Second division leaders Arbroath failed to add to this week’s list of Scottish Communities League Cup shocks as they went down to SPL side Inverness Caley Thistle.
Prior to the tie, Lichties player/boss Paul Sheerin could have been forgiven for thinking his team could upset his former club given their good early-season form, but it was the Highlanders’ class that shone through in the end at Gayfield.
Arbroath started the game shooting towards the Pleasureland end and they won a free-kick in a dangerous area after just two minutes, although there was little pleasure from Darren Gribben’s effort which was well off target.
Two minutes later, Colin Hamilton completely missed his attempt at a clearance and Shane Sutherland almost capitalised, but his shot went narrowly over.
The home side were undone in the seventh minute though as Thistle took advantage of a fast, free-flowing move.
Sutherland’s incisive run down the right got him into the danger area and his cut back was swept home by Andrew Shinnie.
In 14 minutes, the visitors almost doubled the lead when Graeme Shinnie’s corner was headed down by Gary Warren, but Paul Currie’s positioning on the right-hand post was perfect to clear away the danger.
With 20 minutes gone, Arbroath created a few decent openings, first from Mark Baxter’s ball which caused a few worries in the visitors’ box when it was fizzed over from the right, before Sheerin screwed a shot over from distance.
On the half hour, Inverness found themselves with men over and veteran keeper Tony Bullock had to make a superb double save, doing well to keep out Sutherland’s curler before Willie McKay tried to squeeze the rebound home in at the right-hand post.
A minute later, the home side lost Derek Holmes through injury and he was replaced by Lee Sibanda, before Hamilton was booked for cynically halting Inverness’ advance up the pitch.
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Arbroath created their best chance of the half in 36 minutes when a great switch from left to right released Steven Doris down the right, but Graeme Shinnie’s sliding challenge blocked his shot at goal.
Six minutes from the break, Mark Baxter was booked for a foul on Aaron Doran before Bullock was called into action to parry a shot from Doran, with Sutherland going on to hit the rebound off the outside of the post from a tight angle.
Josh Meekings was then yellow carded for a foul on Hamilton as the half drew to a close, but not before Currie’s dangerous-looking ball across the area found no takers and Andrew Shinnie saw another drive well saved by Bullock down to his right.
Michael Travis’ challenge on McKay earned him a yellow card five minutes into the second period, before Shinnie cut inside from the left and sent a cracking right-foot drive off the top of the crossbar shortly after.
Doran then tried his luck from 25 yards in the 58th minute as Caley pressed for what would be a killer second but the ball whistled past Bullock’s left-hand post.
On the hour though, Arbroath squandered a great chance to equalise.
Hamilton’s long ball forward found Gribben in acres of space but the big striker could only blast his attempt over the bar after cutting inside brilliantly.
At the other end, Hamilton was called upon to block a Doran drive as the game began to look a little stretched, with Arbroath’s Paul Currie becoming the fifth player booked for bringing down Warren as play raged from end to end in 67 minutes.
But with 20 minutes remaining, Caley sealed their passage into the next round.
Sheerin was caught in possession in midfield and, after Sutherland sent Andrew Shinnie clear, the forward blasted the ball in off the underside of the bar to make it 2-0.
The goal scorer went close again 10 minutes from time when he stung the palms of Bullock from the edge of the area, before Doris sent a 20 yard free-kick over the bar following Owain Jones’ foul five minutes later as the Lichties strived to reduce the deficit.
However, there were to be no more goals on what was a disappointing night for the home side.