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Inverness CT 0 - 1 Falkirk The Curse of the Caledonian Stadium strikes again as Caley Thistle just cant get a decent result at home and are sent crashing out of the CIS cup. Falkirk progress to the next round courtesy of a second half strike from Anthony Stokes in the 60th minute. Tuesday 19th September 2006 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 0 Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings (McAllister 73), Wilson, Duncan (Morgan 62), Keogh, McBain, Dargo (Hart 80), Bayne Subs: McCaffrey, Fraser FALKIRK 1 (Stokes 60) Team: Higgins, Thomson, Twaddle, Cregg, Ross, Milne, Dodd, O’Donnell (Craig 20), Gow, Barr, Stokes (Mountinho 74) Subs: Latapy, Scobbie & Lambers Referee Dougie McDonald Attendance 1198 Man of the Match Anthony Stokes (Falkirk) An eagerly anticipated cup tie against a fellow SPL side but in the end disappointment. In truth it was rather a bland game with neither side making much impact on the other’s goal. Caley Thistle’s best spell came in the last 15 minutes but they could not make the late pressure count. Falkirk held on to their one goal lead and moved into the fourth round. The first shot on goal was Liam Keogh’s 30 yard low effort in the fifth minute but it was well wide. The prize for highest of the day went to Stephen O’Donnell in the eighth minute when he shot from 20 yards over the bar and the north stand. Falkirk were forced into an early substitution when O’Donnell went off injured in the 20th minute and was replaced by the lively Liam Craig. Seconds later a Barry Wilson corner from the left reached Darren Dods just in front of the ‘keeper but his header went over the bar. A Craig corner in 27 minutes caused danger in the ICT box and Russell Duncan was forced to head off the line. The best home effort in the first half came in 33 minutes when Craig Dargo took a touch on the right of the box then turned and shot on the volley – it went high but it was a good move. Half Time: 0-0 Into the second half and the expected Caley Thistle improvement was a long time in coming. It was Falkirk that took charge and they were rewarded with the only goal of the match on the hour mark. It was created and scored by ‘Man of the Match’ Anthony Stokes. He raced down the left, cut inside, the ball took a couple of deflections into his path then he hammered it past Mark Brown. Hard-working Graham Bayne was foiled by Falkirk ‘keeper Scott Higgins in 65 minutes when his header was held. Rory McAllister replaced Richard Hastings in 73 minutes to give Caley Thistle an extra attacker and it did lead to a more exciting last 15 minutes for the sparse home support. McAllister was only on the pitch for two minutes before he had a chance. A Wilson cross from the right reached the young striker just beyond the back post but he stretched and hit it just wide. An Alan Morgan low shot from 20 yards was blocked in 81 minutes then a McAllister header was cleared by a defender. Higgins then held a Wilson header and, with five minutes left, a trademark long range Richie Hart drive dipped just over the bar. In added time a long throw from Grant Munro bounced into the Falkirk box and Bayne dived to head over. A good chance but it was to be the last one for the home side. Full Time: 0-1 Falkirk march on in the CIS Insurance Cup. For ICT – back to the league.

Goals from Wyness, Bayne and McAllister saw off Dumbarton and allowed Caley Thistle to advance to the 3rd Round of the CIS cup. Wednesday 23rd August 2006 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 3 (Wyness 6, Bayne 54, McAllister 72) Team: Brown, Tokely (McBain 78), McCaffery, Munro, Golabek, Wilson, Hart (Keogh 61), Duncan, Morgan, Bayne, Wyness (McAllister 67) Subs: Rankin, Fraser DUMBARTON FC 1 (Dobbie 30) Team: Grindlay, Geggins (Boyle 47), Craig, Brittain (McKeever 89), Canning, Dillon, Bagan, Gentle, Borris, McNaught, Dobbie (Quitongo 82) Subs: McCann, Shaw Referee Calum Murray Attendance 1085 Man of the Match Graham Bayne Caley Thistle moved into the third round of the CIS Cup with this 3-1 win but it was not all plain sailing. Aberdeen’s defeat at the hands of Queen’s Park the night before was a lesson to all that lower division opponents must be taken seriously – but there was never any chance that Dumbarton would be treated lightly. In the event they put up a good fight until the home side’s third goal went in 20 minutes from time. Barry Wilson returned to the ICT starting line-up after missing the Celtic match and Craig Dargo dropped out through injury. Graham Bayne partnered Dennis Wyness up front and there were also starts for Stuart McCaffrey, Stuart Golabek, Richie Hart, Russell Duncan and Alan Morgan. Dumbarton featured ex ICT favourite David Bagan and new loan signing Stephen Dobbie from St Johnstone. Caley Thistle started well and took the lead in just five minutes. An Alan Morgan corner on the right was mishandled by ‘keeper Stephen Grindlay and Dennis Wyness took it on the turn from close range – he found the net via a touch from defender Mark Canning. ICT pressure continued but nothing quite came off. Dumbarton crept back into it and in 28 minutes a Bagan rising shot from 18 yards was touched for a corner. A minute later Dobbie raced past the home defence amidst futile offside claims and fired an angled shot past Mark Brown from the left side of the box. Dumbarton pushed for a second and in 32 minutes Chris Gentile slid onto a ball eight yards out but it crept past the post. Caley Thistle had chances close to the half time whistle with a Wyness overhead shot cleared, a Graham Bayne effort blocked then a Ross Tokely header turned for a corner. Half Time: 1-1 The home side regained the lead in 53 minutes when a Wilson free kick into the box was headed low past Grindlay by Bayne. Russell Duncan hit over the bar on the hour mark then, after further Caley Thistle pressure, substitute Rory McAllister scored the goal of the match in 70 minutes. Liam Keogh intercepted a half clearance then found McAllister 25 yards out – with no hesitation the striker lobbed it past Grindlay for only his second senior goal. There was no way back for a tiring Dumbarton side but they did manage to prevent further damage. Bayne hit over the bar in 74 minutes then with five minutes left a confident McAllister tried a first time shot from six yards but he was off balance and it also cleared the bar. In the final minute ‘Man of the Match’ Graham Bayne headed goalwards but it was blocked and his follow up shot went wide right. A good evening’s work – a potential banana skin avoided and a place earned in the third round of the cup.