Saints make their point againstaginst Caley
WITH FOOTBALL IN COLD STORAGE WE TAKE A LOOK AT OLD ST Danny’s change to starting 11 pays off with a draw
Scottish Premiership Hearts 2 Hibernian 0 Aberdeen 1 Dundee Utd 1 Celtic 1 Ross County 1 inverness CT 2 St Mirren 2 M’well 1 Kilmarnock 2
St Johnstone 1 Partick Th 1 Scottish Premiership
P W D L Pts Celtic 32 27 4 1 85 Aberdeen 31 18 5 8 59 Motherwell 31 18 3 10 57 Dundee Utd 32 15 9 8 54 Inverness CT 31 14 7 10 49 St Johnstone 32 13 6 13 45 Hibernian 32 8 10 14 34 Kilmarnock 32 9 6 17 33 Ross County 32 8 7 17 31 Partick Th 32 6 12 14 30 St Mirren 32 7 7 18 28 Hearts 31 6 6 19 9 Next match Scottish Premiership Motherwell (home) Saturday, April 5, at 3pm
Boxing Day 2010 was the last time the visitors had picked up maximum points in the Highlands capital, the former Saints midfielder Steven Thomson scoring both the goals that day in a 2-1 win.
And Lennon’s side managed to get their afternoon off to a cracking start, scoring the opener after just three minutes.
Midfielder John McGinn won his side a free-kick and a chance to get bodies into the Caley box.
And it was his delivery that found right-back Jason Naismith, who guided a right-foot shot into the bottom left corner of the net.
Moments later, Steven Thompson managed to get his head to a corner but the effort zipped wide of target.
Stand-in goalkeeper Chris Dilo was soon called into action to deny Josh Meekings the equaliser, the French goalkeeper getting a touch to the Caley number six’s header after a Ryan Christie free-kick caused danger in the box.
John Hughes’ side managed to restore parity in the 16th minute when a Graeme Shinnie cross from a corner found Draper and the Jags star steered a close range header into the bottom left hand corner.
Darren McGregor looked like he got the last touch to it as he attempted a goal line clearance but there is no doubt that Draper was claiming the credit.
Striker Billy McKay should have made it 2-1 to the home side when he ran clear of a static defence and looked odds-on to score but the ball seemed to take a bobble in the turf before he pulled the trigger and a gilt-edged chance for Caley to score went abegging.
Caley pressure continued as Saints skipper Jim Goodwin was penalised for a handball offence just outside the penalty box and referee Willie Collum awarded a free-kick.
Up stepped Liam Polworth with the
Star Saint:
Kenny McLean
Another fine afternoon for the highly-rated midfielder, showing his class in that anchor role and pulling all the strings shot at goal but Dilo dealt with it.
Caley’s McKay did have the ball in the back of the net approaching the half hour after he picked up a Greg Tansey pass over the top of the Saints defender and the forward lobbed Dilo from 22 yards but the assistant’s flag was raised and it didn’t count.
But Caley did take the lead in the 34th minute and Saints could have no complaints.
This time it was Tansey with the finish, after Polworth scampered down the right, played in the cross and McKay was there with the knock down to set it up on a plate for Tansey to score with his
Match Facts
Score Inverness CT 2 St Mirren 2
Scorers Naismith (3) Draper (16), Tansey (34), Kelly (62) Bookings McAusland (73)
Red Carded Meekings (68)
Referee Willie Collum
Attendance 3,032
Teams: Inverness CT (4-4-2): Brill, Raven, Shinnie, Polworth, Warren, Meekings,Tansey (Ross 51), Draper, McKay (Watkins 72), Christie (Devine 69), Vincent. Subs not usedEsson, Tremarco, Williams, Evans.
St Mirren (4-1-3-2): Dilo, Naismith, Kelly, Newton, Goodwin, McGregor, McGinn (McAusland 50), McLean, Thompson, Campbell (Magennis 64), Wylde (Teale 64). Subs not used- van Zanten, Reilly, Mathers, Djemba-Djemba. left foot from close range.
Four minutes before the interval, Sean Kelly saw an effort fly over target from a good position after a corner into the box was blocked by Meekings and the bell fell kindly to the Saints youngster.
Caley started the second half the way they did the first, this time Shinnie arrowed a shot just wide of the post.
Approaching the hour mark, Campbell at least worked goalkeeper Dean Brill with a right-foot shot, as Saints chased a leveller.
They duly found it when a corner came in and Thompson tried his luck with a shot, which took a block off Gary
Warren and Kelly was on hand to head into the net.
Sub Josh Magennis showed a flash of pace when he got in behind the Caley defence and was taken out of the play by Warren.
Ref Collum deemed that Meekings denied him a clear goal- scoring opportunity and flashed the red card.
Kenny McLean tried his luck from the resultant free- kick but the effort was blocked.
In the latter stages, it was McLean who connected with an inviting cross from sub Gary Teale but Brill, in goal, somehow managed to make the save.