Inverness CT1–2Clyde

Clyde were several shirts short of a full kit so had to borrow Caley Thistle’s change strip – it certainly had no ill effects and they took the points despite being under pressure for most of the game. The home team’s open attacking style always looked promising but poor finishing and good Clyde defending were what counted in the end – plus the loss of two simple goals. John Robertson made changes to avoid aggravating niggling injuries and to give some players a rest. Steve Hislop and Liam Keogh played up front and Russell Duncan returned to the starting line-up. Bryn Halliwell had a busy afternoon in the Clyde goal and he was nearly red-faced in only three minutes when a poor clearance fell to Hislop. His through ball was retrieved with much relief by Halliwell. In six minutes Alan Kernaghan headed back to his ‘keeper but it was rather short – Halliwell had to be quick to collect ahead of Hislop. Halliwell touched away a Hislop angled shot in 18 minutes then it was a tale of two Keogh headers - Pat headed past Mark Brown’s goal in 21 minutes before Liam did likewise at the other end. The first corner of the game in 28 minutes produced the first goal for Clyde – Paul Shields sent in a corner from the left and Simon Mensing rose to head home. Just after the half hour mark a free kick from Clyde’s Jack Ross flashed past the post. A Barry Robson curling corner in 40 minutes nearly went straight in but Halliwell touched it onto the post. A Halliwell clearance close to the whistle caused some confusion and resulted in a scramble back to save from Hislop. Caley Thistle pounded the Clyde goal after the break but achieved little. In 55 minutes an excellent chance fell to Liam Keogh – he took a flick from Hart in the box but blasted wide. Three minutes later Hislop sent over a low ball from the right past Halliwell but there was no one in support. Despite all the pressure it was Clyde who scored next in 61 minutes. Kernaghan held the ball wide left, waited for his forwards to catch up then sent over a cross for Stephen McConalogue to head past Brown. Caley Thistle pulled one back just two minutes later. A Duncan shot was blocked and fell to Hislop – he shot low past Halliwell from 12 yards. The pressure on Clyde continued and Hislop should have equalised in 70 minutes. Christie and Keogh combined to set him just a couple of yards out. With the goal at his mercy he miskicked and Halliwell collected. Mensing headed away a Robson cross in 75 minutes and, despite seemingly goalbound, it went past for a corner. Clyde’s McConalogue crossed two minutes later and Brown took it ahead of Willie Falconer. Three minutes from time substitute Dennis Wyness pounced on an interception and, as he attempted a cross, it came off the back of David Bagan. This summed up a frustrating afternoon for the cup semi-finalists.