 Inverness Caley Thistle (A) Bells League Championship - Saturday December 11th 1999 Match report by Roving Ross Lafferty Final Score ICT 1 Saints 1 You know those stadiums that you’ll always hate for one reason or another? The likes of Brockville, Broadwood and Dens Park are three which feature highly on my list and, I’m sure, those of many other Saints fans. Well, it seems only a matter of time before The Caledonian Stadium, Inverness is ranked alongside those other three hell-holes. Upon first glimpse of the ground, it would appear strange that anyone could think that way. Situated on the outskirts of the town, amongst the hills on the banks of the Moray Firth it’s one of the more picturesque locations in the Scottish League. Also, with one 2,000 seater stand surrounded by small terracing it looks to be a development with which a club who were playing in the Highland league only five years ago could be proud of. After three visits already this season though, my opinion is that the place should be demolished immediately! Yes, move the bulldozers in now. It’s a dull, lifeless ground in which, unless you are sitting directly in the centre of the stand, it is impossible to find an acceptable viewing position. Even yesterday with a crowd of 2,893, Caley’s second highest of the season, the atmosphere was as highly charged as that of a funeral. Of course, those factor’s themselves aren’t the main problem. No, I can live with them, I’ve never had a problem with Stranraer’s Stair Park after all. The big problem to me is St.Mirren’s inability to leave with a victory. Twice, back in August, Saints returned to Paisley having been knocked out of first, the League Cup and secondly, the League Challenge Cup. Both times, the visitors put on decidedly under par performances and Saturday was to be no different. They weren’t ever in the same danger of losing the game but so often moves broke down before they even had a chance to start and without the injured trio of Hugh Murray, Ian Ross and Ludovic Roy they struggled to find that crucial final ball. As with that challenge cup game though, Saints performance wasn’t exactly helped by referee, Ian Elmslie’s inability to let the game flow. Time after time, he blew his whistle for the slightest bit of contact amongst players and eight times he showed a yellow card in a game which was hardly competitive never mind dirty. The game was slow to start with only Gary Bowman and Charlie Christie coming close for either side before the opening goal arrived only two minutes before half time. Tom Brown won the free-kick on the edge of the box and Mark Yardley ran on to Bowman’s short pass to hit a deflected effort past Calder from 25 yards. It wasn’t long into the second half though before Caley found an equaliser, with a little help from Mr. Elmslie. There seemed to be minimal contact between Barry McLaughlin and Dennis Wyness but when the on-loan Aberdeen youngster took a tumble a free-kick was awarded. From the resultant kick, Barry Wilson shot through a space in the wall and the unsighted Scrimgour could only manage to parry the ball into the net. Ten minutes later Sergei Baltacha thought he had made it 2-1 when his powerful effort beat Calder before hitting an upright. Yardley was the next to test the ‘keeper when he climbed above the defence only to see his header miraculously plucked from the air by the 39 year-old veteran. From there on in the game slowly died out along with St.Mirren’s hopes of maintaining their eight point lead and of winning nine matches on the run. Inverness: Calder, Teasdale, Mann, McCulloch, Hastings, Wilson (Glancy 74), Sheerin, Christie, Tokely, Xausa, Wyness St.Mirren: Scrimgour, Nicolson, Bowman, Turner, McLaughlin, Walker, Baltacha, Brown (Robinson 50), Lavety, McGarry (Mendes 72), Yardley Sub Not Used: Rudden Sizzling Saint: As I’ve
already pointed out, my view of the game was far from ideal but once again this was a
defender’s game. Tommy Turner and Barry McLaughlin were as consistent as ever but for
the second week in a row Scott Walker
receives the award. |