Caley Thistle survive late Alloa rally to win
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 (Doran, Welsh, White)
Alloa Athletic 2 (Trouten, Flannigan)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle produced one of their most fluid performances of the season to see off Alloa Athletic 3-1.
From the opening minute Inverness showed signs of being sharper than their travelling opponents.
Aaron Doran nicked possession right on the edge of the Alloa penalty area, but when he gave it to Liam Polworth the midfielder blazed his shot over the bar.
Shots from distance just missing the target would actually be the story of the half, with Coll Donaldson, Doran and Polworth all seeing efforts miss the target.
But Caley Thistle did get their rewards for the pressure in the 28th minute.
Sean Welsh put a cross into the box where Doran was waiting in plenty of space to steer the ball into the far corner with his head, making it the fourth consecutive game he has scored in.
Jordan Kirkpatrick had Alloa’s lone effort of the first half from range, which Mark Ridgers threatened to spill but gathered in at the second attempt.
Sean Welsh would then make it two from the penalty spot.
Doran cushioned his header down for Jordan White inside the box, who was then bundled down from behind by Iain Flannigan.
Sean Welsh stepped up, and coolly converted straight down the middle after Neil Parry dived to his left.
Jordan White nearly made it 3-0 in the 55th minute when he was inches away from connecting with Shaun Rooney’s cross.
ICT’s top scorer did get on the scoresheet though when he was slipped in by Polworth and dinked the ball over the rushing Neil Parry.
Inverness looked like cruising to an easy victory, but Alloa would throw a spanner in the works when they got a goal back.
Jamie McCart took down Alan Trouten inside the ICT box, with the Alloa man stepping up to take the penalty himself.
Ridgers got his fingertips to the effort, but could only tip it onto the post and into the net to make it 3-1.
They would get another back when Ridgers was left helpless by a wicked deflection off Jamie McCart from Alloa's Iain Flannigan.
Time was against the visitors though, and they barely had the chance to level the scores as Inverness held out for the three points that saw them move up to third in the Scottish Championship.
