all sorts of problems. For ICT Andrew Shinnie was fantastic. His close control and dribbling were top class and he was at the centre of most of our attacks. He came in for some rough treatment from some of the St. Mirren players who found him hard to stop. Crowd announced as 3,506 with around 150 - 200 St. Mirren fans. I didn't realise that there were no trains running today so fair play to those fans that did travel today. Bit poor from the ICT support again but I thought there was a bit more than was announced. There's been some discussion on Collums performance and I have to say I thought he was absolutely rotten. My favourite decision today that he got wrong was when Draper was "tackled" from behind by a St Mirren player who didn't play the ball and caught Drapers leg. For some inexplicable reason Collum gave a free kick to St. Mirren. A very poor performance. 26th Dec 2012 Scottish Premier League Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness C.T. 2 - A.Shinnie (38), Foran (67) TEAM: Reguero, Raven, G.Shinnie, Warren, Cooper, Doran, Draper, Tudur-Jones, A.Shinnie, McKay (Roberts 83), Foran SUBS: Mathieson, Sutherland, Morrison, Laing, Polworth, Pepper Booked: none Sent Off: none St Mirren 2 - Imrie (02), Thompson (55) TEAM: Samson, Barron, McGinn, van Zanten, Mair, Imrie, Teale, Robertson, Carey, McGowan (Guy 65), Thompson SUBS: Smith, Parkin, Kelly, Yaqub, Brady Booked: Guy (75), Carey (78), McGinn (86) Sent Off: none Referee Willie Collum Attendance 3506