Match Report

Wednesday, 12th November, 2008

Inverness CT 1-1 Falkirk

A late equaliser from striker Adam Rooney salvaged a point for Inverness in a poor match in the Highlands.

Falkirk went ahead through a fine turn and strike from striker Michael Higdon - his second goal in as many games.

Don Cowie went close to grabbing an equaliser, and Higdon should have doubled Falkirk's lead, but neither could keep their effort on target.

However, with the points heading south, Rooney pounced on a mistake by Falkirk keeper Scott Flinders to equalise.

Caley Thistle started brightly and Dougie Imrie went close when he fired in a twenty-yard drive from a sliced clearance, but his shot went wide.

Russell Duncan then fired a speculative long-range effort wide of the post, but it was a rare chance in a quiet opening spell.

Falkirk took the lead when Higdon spun brilliantly at the edge of the box following Steve Lovell's header and his low shot rifled past Ryan Esson in the Inverness goal.

The Falkirk front two began to cause the home rearguard problems, but Higdon's effort was saved by Esson.

Midfielder Cowie flashed a chance just past the right-hand post as the home side tried to get back into the match.

Then Iain Vigers tried his luck from the edge of the box for Caley Thistle, but his effort was deflected past the post by a Falkirk defender as the home side tried to get back into the match.

Flinders in the Falkirk goal then flapped at a cross under pressure from the Inverness front line, but no striker was on hand to take advantage.

Higdon should have doubled the visitors' lead when he was put through by a long ball, but he was unable to keep his shot on target with the goal at his mercy.

Falkirk suffered a blow, when wide man Neil McCann, who had caused Inverness problems, was forced to withdraw following a knock, being replaced by Graham Barrett.

The visitors carved out the first opportunity of the second half when Barrett went close with a header from Lovell's cross.

Then Flinders, who had looked unconvincing thus far, blocked a close range effort from Imrie to preserve Falkirk's lead.

The home side claimed for a penalty when midfielder Ian Black was challenged by Jackie McNamara, but the referee waved play on.

Young Falkirk keeper Flinders was at fault as Rooney forced home an equaliser from close range after the goalkeeper had completely missed a cross from Andy Barrowman.

Ross Tokely almost won it for Inverness as the home side took control of the match, but to his frustration his header went wide.

Inverness manager Craig Brewster: "I thought Falkirk deserved their first-half lead, but we were much better in the second half so a draw was probably a fair result."

"The important thing for us tonight was not to lose the game."

"We lost the goal and were facing an uphill battle. But in the second half the players were much better because they started to make things happen. We got the equaliser and could even have snatched it at the end."

"I was pleased that the players showed character and determination to get a result. You could see that the two strikers were desperate to get on to prove things."

Falkirk assistant manager Brian Rice: "We defended well for most of the game. We made one mistake and we were made to pay."

"In the first half we were well on top, we were excellent. To go in at the break just 1-0 up was disappointing."

"There were a couple of individual mistakes for their goal, but we defend as a team, so no-one's going to be blamed. For most of the night we defended all their corners and set-pieces well."

"Scott Flinders has been excellent since he came into the team, but he was under a lot of pressure in this one with balls being thrown into the box."