Caley Thistle secure victory at Forres Mechanics
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CALEY Thistle won 3-1 at Highland League side Forres Mechanics tonight (Tuesday) in their latest summer friendly.
The Can Cans marched in front through Scott Graham after a bright opening before Alex Fisher cancelled it out soon after.
Under-20 starlets Cameron Gilchrist and Ali Sutherland got the second half goals to push ICT to victory.
The Inverness side are between Betfred Cup ties, having beat League Two hosts Cowdenbeath 2-1 on Saturday ahead of hosting Dundee United this weekend.
On what was a baking-hot evening at Mosset Park, it was a mix of youth and experience for Richie Foran, with David Raven being captain and the other first-team players being Lewis Horner, Liam Polworth, Jake Mulranry and Fisher.
Cameron Mackay got his chance in the nets after Ryan Esson picked up a knock against the Blue Brazil, while central defender got another shot in central defence having impressed this month.
Forres fielded former Nairn player John Cameron as a trialist, while ex-Caley Jags starlet Stuart Soane also starting.
The Can Cans started well and Graham only just failed to connect with an inviting cross from the right flank.
One of Foran's first signings as manager this summer was QPR winger Mulraney and he sought to find a way through the well-drilled home back line.
After 25 minutes, Forres looked to have taken the lead when Graham cashed in on the lack of talking at the back to guide a header past Mackay into the net.
However, referee Ben Dempster disallowed the goal and bizarrely, after consulting with one of his assistants, awarded a Forres free-kick on the edge of the box.
Feeling hard done by, Graham steered the set-piece over the wall and past Mackay into the net for a second time to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.
ICT responded though and, on 33 minutes, drew level when Fisher pounced in the box to bury a header past Stuart Knight when he met a corner from Mulraney.
Young Ali Sutherland aimed to give the Scottish Premiership club the lead, but his decent effort just had too much height to bother Knight.
Mackay was called into action at the start of the second half when he got down smartly to deny sub Liam Baxter, who burst through the middle to get a shot on target.
At the other end, Sutherland went close when he found an opening eight yards out, but shot just wide of the right post.
Jason Brown was then denied when his flashing header on 62 minutes was superbly srtopped on the line by Forres number one Knight.
However, the Caley Jags grabbed the lead on 72 minutes when Cameron Gilchrist coverted from a Sutherland corner.
It was roles reversed five minutes later when Sutherland finished from close range to round off the scoring after Gilchrist teed him up with a pass from just inside the box.
Forres Mechanics: Knight, Grant, Graham Fraser, Groat, Lee Fraser, McGovern, Knutsishvili, Graham, Howard, Soane, Cameron (trialist). Subs: Moore, Baxter, MacIver, Hutcheson, Paterson.
ICT: Mackay, Horner, Gilchrist, Jason Brown, Raven, Polworth, MacLennan, Mulraney, Macrae, Sutherland, Fisher. Subs: Foster, Rennie, Wilson, McRitchie, Smith, Robertson, Chris Brown, Stark.
Referee: Ben Dempster.
