LUCKY STRIKE SETS IT RIGHT
IT is impossible to grudge Inverness a bit of luck.
The Highlanders have found themselves as blameless parties in the disciplinary farce over James Keatings.
But last night Caley could get back to focusing on football and it seemed like fortune was smiling on them.
Aaron Doran’s freekick which opened the scoring was adjudged to have crossed the line much to the anger of the Dunfermline players.
And, after the hosts levelled through Dom Thomas, Tom Walsh’s late winner owed much to a wicked ricochet. The win sees Inverness move three points ahead of Dundee in the race for the runners-up spot in the Championship.
Caley manager John Robertson said: “There were two unbelievable goals from Aaron and Dom and it looked like it would end 1-1.
“If you’re a Pars fan you’ll say ‘they were lucky’ but we kept pushing to the end.”
This was Caley’s second outing in a tough run of three games in seven days. They’ll face Hibs in a Scottish Cup quarter-final on Friday.
In sharp contrast, the Pars were playing their first match in 24 DAYS.
And they predictably flew out of the traps with Kevin Nisbet and Jonathan Afolabi passing up early chances.
But Caley landed a devastating suckerpunch when Roddy
MacGregor was fouled on the edge of the area, allowing Doran to step up and smash a free-kick off the underside of the bar and – according to the assistant referee – over the line.
Mark Ridgers in the visitors’ goal produced a super fingertip save after the break to deny Thomas but the Pars finally found a way past the ex-Hearts keeper.
Thomas’ persistence paid off – the on-loan Kilmarnock ace cut in from the right and fired an unstoppable drive into the postage stamp. Inverness sub Walsh rattled a post as both sides eyed a pivotal three points.
But Walsh bagged a dramatic winner when he cut in from the right and produced a shot which took a deflection off Euan Murray before nestling in the net.
Pars gaffer Stevie Crawford said: “I felt we created enough chances to take something out of the game but the players applied themselves properly and they need to keep belief.”
LAST NIGHT
Champions League last 16 1st leg –
Napoli 1, Barcelona 1; Chelsea 0, Bayern Munich 3.
Motherwell 1, St Mirren 2. Ayr 1, Morton 2; Dunfermline 1, Inverness CT 2. Dumbarton 1, Clyde 0; Peterhead 1, Forfar 1; Stranraer P Montrose P. Stirling P Cove P; Albion
Premiership – Championship – League One – League Two –
P Cowdenbeath P.
Cardiff 0, Nottm Forest 1; Huddersfield 2, Bristol City 1; Luton 2, Brentford 1; QPR 2, Derby 1; West Brom 2, Preston NE 0.
English Championship –
Blackpool 2, Bolton 1; Coventry 1, Rotherham 1; Oxford 3, Acc Stanley 0; Portsmouth 3, MK Dons 1;, Shrewsbury 2, Tranmere 3; Sunderland 1, Fleetwood Town 1.
English League One –
Cheltenham 2, Northampton 1; Grimsby 4, Newport 2. FOOTBALL TODAY
English League Two – Europa League last 32 2nd leg –
v Rangers (5.0).
Champions League last 16 1st leg –
Lyon v Juventus (8.0), Real Madrid v Man City (8.0).
Brechin v Queen’s Park
Blackburn v Stoke, Middlesbrough v Leeds, Fulham v Swansea, Hull v Barnsley, Millwall v Birmingham, Sheff Wed v Charlton, Reading v Wigan (8.0).
League Two – English Championship –
Formartine Utd v Nairn, Fort William v Rothes. CSS v East Kilbride.
Highland League – Lowland League –