Inverness Caledonian Thistle move out of relegation zone after victory over Queen’s Park at Hampden
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Scottish Championship
Queen’s Park 0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
Scorer: Harper (24)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle are out of the relegation zone after they defeated Queen’s Park at Hampden to move into eighth place.
Cameron Harper put Inverness in the lead with a marvellous free kick midway through the first half.
That proved to be the difference and it moved Inverness out of the relegation zone, two points ahead of Queen’s Park in ninth, with three matches remaining.
Inverness made three changes to the team that beat Arbroath 2-1 last weekend.
Danny Devine, Aaron Doran and Luis Longstaff were brought into the starting line-up with James Carragher and Remi Savage out injured and Samson Lawal on the bench.
Inverness started the game brightly and won a free kick on the edge of the box when Jack Turner brought down Billy Mckay.
Cammy Kerr had a pop at goal but couldn’t keep his free kick from dipping under the bar.
But Inverness broke the deadlock through a set piece midway through the first half when Mackenzie Carse was guilty of handball when he handled Aaron Doran’s powerful shot.
Harper then curled a free kick from 20 yards out straight into the top left corner of the net leaving Callum Ferrie no chance.
Queen’s Park came close to equalising minutes later when Danny Wilson beat the Inverness defence in the air in the six yard box but nodded over the bar.
Inverness missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 just before half time. Morgan Boyes’ free kick was nodded on by Alex Samuel to send through Billy Mckay who was one on one with the goalkeeper but fires over the bar.
Goalkeeper Mark Ridgers had to be alert right at the start of the second half when he had to pull off a good save to deny William Tizzard.
Ridgers had to be alert again to deny Jack Turner’s shot from close range finding the net.
Queen’s Park had to wait until 15 minutes remaining when Rurari Paton found himself in the box with a great chance as he unleashed a low drive.
But Wallace Duffy produced a superb tackle to take the sting out of his shot and ensure Ridgers could gather easily.
Inverness had a great chance to finish the game off with 10 minutes remaining when Samuel put through McKay.
But the striker shot straight at Ferrie as the difference remained at one goal.
Queen’s Park almost grabbed an equaliser in injury time when Ruari Paton only had Ridgers to beat. But he shot straight at the goalkeeper and Inverness held on for victory.
Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Wilson, Sheridan (McLeish 75) , Thomson, Paton, Tizzard (Robson 45), Turner (Mauchin 75), Longridge, Scott (Williamson 84), Carse (McKinstry 45), Welsh.
Substitutions: Robson, Bannon, Fox, Bruce, Wills.
Inverness: Ridgers, Duffy, Harper, Kerr, Devine, Mckay (Pepple 80), Doran (MacGregor 76), Anderson, Longstaff (Lawal 54), Boyes, Samuel.
Substitutions: Mckay, Samuels, Pepple, Brooks, Ujdur.
Referee: Alan Muir
Attendance: 1463
