THIS Irn-Bru Cup semi-final at the Caledonian Stadium had everything as Crusaders – conquerors of Dundee United in the previous round – staged a spirited second-half fight-back.
In the end, Inverness only just held on 3-2 to set up a Challenge final showdown with Championship rivals Dumbarton next month.
Manager John Robertson was made to sweat after his team squandered a barrow-load of first half chances against their opponents from Belfast.
He said: “In the first half we could have been seven or eight-nothing up the chances we created and missed.
“Everything we are good at was there to see in the first half but they changed their shape and threw four up front and we didn’t cope with that.
“The sending off changes the dynamics. The first booking wasn’t one in a million years but then when you are on a yellow card you don’t shove someone.
“It was silly and Brad put the team under pressure. The get a second goal and suddenly it’s every man to pumps.
“It was the proverbial game of two halves. We dominated the first and they dominated the second.”
Inverness ripped the Crusaders defence apart in the opening period to the extent that they appeared to have the tie won within the first 15 minutes. The hosts scored after just 62 seconds when Liam Polworth broke form his own half and slotted in George Oakley who supplied the finish wide of keeper Brian Jensen.
Midfielder Joe Chalmers was largely unmarked when he rose to head Connor Bell’s cross from the right after 14 minutes, giving Jensen no chance.
Inverness piled forward in search of a third and Jake Mulraney side-footed home a minute before half-time. But instead of pressing home their advantage, Inverness took their foot off the pedal at the start of the second half and were duly punished in the 57th minute.
Paul Heatley, who had looked Crusaders’ most dangerous player in flashes, pounced to finish off a shot from substitute Gavin Whyte that had been partially blocked.
Inverness suffered a second blow six minutes later when defender Brad McKay, booked shortly before, saw red following a second caution for a foul on Heatley and will now miss the final.
When Heatley grabbed a second with a low shot under keeper Mark Ridgers in the 79th minute it was very much game on again.
Then with the match three minutes into stoppage time the referee pointed to the spot after Declan Caddell had upended Polworth.
Caddell was booked for the challenge and immediately received a second caution for mouthing off at the ref, resulting in a red card as tempers flared on both sides.
But once some semblance of order had been restored Iain Vigurs shot wide of the right-hand post.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here