REECE LIGHTNIN’
McAlear comes up with brilliant brace to leave play-off tie in balance
INVERNESS star Reece McAlear hit a late double to leave stunned St Johnstone sweating over their Premiership safety.
The two clubs now go into Monday’s McDiarmid Park return knowing the winner takes all in the fight to play in the top flight.
Saints had looked home and hosed after a convincing first half had left them 2-0 up thanks to goals from Shaun Rooney and Melker Hallberg.
The Highlanders had been well off it but came alive with two goals in seven second-half minutes from Norwich loanee McAlear to leave Callum Davidson’s side reeling.
The second goal was a wonderful free-kick and left Saints swaying on the ropes. Inverness will certainly take the biggest shot in the arm as they look to return to the Premiership for the first time in five years.
Saints now have home advantage to try to extend their 13-year run in the top tier. But Inverness aim to become the first team to come through three play-off rounds to win promotion to the Premiership.
They were down in numbers, with Wallace Duffy and Danny Devine suspended while Shane Sutherland, Roddy MacGregor and Tom Walsh were injured.
Assistant boss Scott Kellacher was also banned because he accepted a suspension for his outburst after the penalty win over Arbroath on Friday.
Davidson brought in the majority of his main men rested in the final dead-rubber at Hibs. Saints made the trip up the A9 but started the play-off as if they were the home side.
Rooney was a constant menace charging up the right and his early cross had Mark Ridgers scrambling as it sailed just over.
He turned creator when he found Glenn Middleton who cracked in a shot that Ridgers had to tip over.
Saints weren’t afraid to pepper Caley Thistle’s goal with Murray Davidson and Hallberg letting fly.
The away side spent most of the first half on the offence. Billy Dodds was certainly limited in options but his team hardly made a dent.
It looked like the rigours of the previous games had left the tank empty, while the decision to play captain Sean Welsh in defence took a big bit from the middle of the park.
It was no surprise to see the Perth outfit take the lead in the 18th minute. Hallberg got a lucky break when Lewis Hyde’s tackle on James Brown broke his way.
He swung in a cross and Rooney rose above Cameron Harper to fire a header in. Ridgers got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Saints doubled their lead six minutes later and at that point it looked a bridge too far for Inverness.
Callum Hendry cut inside from the right and fired in a shot Ridgers saved, only for Middleton to win a challenge with David Carson and allowing Hallberg to stab the ball in.
Dodds didn’t have much to play with but sent on Logan Chalmers and Austin Samuels for Aaron Doran plus Joe Hardy. He went to a flat back four and pushed Welsh on one.
Inverness were more like the team who had finished third in the Championship, albeit St Johnstone continued to threaten.
The Highlanders got a goal back, although there looked to be more than a suspicion of offside and Jamie McCart went down with a head
knock. Samuels looked to be off but he cut inside and put in a low cross that McAlear slotted high past Zander Clark with 17 minutes remaining.
And when Billy Mckay was fouled by Murray Davidson, McAlear stepped up to level the tie with an unstoppable 25-yard freekick 10 minutes from time.
Inverness knew this game was there for the taking. Samuels put in a cross and Liam Gordon managed to scramble it behind in front of Mckay, leaving the tie on a knife-edge.