The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Lichties up next for Caley Jags in playoffs
Inverness Caley Thistle Partick Thistle 1(3) 0(1)
Caley Thistle moved a step closer to Premiership football after beating Partick Thistle 1-0 to reach next week’s semi-finals.
Following Tuesday’s 2-1 comeback win at Firhill, the Inverness team needed to only avoid defeat to progress to a doubleheader showdown against Championship runners-up Arbroath.
Austin Samuels, who grabbed the winner in that one, scored the deciding goal in the second leg with an ice-cool strike in the first half.
This was a meeting of third v fourth finishers and whoever emerged victorious from this encounter overall still faces a fight to reach the topflight as it has never been achieved from those positions.
Home head coach Billy Dodds made just one change from the midweek first leg in Glasgow.
With Tom Walsh injured, midweek match-winner Austin Samuels was his replacement in the starting XI. It was also a boost to have Aaron Doran fit again as a substitute
For Partick, Ian McCall handed Richard Foster a starting return, along with forward Cammy Smith. Ciaran McKenna and Alex Jakubiak dropped to the bench.
It was a terrific atmosphere from the off, with the ever-increasing Section 94 band making their voices heard opposite the main stand.
A card display message for the Inverness players read “Take your place in history”.
An early chance was earned by on-loan ace Logan Chalmers when he cashed in on a poor Foster pass, but he scooped the ball over the crossbar from 12 yards.
Left-back Robbie Deas then crashed an angled drive beyond the far post, although goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon had it covered.
Thistle’s first flash of danger came when Scott Tiffoney’s cross from the left was volleyed over the top by Tuesday’s scorer Robbie Crawford.
A smart attack almost ended with a home goal on 15 minutes as Samuels fed the ball for Billy Mckay, whose shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Graham, whose last goals were a hat-trick at this ground in a 3-3 draw in February, was not far off the mark five minutes later after he turned Kirk Broadfoot, but his effort had too much height.
At times, there were nerves at play, with slack passes from Thistle in particular letting them down.
The breakthrough came just before half an hour when a slack pass from Kevin Holt was seized upon by Samuels and he supplied a fine finish to beat Sneddon from 10 yards.
It was just what ICT needed, although Graham almost instantly levelled with a sharp turn and shot which crashed off the crossbar.
Graham continued to be Partick’s main threat and he drew a save from Mark Ridgers when he connected with a Foster delivery.
That was as close as it came for the visitors in a first half and it was down to the interval team talks of Dodds and McCall.
Thistle showed a sign of intent from the start of the second half, with Welsh’s fine challenge stopping Alex Jakubiak just moments after he replaced Smith.
Broadfoot, whose two ICT goals have come against Thistle, met a Reece McAlear corner with
a powerful header, but Sneddon dived to turn the ball clear as the hosts went for the killer second.
Jakubiak was offering an injection of pace for Partick, looking lively and looking for openings, but Inverness remained well organised overall.
As time ticked along with the scoreline as it was, the home fans were getting more into the party spirit, sensing the finish line was within sight.
Thistle were frustrated as that feeling grew when Tiffoney’s shot from the edge of the box was pulled well.
Joe Hardy, who replaced Mckay on 79 minutes, was involved in a fine attack which ended with Cameron Harper stopped in his track by Sneddon.
It was almost 2-0 late on when Sutherland was denied by Sneddon after Broadfoot set him up.
However, it was job done and now eight wins from their last 10 outings. Perfect timing.
It’s on to the semis now, with Arbroath visiting the Caledonian Stadium on Tuesday then hosting the second leg at Gayfield next Friday.