Inverness thrash Raith Rovers to get League Cup campaign back on track
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4
Raith Rovers 1
Scorers – ICT: White (6) Donaldson (56) Doran (58) Todorov (90) Raith: Allan (49)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle got their Betfred Cup campaign back on track with victory against Raith Rovers.
Jordan White gave Inverness the lead after six minutes but Lewis Allan levelled early in the second half.
But two goals in three minutes from Coll Donaldson and Aaron Doran followed by an injury time strike from Nikolay Todorov secured all three points for Inverness.
Caley Thistle made two changes to the team that suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat at Peterhead.
Doran and James Vincent came into the first team with Brad Mckay out through injury and Mitchell Curry dropped to the substitute bench.
Inverness put the misery of Peterhead behind them after just six minutes.
White beat the Raith defence in the air to nod James Keatings’ corner kick into the net from close range.
Midway through the first half Raith goalkeeper Ross Munro, on loan from Ross County, fumbled a Keatings’ free kick in the six yard box.
But no Inverness player was alert to pounce as he managed to gather comfortably.
Raith had a chance to pull one back when Coll Donaldson failed to clear a cross and the ball fell to Grant Anderson at the edge of the box, but the midfielder ‘s shot at goal soared above the crossbar.
Raith levelled four minutes into the second half. The Inverness defence failed to react to Kieran MacDonald’s cross and the ball fell to Allan who fired a low drive into the net from 12 yards.
However Inverness responded and scored twice in the space of three minutes to give them a two-goal advantage.
They regained the lead when Donaldson nodded a home a Tom Walsh corner kick into the net in the 56th minute.
Walsh played provider again when his cross on the right wing found Doran who from 12 yards fired a low drive past Munro.
Walsh almost got on the scoresheet himself when he spectacularly ran around the centre circle in his own half and drove through the Raith defence to fire from the edge of the box forcing a spectacular save from Munro to tip the ball over the bar.
But substitute Nikolay Todorov did make it a three goal win when he headed a Walsh cross from the left wing past Munro in injury time.
Inverness are now on four points with two games remaining in third place.
They are three points behind leaders Dundee who were forced into a penalty-shoot win against second placed Peterhead 4-2 after the two teams drew 0-0 after 90 minutes.
Peterhead are two points ahead of ICT with one game remaining as do Dundee.
Inverness face Cove Rangers at home on Tuesday night where a win will set up a final day showdown against Dundee to win the group.
ICT: Ridgers, Tremarco, Donaldson, McCart, Keatings (MacGregor 71), Carson, White (Todorov 78), Doran (Curry 82), Walsh, Vincent, Trafford.
Subs: Mackay, Harper, Nicolson, Brown.
Raith: Munro, Miller, MacDonald, Davidson, Mendy, Benedictus, Hendry (Tait 90), Allan (Vitoria 82), Anderson (Bowie 78), Matthews, McKay.
Subs: Watson, Smith.
Referee: Gavin Ross.
Attendance 1054
