Doran is Highland hero as Inverness Caley Thistle scrape past League Two Stirling Albion to book a Scottish Cup fourth round spot
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Inverness Caley Thistle (2) 3
Stirling Albion (2) 2
Att 738
(Scorers: ICT - Duffy 30, Ram 39, Doran 68; Albion - Carrick 27, 45)
Aaron Doran marked his 350th appearance for Caley Thistle with a second half winner to sink stubborn Stirling Albion.
The League Two Binos rattled the hosts in the first half with a Dale Carrick double either side of goals from home defenders Wallace Duffy and Max Ram.
But Doran pounced after 68 minutes to break a run of six defeats on an uncomfortable day for the injury-hit Highlanders.
The hosts, who rested Sean Welsh and brought back Lewis Hyde, dominated early possession, but almost went behind after 23 minutes when a Kai Fotheringham attempt close in spun just beyond the angle of bar and post.
Four minutes later, they did concede.
Stirling’s Jordan McGregor cut the ball back from the left side of the box and Fotheringham’s dunked cross was knocked high into the net by the head of Carrick.
Within three minutes, Wallace Duffy had levelled with a downward header from Nathan Shaw’s left-side corner.
But right on half-time a mistake by home defender Danny Devine allowed Carrick to race through and calmly net his second for his 16th of the season so far.
The home fans were disgruntled as the early part of the second half failed to muster much of a response from Dodds’ men.
It finally came good after 68 minutes, with a brilliant move ending in a goal for Doran on his 350th club appearance.
George Oakley, on the far right, flicked a pass to Nathan Shaw who drove towards the six-yard box and stroked the ball across for the Irishman to slot home close in with a cheeky back heel flick.
Ryan Barrett, 21, a former Newcastle United youth signed as a free agent on the morning of the game, made his debut from the bench with eight minutes left.
Ross Davidson and Dale Carrick went close towards the end for plucky Albion.
INVERNESS CT (4-2-3-1): Cameron MacKay 6; Duffy 7, Devine 7, Ram 6 (Barratt 81, 4), Harper 6; Hyde 6, Carson 6; Shaw 7, Boyd 6 (Oakley 60), Doran 7; Mckay 6 (D. MacKay 64, 5). Subs: Ridgers, Barrett, Strachan, Calum MacKay, Nicolson.
Booked: Ram 71, Carson 86, Harper 90
STIRLING ALBION (4-2-3-1): Currie 6; Dunsmore 6, McGregor 6, McLean 6, McGeachie 6; Clark 6 (Cooper 82, 3), Banner 3 (Davidson 22, 6); Denholm 6 (Thomson 72, 5), Leitch 7 (Moore 72, 5), Fotheringham 7; Carrick 8. Subs: Law, Burns.
Referee: Dan MacFarlane 8
