Doran does the damage as Highlanders secure a semi-final spot again
SUPER Caley go ballistic? Well they were when Dundee United were awarded a penalty for their equaliser that seemed to be as soft as a play area for toddlers. The Inverness mood wasn’t improved later on when they had a Nathan Austin header chalked off for offside too. In the end, though, the Highlanders were going ballistic with jubilation as Aaron Doran’s last-gasp header gave the 2015 winners a richly deserved place in the semi-finals of the William Hill Scottish Cup. It had been an eventful, topsy-turvy afternoon at Tannadice and, after the various injustices, justice was seemingly served in the last knockings. “There’s minimal contact on their player, it felt like an injustice and gave United a route back into the game,” said Caley Thistle manager John Robertson on Jordan White’s challenge on Paul McMullan which gave United a foothold they didn’t look like establishing until then. “Our offside goal was very, very tight indeed and it looked as if it wasn’t going to be our day. It wasn’t so much about the penalty, though, but justice was done in the overall game. Even the United boys were saying that we deserved the win. It would have been a travesty if we had to go to a replay.” Robertson will lead Inverness out in a semi-final of a cup competition for the third time. There have been a few clouds in recent months but hopes of a silver lining still burn brightly. “It’s been a tough, tough time for us and this is massive for us,” he added. “I’ve been saying from the very first round we’re in this cup to win it and we will be one of four who can do that.” The visitors had the bit between their teeth from the first whistle while United barely laid a powder puff let alone a punch on their guests in the opening stages. Caley Thistle’s intent was clear from the moment Doran forced Benjamin Siegrist into a handy save on four minutes. Having established their authority, they eventually took the lead on 19 minutes with a delightfully executed opener. Liam Polworth’s canny pass released Joe Chalmers on the right and he turned inside before lofting a beautifully controlled curler beyond Siegrist. A couple of minutes later, Chalmers almost doubled the advantage when he latched on to Doran’s cross only for his effort to shudder the crossbar. Caley Thistle were well and truly in command and it took the disjointed, cumbersome hosts over 25 minutes to fashion something noteworthy, A good move opened up a chance for Peter Pawlett but Carl Tremarco’s sliding block summed up the Inverness industry and hunger. The pattern of play didn’t change much after the resumption. At times, United were so far off the pace it looked like they were still playing in the previous round. The introduction of McMullan gave them some muchneeded pep and he got in on the act quickly with a shot which Mark Ridgers turned round the post. From the remnants of the corner, McMullan went down in the box and the penalty was awarded. After the heated kerfuffle, Nicky Clark kept his cool and plonked in the spot kick. United, who had beaten Caley Thistle in the league during the week, were galvanised but the visitors were still full of menace. With seven minutes left, Austin got on the end of a free-kick to head past Siegrist but the flag went up. The game was up for United in injury time when a header from Doran clinched it. “It’s all about the league for us now,” said a brassed-off Dundee United manager, Robbie Neilson.