Robbie Deas nets decisive spot kick for Inverness Caledonian Thistle as Scottish Championship side need penalty shoot-out to get past Highland League leaders Brechin City
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 (Oakley x2, Shaw)
Brechin City 3 (McHattie, McGrath, Spark)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle win 4–3 on penalties
Inverness Caledonian Thistle were able to progress in the SPFL Trust Trophy against Brechin City, but they needed a penalty shoot-out to do it.
They had looked comfortable, taking a 3–1 lead through George Oakley's double and Nathan Shaw, with former player Kevin McHattie's curling effort the only response for the visitors.
However, a second half comeback saw Brechin's Grady McGrath and Euan Spark find the net, taking the game to penalties.
There, Robbie Deas stepped up to net the winning spot kick, as ICT won 4–3 after five penalties apiece.
Caley Thistle got off to the perfect start, going ahead in the fifth minute through George Oakley.
It was Aaron Doran's corner, headed by a returning Max Ram towards goal. Lenny Wilson made the save low to his right, but could not keep hold of the ball and Danny Devine took advantage.
ICT's captain for the day played the ball back across goal, teeing up Oakley for a tap in to open the scoring.
Some spectators may have expected a rout to come from there, but Inverness did not make the most of their early lead and allowed Brechin a way back into the game.
The visitors fired warning shots through Aaron Arnott and Grady McGrath, before Kevin McHattie took the opportunity to skip past a challenge in the middle of the park, keep moving forward and pick out the top corner with a curling effort against his former club.
At one stage, Inverness substitute Matthew Strachan – still to make his debut for the senior side – was booked for time wasting, but his teammates who were actually on the pitch quickly managed to restore their lead after that.
Nathan Cooney slipped while on the ball just inside his own half, allowing Oakley a practically free run at goal.
The striker could have taken aim himself to try and add to his tally, but instead he opted to pass to Nathan Shaw who found the net via the inside of the post.
Cameron Harper, still in the central midfield role he excelled in away at Dundee last weekend, stung Wilson's gloves towards the end of the first half, but there was no further danger at the back as Caley Thistle held their lead going into the interval.
The result should have been put beyond doubt minutes after the restart, as Wallace Duffy was downed by Cooney inside the Brechin penalty area.
Oakley stepped up and fired the spot kick straight down the middle past a diving Wilson to put daylight between the sides.
From there Inverness were able to control the game, keeping possession seemingly at will and remaining patient for chances to break forward.
Shaw came close to adding to the scoreline, hitting one effort straight at Wilson from outside the box and seeing another take a deflection before being headed off the line by Euan Spark.
With a little over 15 minutes left, though, the visitors pulled one back.
Marc Scott broke ICT's offside trap, and much like Oakley squared the ball for Shaw to finish the Brechin number seven put the ball on a plate for Grady McGrath to finish.
There was more drama to come, as Brechin got back on level terms.
Cooney made up for his earlier mistakes to a point, cushioning a high cross down into the path of Euan Spark, who found the bottom corner to draw the scores back level.
That meant the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Through four spot kicks each, the score was 3–3 – Billy Mckay, Steven Boyd and Scott Allardice scoring for Caley Thistle, and McGrath, Ewan Loudon and Kieran Inglis netting for Brechin.
When Ryan McInnes saw his effort saved by Cammy Mackay, though, that gave Inverness the opportunity to win it, and Robbie Deas duly booked ICT's spot in the next round when he picked out the top corner from the spot.
Caley Thistle: Cameron Mackay, Duffy, Harper (Allardice 46), Devine (Deas 46), Doran (Mckay 84), Oakley, Ram (Boyd 64), Hyde, Shaw, Delaney, Calum MacKay (D MacKay 64).
Subs not used: Ridgers, Carson, Strachan, Bray.
Brechin City: Wilson, McHattie, Cooney, Scott (Inglis 90), McGrath, Arnott (Bain 68), Cruickshank, MacLeod, McArthur (Loudon 24), Northcott, Spark (McInnes 90).
Subs not used: Easton, Thomson, McDonald, Naglik.
Referee: Barry Cook
Attendance: 832
