Inverness lose in epic penalty shoot-out in Peterhead
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Peterhead 0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0
Peterhead win 11-10 on penalties.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle got their Betfred Cup campaign off to a losing start after an epic penalty shootout in Peterhead.
After 20 perfect penalties, Mark Ridgers missed his spot kick allowing Peterhead goalkeeper Greg Fleming to score the winner.
Inverness played their first competitive game of the season and gave first competitive starts to David Carson, James Keatings and Mitch Curry.
The visitors started the game off comfortably with their first chance falling to Jordan White who fired a low drive from the edge of the box forcing a fine save from goalkeeper Greg Fleming.
Brad McKay also went close when he connected with a low volley from a Tom Walsh corner which went inches wide of the left post.
Peterhead threatened late in the first half when Scott Brown beat the Inverness defence to an Aidan Smith cross but nodded wide of the post.
Peterhead came close to opening the scoring in the second half when Brown met Jamie Stevenson’s cross at the edge of the box but fired above the bar.
Minutes later Stevenson forced Ridgers into a great save with his left foot to prevent the ball finding the bottom left corner.
Inverness responded and should have scored when James Vincent connected with a cross from Walsh in the six yard box but saw his header hit the left post.
But Peterhead grew in confidence as the game continued and Ridgers was forced to produce a fine save from Aidan Smith midway through the second half.
Ridgers was forced into another fine save when he tipped Dunlop’s header over the bar and minutes later Dunlop’s came close again when his shot smacked off the crossbar.
Peterhead came the closest to winning the game but couldn’t find the goal to prevent penalties.
But Peterhead came out on top after 20 perfect penalties as Ridgers missed and Fleming scored to give Peterhead a deserved win.
Peterhead: Fleming, Brown, Boyle, Eadie, Dunlop, Ferry, Stevenson, Brown (Leitch 88), Smith (Armour 80), Fraser (McAllister 64),Gibson.
Subs (Unused) Henderson, McAllister, Lyle, Willox.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Ridgers, Tremarco, Donaldson, McCart, Keatings (Dunlop 67), Carson, White, Walsh, Curry (MacGregor 80), McKay (Vincent 45), Trafford.
Subs (Unused) Mackay, Machado, Nicolson, Brown.
Referee: Steven Reid.