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ICT secure seventh place


By SPP Reporter



CALEY Thistle made sure they will finish the season in seventh, while St Mirren face a nervous finish in a bid to secure their Scottish Premier League status.

Inverness made six changes from the side that had overcome Celtic in midweek - Richie Foran, Eric Odhiambo, Russell Duncan, Gavin Morrison, Alex MacDonald and Jonny Tuffey replacing Lee Cox, Adam Rooney, Chris Innes, Nick Ross, Shane Sutherland and Ryan Esson.

Chances were few and far between in an instantly forgettable opening 45 minutes.

Just over half of the first period had expired when the games first noteworthy opportunity came along. Aaron Doran's long through ball gave MacDonald a one-on-one with Paul Gallacher, which the St Mirren goalkeeper saved. The ball rebounded to MacDonald who tried to pick out the unmarked Foran, but his attempted shot was blocked.

Too many misplaced passes and long balls blighted this game and Odhiambo's header that drifted five yards past the upright from Kenny Gillet's cross rather summed up a tepid first half.

There was no sign of this improving after the break, although Michael Higdon did at least call Tuffey into meaningful action with a header from Steven Thomson's cross.

The introduction of Adam Rooney almost had the desired effect as his acrobatic overhead kick smashed off the crossbar following good work by Ross Tokely.

St Mirren had rarely been seen as an attacking threat, but Higdon did go close with a 25-yard free-kick that curled narrowly past.

This prompted the visitors best spell of the game, Higdon setting up Paul McGowan who was superbly denied by a fine block from Tuffey.

The action then went straight to the other end and Caley Thistle had a penalty claim turned down when Duncan went over following a challenge by Lee Mair. In the aftermath of this incident, Duncan and Mair became involved in an off the ball incident which resulted in the former being shown a straight red card, much to his disbelief.

This seemed to galvanise Inverness, however, and Rooney was once more left cursing the woodwork as his drive from a tight angle bounced away via the junction of post and bar.

Caley Thistle then had a second penalty claim turned down by referee Bobby Madden when the ball appeared to strike the hand of Patrick Cregg, but the match official was not convinced.

The momentum was with the hosts, but Rooney's luck was out once more as this time the post denied him the goal he deserved after latching on to a Ross through ball and outpacing Mair.

To his credit, Rooney kept going and he finally made the breakthrough five minutes from time, controlling Doran's high ball before dispatching emphatically from close range with Gallacher left badly exposed.

CALEY THISTLE - Tuffey; Duff, Gillet, Tokely, Munro, Duncan, Odhiambo (Cox, 75), Morrison (Ross, 64), MacDonald (Rooney, 53), Foran, Doran. Subs unused: Innes, Sutherland, Sanchez, Esson.

ST MIRREN - Gallacher; Barron, Mair, Thomson, Dargo, Higdon, Goodwin (Cregg, 40), McGregor, McAusland, McGowan, McLean (Mooy, 75). Subs unused: Potter, Van Zanten, Wardlaw, Mckernon, Samson. Booked: Goodwin.

Attendance: 3446.

Referee: B. Madden.

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