Arbroath 2 Inverness CT 2 after extra time, 2-4 on penalties

A TERRIFIC performance from Second Division Arbroath saw them come agonisingly close to claiming the scalp of SPL Inverness Caledonian Thistle last night.

But, after twice coming from behind to secure extra-time and then a penalty shoot-out in this Co-operative Insurance second round tie, the Lichties came up just short.

Nevertheless Gayfield boss John McGlashan was delighted with his charges.

“That was brilliant, a typical cup tie and my players have done great to take it to penalties,” said McGlashan.

“To compete for 90 minutes and then extra-time against a full-time Premier League team is fantastic. My lads should be proud of themselves.”

These teams went toe to toe in a smashing tie that could conceivably have produced far more goals than it did.

Poor Lichties defending allowed Iain Vigurs to open the scoring for ICT on 18 minutes, neither Steven Rennie nor Robbie Raeside putting in a challenge on the youngster as he worked his way across the 18- yard line before slamming the ball past Scott Morrison.

But within three minutes Arbroath levelled as Barry Sellars flicked on John Fraser’s long ball for Paul Tosh to fire in a shot which struck the outstretched leg of Jamie Duff and looped over Ryan Esson.

Inverness could easily have enjoyed richer reward for their first-half pressure as Ian Black wasted a fine chance by shooting over after Raeside failed to clear a Don Cowie cross, Ian Black’s volley from a Cowie free-kick just missed the target and Barry Wilson had a diving header from another Cowie centre turned round the post by Morrison.

But Arbroath, too, had their moments, most notably when Tosh’s diving header from a Steven Weir cross was superbly pushed away by Esson and Terry Masson, sliding in at the back post, narrowly failed to connect.

The Lichties initially found themselves hemmed in around their own box after the break and Inverness pressure eventually paid off.

The increasingly influential Wilson brought another fine save out of Morrison after he was allowed to progress along the 18-yard line before ICT got their noses in front again with 63 minutes gone.

A Wilson cross ought to have been cleared—with John Fraser wasting the best of several chances Arbroath had to do just that—but wasn’t, and Garry Wood poked the ball under Morrison.

The introduction of Scott Gates completely revitalised the Lichties.

Gates nearly levelled with an effort Phil McGuire got just enough of a block on to direct the ball a foot wide of the far post and they claimed vigorously, but in vain, for a penalty after Barry Sellars went down under a Lionel Djebi-Zadi challenge.

It looked as if their chance of forcing extra-time had gone when Raeside’s deflected 20-yard effort clipped the top of the bar, with Esson rooted to the spot.

However, with four minutes remaining Djebi-Zadi, booked just after the hour-mark, tripped substitute Sean Simpson and Sellars tucked away the resulting spot-kick.

Both teams went close to snatching a dramatic late winner but Tosh saw his shot beaten out by Esson and Morrison blocked a McGuire header on the line.

The additional 30 minutes produced more of the same.

Raeside was forced to clear off the line after Morrison spilled a Dougie Imrie corner and Andy Barrowman saw a header come back off crossbar.

Then Sellars played Gates in only for Esson to do enough to put the former Dundee youngster off.

Unfortunately, as the spot-kick decider beckoned, the tie was marred by an unsavoury melee sparked by Gates’ angry reaction to being body-checked by McGuire.

Once order was restored, referee Alan Muir booked Gates, Raeside, McGuire, Esson and Barrowman, who, having been yellow-carded earlier, walked.

Tosh and Paul Lunan missed Arbroath’s second and third penalties in the shoot-out to allow ICT to progress to Monday evening’s draw.

But in the course of sealing their passage into the third round the Highlanders picked up a further caution, Imrie the victim for over- doing the celebrations after slotting home his kick.

A relieved ICT boss Craig Brewster admitted, “We made hard work of that, played some decent stuff at times and struggled at others but we’re through and at the end of the day that’s what matters.”

Attendance—596

Arbroath—Morrison, Rennie, Campbell, Raeside, Bishop, Fraser (Simpson 80), Masson (McMullen 60), Lunan, Tosh, Sellars, Weir (Gates 66). Subs—Reilly, Hill.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle— Esson, Tokely, Djebi-Zadi, Duff, McGuire, Cowie, Wilson (Imrie 79), Black, Vigurs, McAllister (Barrowman 79), Wood (Rooney 79). Subs—Hastings, Fraser.

Referee—Alan Muir.