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Saints draw a blank once more as Jaggies cruise home. Inverness saw off a determined challenge from goal shy St Johnstone to eventually cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory. Saints spurned great opportunities in the first half and Inverness profited from their deficiencies to steal a march on the Perth outfit. A fabulous header from the much maligned Chris Innes opened a gap that Saints were unable to close in the second half. Aaron Doran curled a delicious second from eighteen yards before Richie Foran clinched the points with a deserved third, wrong footing the defenders and keeper as he bore goalwards. You have to feel sorry for the lads from Perth as they could not buy a goal tonight, on another occasion they might have scored three or four, such is their luck just now. Esson saved smartly from a Jackson effort early on, (are you still watching Levein), and Maybury rattled the foot of the post with a brisk strike while Murray Davidson should have done better than skew a shot wide, but such is life, when it's not running for you, it's hard to break the mould. Biker Davie will give us the full details when he gets back to the land of the living after his cycle south, and here it is, home safe and report typed out for you, cheers wee man. Hands up anyone who saw that coming? A 3-0 win in a dead rubber end of season yawn fest that had 0-0 untidily scrawled all over it. The 0 for Saints was a near certainty, as they have been unable to score since Adam was a lad. What the score would be for ICT was anyone’s guess, the creative engine of Hayes literally putting his feet up. 25th April 2011 McDiarmid Park, Perth ST JOHNSTONE 0 - TEAM: Smith, Maybury, MacKay, Gartland, Grainger, Invincible (Reynolds 86), Millar, Davidson, Craig (Moon 75), Jackson, May (Robertson 46) SUBS: Clark, Novikovas, Taylor, Adams Booked: Gartland (26), Davidson (59) Sent Off: none I.C.T. 3 - Innes (36), Doran (57), Foran (70) TEAM: Esson, Munro, Hogg, Innes, Gillet, Cox, Ross, Sutherland, Doran, Foran (Odhiambo 90), Rooney (MacDonald 88) SUBS: Tuffey, Golabek, Duncan, Morrison Booked: none Sent Off: none Referee Bobby Madden Attendance 2395 ICT started with an interesting back four including Chris Innes, drafted in for the luckless Tokely and the makeshift look was reinforced in the first minute with Ryan Esson forced into a smart save from Jackson. Saints were the brighter starters on a pitch that had more bobbles than a tattie field and their crisper passing was causing problems. The hirsute May was making an impression in midfield, as was Davidson. Chances came and went, including a decent header from Foran but in 20 minutes Maybury exploded a left foot drive off Esson’s post from 25 yards that deserved a goal. ICT’s handling of corners was not the best at this point, Foran being required to clear off the line and it seemed Saints were picking up every second ball that came back out. Defending at corners was to be proved important shortly afterwards, when ICT were awarded a corner on the far side, which Shane Sutherland took. A mediocre effort, it was cleared back to him and he made amends with a peach of a delivery that was cannoned off INNES’ forehead into the pokey. 36 minutes gone, 1-0 up and yes that was the sound of St Johnstone deflating. Perhaps the most telling moment came in 38 minutes, when Davidson burst through ICT’s high line and was clean through on Esson. The ball went wide, Davidson claimed a corner and those in the stadium went nah, you’re joking. He wasn’t, and you can see it at 2:58 in the BBC highlights. In a season of superlative saves that was one of the best. Half Time: St Johnstone 0 Inverness CT 1 A tad lucky was the half time general opinion, but that was put to bed fairly quickly thereafter. Shane Sutherland was coming on to a real game, and Nick Ross was creating all sorts of passes and through balls, but ICT still had to weather an initial flurry of disobedience from Saints. It was eventually punished in 56 minutes by DORAN, who nicked the ball beautifully from a ponderous Maybury, shimmied a bit and then despatched a curling coup de grace into the top left corner – a strike worthy of winning any game. Saints and their fans gave up at this point, and their resistance to Inverness attacks became progressively weaker. By the time FORAN collected the ball, breenged past a couple of challenges and trundled the ball past Smith in 69 minutes, you could sense that Saints just wanted to be put out of their misery. They duly were, and it could have been more – Adam Rooney deserved a fourth when he shot over after collecting another cracking through ball from Ross and how Mr Madden missed a blatant penalty in the second half is beyond me. Full Time: St. Johnstone 0 Inverness CT 3 MOTM? The general consensus was Foran, who was dashed nearly best attacker and defender. Me? I’ll go for Ryan Esson for that sublime moment at 2:58. Scotland’s best uncapped goalie. (Hello Craig, knock knock, waves at Mr Levein) All in all a great display that made your correspondent and everyone else’s journey worthwhile. My own journey had started at 10.30 am when I set off on the bike. It’s a great day out, but you really do forget how tortuous the old A9 was and it’s linked by strips of rubble that pass for a cycle track. Not conducive to making great speed, neither was the “creative” off roading at Crubenmore or the journey into the darkest recesses of Perthshire (what happens in Logierait?) Thanks to those who tooted, the Saints lady that gave me 2 free pies and to Paul Chalk for the lift back up the road. I was heartened by the amount of you who thought I was a nutter, and I’m sorry that Alex had to sit beside me, clad in smelly lycra. Stadium to Stadium 134.4 miles and I felt every one of them! Aye davie, yer legs are getting shorter laddie.

No Broken Hearts. Inverness matched top flight Hearts in this entertaining encounter but had to settle for a share of the points as the Edinburgh side came from behind to level the game in the second half. Aaron Doran started the scoring with a beautifully guided volley in the sixth minute and the game developed into an evenly balanced contest with both sides spurning opportunities to score again. Inverness shaded the first half but Hearts showed why they are in contention for European football next season by coming back strongly in the second half. A Stephen Elliot goal levelled the match and the home side were left clinging on as Ross Tokely was sent off for a second bookable offence. In all honesty, Rossco was sucked into a tackle as two players in front of him missed their cues and Rossco ended up lunging in, yellow card and off. Great contributions from Richie Foran who worked himself to a standstill and Lee Cox who showed up well in midfield. Special mention to Kenny Gillet who showed why we want him here and he never shirked a tackle; some guy. Ryan Esson showed again why the national squad are worse off without him, shame on you Levein, are you wearing the same blinkered goggles that blight the SPL and SFA. Jonny Hayes gave glimpses of his precocious talents and has earned his season's break, unfortunately for him, it means an operation on his problem foot/ankle. All this means promising signs for Inverness but with contract negotiations looming, it is an unsettling time for managers and fans alike. This season has been a bonus, especially with our sprinters start, but nobody is getting carried away here, it's a long haul, and that's what we are here for. 16th April 2011 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium ICT 1 - Doran (6) TEAM: Esson, Gillet, Hogg, Tokely, Duff, Cox, Hayes (Sutherland 75), Ross, Foran, Doran (Munro 78), Rooney (MacDonald 72) SUBS: Tuffey, Duncan, Innes, Morrison Booked: Hogg (26), Tokely (44), Foran (79), Gillet (86) Sent Off: Tokely (78) HEARTS 1 - Elliot (53) TEAM: MacDonald, Webster, Bouzid, Thomson, Palazuelos, Santana, Black, Driver (Templeton 69), Stevenson, Skacel (McGowan 64), Elliot SUBS: Balogh, Glen, Zaliukas, Robinson, Mrowiec Booked: Bouzid (79), Black (89) Sent Off: none Referee Crawford Allan Attendance 4336 Our roving reporter young ginger jaggy will spill the beans..................... Yesterday the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium witnessed a thrilling spectacle which saw both teams looking to claim all 3 points. The first half was mainly dominated by Inverness with Aaron Doran putting us in front. Hearts had a decent spell either side of half time before levelling through Stephen Elliot. Both teams had chances to score a decisive winner but both defences did there job with each team having chances cleared off the line. To end the game Inverness found themselves down to ten men after a second booking to Ross Tokely. It didn't prove to be costly as both teams settled for a draw in what was a very entertaining game of football. It was Caley Thistle who threatened first with the imperious Foran getting a head on to a Hayes cross which brought out a comfortable save from Jamie Macdonald in the Jambo's goal. Foran was again in the thick of the action as he dispossessed one of the Hearts centre backs and put in a teasing cross which only needed the slightest of touches from Adam Rooney to put us ahead. The home fans though were not made to wait long for the breakthrough. Some brilliant quick attacking football saw Rooney gain some space on the right which allowed him to play a pinpoint cross onto the boot of Aaron Doran. He expertly volleyed past the despairing Macdonald to put us deservedly in front. Caley Thistle continued to press and could have had a couple more before the break. Rooney was involved in both. He first of all latched on to a Doran cross, diving in he forced a decent save from McDonald. Next up Rooney was sent through on goal but he wasn't himself and the keeper pounced on his hesitancy, Nick Ross followed up but his shot was blocked by a defender and Hearts survived. Inverness should have had a penalty when Foran was impeded by Ex Caley Jag Ian Black's elbow. Referee Crawford Allan waved away all the protests to the dismay of the home supporters. Tokely was booked for what was a trip even though it looked like the big defender had not meant it and so to see a yellow was very harsh indeed. Hearts as an attacking force were fairly limited in the first half. Suso Santana had a low drive comfortably collected by Esson, he was still to be really tested. This almost changed on half time when Stuart Duff made a brilliant goal line clearance to deny Rudi Skacel who had beaten the helpless Esson. Half Time 1-0 The second half started much the same as the first ended. Jefferies must have been shouting at his players at half time and they came out and pushed the home side back. It wasn't long before Hearts almost equalised. Elliot got a deflection to Lewis Stevenson's header only to see Rooney, helping back, knee the ball off the line and onto his own bar. Inverness escaped, only just, but it wasn't to last long. Hearts early pressure paid off with Elliot finishing Suso's cutback to give them a deserved equaliser. Controversy plagued the equaliser as the Inverness players and fans were furious about the thrown in. The question wasn't a matter of whether it was a Hearts throw but where the throw was taken as it looked like it was taken in the wrong place. Protests fell on deaf ears, even Terry Butcher who sat in the main stand rushed down to confront the fourth official. Instead of Hearts taking the momentum from their equaliser it was Caley Thistle who looked most likely to score. Hayes and Doran were causing trouble down the Inverness flanks and it was Hayes with a tempting ball to the back post which only needed a touch but ran agonisingly wide of the far post. Hearts then looked like they had taken the lead when Suso easily out muscled Kenny Gillet to run towards the Caley Thistle goal, cutting it back to Lewis Stevenson but he saw his shot brilliantly tipped past the post by a fully stretched Esson. Next it was the home side claiming the ball crossed the line from a goal line clearance. Richie Foran found space at the back post with his header flying past the stranded Macdonald only to see a fantastic clearance by Andy Webster. The clearance was made better by the fact that it looked like Rooney would bundle it in. The replays have proved inconclusive but at the time the majority of the stadium believed it was over the line. Hearts then had a second cleared away when it looked certain to end in the back of the net. Lewis Stevenson again beat Esson but found Tokely covering behind him to clear it away comfortably from the six yard box. The game then took a dramatic turn as Ross Tokely was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. This tackle did deserve a yellow, but because the first was harsh he found himself having to go for an early bath. It was a shame for him as he had had a decent game in the centre of defence. The surprising thing though was it was 10 man Inverness that looked like getting the winner as Hearts huffed and puffed against a deep home side. On the break Caley Thistle looked dangerous but it turned out that both goalkeepers were not to be tested again as the game ended all square. Full Time 1-1 Terry Butcher would have been the happier of the two managers with his players putting in a great performance with the issue of contracts now to be resolved. Jefferies wasn't particularly happy with his players but this result shouldn't make any real effect on their grip to retain third spot in the league. As for the players every one of them had a brilliant game apart from Adam Rooney who has looked a shadow of the player that we saw earlier on in the season. Aaron Doran won man of the match with one of his best performances to date since joining on loan in January. But if I was to single out one player, it would be club Captain Richie Foran who deserved the MOM award for his outstanding display of quality and commitment. A pleasing outcome which could have been better as we now enter the split fixtures. Next week we will be off to McDiairmid park on easter Monday in a 7:45 ko against the Perth Saints.