The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dabrowski class holds ICT at bay
Caley Thistle 0 Raith Rovers 1
Caley Thistle’s 1-0 defeat against Raith Rovers keeps the relegation heat on the Highlanders – who were kept at bay by a superb display by visiting goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski.
Lewis Vaughan’s 16th goal of the season made the difference, with a lethal finish just after the interval.
The result for secondplaced Rovers means they are three points behind leaders Dundee United, who can return to the brink of winning the league if they beat visitors Ayr United this weekend.
ICT now no longer have fate in their own hands as they round off their season with a trip to Dunfermline next week before hosting seventh-placed toilers Morton on the last night of action on Friday May 3.
Last weekend, ICT gained a massive lift as their 1-0 win against Queen’s Park at Hampden saw them move out of the relegation play-off spot at their hosts’ expense, opening up a two-point advantage.
It was also the first time Duncan Ferguson’s team had posted back-to-back league wins.
Just one win in nine games, including six losses, had also dragged Morton from promotion-chasers to being in the drop-zone mix.
ICT’s slightly better goal difference offered them the chance to overtake the Ton on goal difference with a win last night.
They faced a secondplaced Raith side trying to at least make championselect Dundee United wait one more day to be confirmed as the league winners.
They trailed the Tangerines by six points with just two games to go after their trip to the Highland capital. Only an away win would delay the seemingly inevitable.
ICT began on the front foot as Billy Mckay forced a save from Dabrowski just before flashing a longrange drive wide.
Dabrowski was called into action on 14 minutes when he dived at full stretch to push away a netbound Cammy Harper freekick just six days after Harper’s Hampden winner from a similar 25-yard range.
Aaron Doran, who looked lively, went off with an injury and was replaced by Sean McAllister, the Everton loanee, who is just back from treatment back at the Toffees.
Harper came close again on 21 minutes as he struck the crossbar with a shot when he met a Mckay cross then Dabrowski reacted quickest to block the follow-up. The remainder of the first half failed to live up to the early spark, so we waited for the second half to deliver.
Just three minutes after the restart, Rovers got the breakthrough when, from Euan Murray’s flick-on, Vaughan lifted a shot past the out-rushing Mark Ridgers after a set-piece was not mopped up allowing a second bite at an attack.
Alex Samuel almost levelled when he steered a swerving shot goalwards but his effort from just outside the box came off the post.
Home goalkeeper Ridgers was alert on 69 minutes when he got down to save from Sam Stanton just before McAllister’s shot was saved at the opposite end.
Dabrowski then saved superbly from Samuel before Danny Devine then James Carragher had headers come off the bar as they pressed for the leveller.
On-loan Luton forward Aribim Pepple was brought on for defender Devine as Ferguson tried everything to make an attacking difference. However it was not to be.
Samuel also had a stoppage-time shot tipped over the bar by the inspired Raith goalkeeper.
Caley Thistle fans will now sit and watch the scorelines from Dunfermline and Arbroath today to see whether Queen’s Park or Morton have shed points.
Next Saturday, ICT’s penultimate game takes them to Dunfermline before finishing at home to Morton on Friday May 3.