Albion Rovers 0 v 2 Inverness C. T. 
C.I.S. Cup Round 1
11th September 2001
Albion Rovers 0 v 2 Inverness C. T.
C.I.S. Cup Round 1
11th September 2001
Attendance : 403
Scorer ~ Inverness C T : Ritchie (77, 84)
Although the scoreline might suggest otherwise, Inverness Caledonian Thistle made heavy weather of defeating a stuffy Albion Rovers outfit at Cliftonhill. There’s no doubt that the visitors had the better of the scoring chances, but some of Rovers’ play was enterprising enough to worry the First Division side’s defenders.
With extra time looking more and more likely, Thistle eventually broke through 13 minutes from the end, and a second goal seven minutes later simply rubbed salt in the Coatbridge wound. It has to be said, however, that the visitors' Dennis Wyness will never have a more unlucky night than this one, as the ace marksman did everything but put the ball in the net on numerous occasions.
Within a minute of the start, Martin Bavidge rampaged down the right wing and cut in, but fortunately for Rovers, his final shot raced across the face of the goal and past the far post. Shortly afterwards, Rovers’ Chris Silvestro blasted past from an acute angle before, at the other end, a clearance from a corner reached Wyness whose shot crashed off a post and was cleared.
In the 19th minute, Thistle again almost broke the deadlock when a great cross by Ross Tokeley was headed on to a post by the diving Wyness and Paul Ritchie could only find the side net with his instinctive prod. Although Rovers were playing well enough up to a point, they were unable to pierce the formidable visiting defence and veteran Jim Calder in the Thistle goal was rarely troubled. In the 28th minute, home hearts were again a-flutter when only a brilliant block by Chris Fahey in the home goal denied Wyness. The same man lofted a Ritchie pass high over before the name of home defender Tom Tait became the first entry in referee John Gilmour’s wee black book.
Within a few minutes of the restart, Todd Lumsden further reduced Rovers’ sponsor money by being shown a yellow card before Wyness - who else? - was once more left cursing his luck when his goal-bound header struck Mark Booth and was diverted away from the target. After Ryan McMullan and Chris Silvestro had created a half chance which came to naught, a Wyness lob was just too high, and the feet of Fahey got in the way of a drive by the same man. Bobby Man headed a yard over the crossbar, then Bavidge raced clear down the right and cut in only to snatch at his shot, the ball going out for a throw on the other side.
Then - and somewhat out of the blue - Thistle were suddenly ahead. Another attack developed down the left and when substitute Barry Robson’s low cross came over, Paul Ritchie nipped in to beat Fahey at the near post. Rovers were naturally dismayed at this breach, and although they tried to retrieve the situation, Thistle were on a high; a high which produced the second, and killer, goal just six minutes from the end. A defensive mistake saw Fahey left alone at the back and although he made a gallant effort to beat Ritchie to the ball, the striker got the vital break and tapped the ball into the empty net. Rovers’ resistance was finally broken and Inverness were on their merry way to round two of the CIS cup.
Albion Rovers : Fahey, Hamilton, Lumsden, Smith, Tait, Booth, Waldie (Carr 79), Easton, McMullan, McCormick, Silvestro. Unused Subs : McKenzie, McKenna, Harty, Shearer.
Inverness C T : Calder, Tokeley, Golabek, Mann, McCaffrey, Duncan, Bavidge, Wyness (MacDonald 84), Ritchie, Stewart, McBain. Unused Subs : Teasdale, Munro, Ridgers.
Referee : John Gilmour
Man of the Match : Chris Fahey
