Reece McAlear and Austin Samuels fire Inverness Caledonian Thistle to three valuable points over Dunfermline as they close in on Championship play-off place
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 (McAlear, Samuels)
Dunfermline Athletic 0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle moved one step closer to securing a play-off spot with a 2–0 victory over Dunfermline Athletic.
The highlight of a goalless first half was a Reece McAlear free kick that hit the woodwork, but he went one better early in the second to pick out the top corner.
Dunfermline did attempt to mount a comeback after that, but it was to no avail, and substitute Austin Samuels scored with his first touch to keep all three points at the Caledonian Stadium.
Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds made two changes to his starting line-up, with Danny Devine and Joe Hardy missing out on the squad altogether and Wallace Duffy and Logan Chalmers given the opportunity to start.
Dunfermline were unchanged, but that continuity did not appear to give them any great advantage as the better chances went ICT's way in the first half.
First it was Chalmers, fresh off his match-winning double away at Raith Rovers last time out, who nearly replicated that winning goal only for Deniz Mehmet to palm it away.
Inverness continued to push forward though, with Aaron Doran and Billy Mckay each missing the target with opportunities.
The Caley Jags did go inches away from breaking the deadlock minutes before half time at a set piece, when Reece McAlear's free kick crashed back off the woodwork and the Pars were able to clear.
The on-loan Norwich City man went one better 12 minutes after the restart though.
It stemmed from another set piece that Sean Welsh took this time, as when his effort was blocked by the wall McAlear ran on to it and thumped the ball first time towards goal – just clipping the inside of the post on its way into the top corner.
Dunfermline made three changes to try and turnt heg ame in their favour, and it nearly paid off immediately.
Ryan Dow and Nikolay Todorov were two of the men sent on, and the former chipped the ball into the middle from the right flank for the Bulgarian forward ran on to it – forcing Cameron Mackay to save with his feet to preserve ICT's lead.
Dow himself would have thought he had found an equaliser when he ran on to a second ball from a set piece, but again Mackay was there to make the save from point-blank range.
From there proceedings turned frantic, as there were chances at both ends. First Robbie Deas had to head a goal-bound effort clear, before Shane Sutherland put a ball across the face of goal at the other end that came off a black and white shirt before getting cleared away for a corner.
Just as Dunfermline's substitutes threatend to make an immediate impact, when Billy Dodds brought on Austin Samuels to affect the game – and he did so immediately.
Straight after winning back possession in the Pars' half, Aaron Doran played a lovely through ball for Samuels to run on to, and with Mehmet rushing out to meet him the former Wolves man slotted past him with his first touch to make it 2–0.
That put paid to any hope of a comeback the visitors had, and with the stuffing knocked out of them Caley Thistle were able to see out the game without any further issues.
Caley Thistle: MacKay, Duffy, Welsh, Deas, Carson, Mckay (Samuels 75), Doran (Walsh 81), Sutherland, Broadfoot, Chalmers (Harper 66), McAlear.
Subs not used: Ridgers, Hyde.
Dunfermline: Mehmet, Edwards, Donaldson, O'Hara, Chalmers, Pybus, Lawless (Kamwa 58), Thomas (Dow 62), Ambrose (Cole 78), Todd (Comrie 78), Polworth (Todorov 62).
Subs not used: Arichibald, Martin, Breen, Allan.
Referee: Graham Beaton
Attendance: 2171
Yellow cards: ICT – Samuels (82); Dunfermline – Donaldson (82).
