Richie's Spot Kick Grabs the Points

The game started under a cold blue Inverness sky with Captain Craigan restored to the starting line up. Kinniburgh returned to the bench alongside Corrigan. We kicked off with backs to the hard few who made the journey north.

Paterson forced a save from this attempt

The opening skirmishes were fairly even with McDonald first to show. He had a run and shot over the top before Meldrum's sharpness allowed him to smother a run inside the box from Wilson. Paterson tried his luck with a free kick outside the right side of the box but Brown took the catch easily. Lasley had a long range attempt wide of the mark in fifteen minutes and a then Bayne tested our keeper with a header on target.

The first have was characterised by lots of misplaced passes by both sides and there were only two clear goal scoring chances. They came in the dying minutes before the break. The first was set up by a poor back pass from Reynolds, Meldrum came to the rescue with another smother at the feet of the striker. Then, in added time, Clarkson delivered a dangerous, low cross along the six yard box. It seemed as though McDonald would have a tap in at the far post but a defender's toe took it away for a corner.

Malpas watched the game from the back row of the stand but his overview did little to change the pattern for the second half. Both teams invested plenty of effort but poor passing in the last third caused almost all of the attacks to break down. Inverness had committed a couple of substitutes and Motherwell had Corrigan and Elliot stripped for action before Lasley succumbed to a leg knock and had to be carried from the field. Clarkson made way for the boy from Gorgie as we entered the last twenty minutes and the Kaiser joined Kerr in central midfield.

By this time Inverness held the balance of possession and Meldrum was the busier of the goalkeeper. He dominated his airspace and looked confident with any threat.

Two minutes were left of the ninety when and Craigan signalled to the bench that he to come off. Before the bench had time to react
McDonald's run into the box was brought to an end by Dods (moments after the defender had been declared to be the man of the match). Foran placed his penalty in the usual place before Dods had turned on the shower.

The final whistle came after a tense five minute's additional time but the points were secure. Results elsewhere were kind. An excellent weekend's work by all!