East Fife 0-2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle – Match Report by Oli Anderson
🏆William Hill League 1
📍MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
🗓️Tuesday 20th January 2026 | Kick-off: 7:45pm
East Fife fell to a fifth consecutive defeat, following Inverness’s late double at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium last night.
Alan Trouten and Jack Healy both returned to the squad on Tuesday, being absent the week prior against Arbroath in the KDM Evolution Trophy. Neither found their way back into the starting line-up, with the Campbell’s opting for an attacking line of Sam Culbert, Michael McKenna, Freddie Rowe and Lewis Latona.
The first chance of the game came for Inverness. Liam Sole played a teasing ball into Jordan Alonge, but his effort was just wide of the post.
Rowe looked to have East Fife’s first chance of the game, after 25 minutes of action. Andy Munro’s cross was floated in, but Rowe’s connection wasn’t quite right and never threatened Inverness’ defence.
Five minutes before half time, the Fife looked to take the lead but could not break through. Millar’s defensive work found East Fife gain possession high up the park. Rowe broke through the Caley defenders and sprung the ball for McKenna. Unfortunately, the ball made a simple collection for the goalkeeper Munro.
The second half saw Caley Thistle spark into life, with two chances in two minutes shortly after the restart. Firstly, Oscar MacIntyre’s cross broke off the crossbar, and then Chalmers came close from the resulting corner. Alonge’s header from the set-piece was just wide. Moments later, Danny Devine let a chance pass him by, as he sent a shot over the crossbar from the centre of the box.
East Fife also had opportunities in this spell too, with a teasing ball from Rowe wreaking havoc in the Caley Thistle defence but no one was able to get on the end.
Chances continued to flow for ICT, and after an hour of football, they came the closest to scoring that they had all game. Devine was the man again, as his header from a corner was cleared off the line by Connor McManus.
Inverness opened the scoring with twenty minutes to go, Alfie Stewart’s magnificent strike left Robbie Hemfrey stranded, and the visitors had at last found their opener.
Following this long-range opener, ICT started to test Hemfrey more from range. The new signing was equal to these however, saving one, while the other floated wide.
East Fife threw the kitchen sink at Inverness as the game drew to its close, although in the dying embers, the visitors capitalised on a counterattack, with Alfie Bavidge being the man to put the ball in the net.
The defeat marks a continuing poor patch for Dick Campbell’s men, having failed to score in the last five outings. However, with a string of home games fast approaching, the Fifers will hope to turn a corner with a strong Fife following in support.
East Fife – Hemfrey, Newton, Easton (Halsey 34’), Munro, Bah, Millar, McManus, Rowe (Trouten 68’), Latona (Healy 68’), McKenna, Culbert (Elharek 84’). Subs not used: Linton, Fairley, Nicol, Rollo.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle – Munro, Millen, MacIntyre, Savage, Devine, Mackinnon (Allan 80’), Longstaff (Stewart 59’), Sole, Chalmers (Willox 59’), Alonge, Zimba (Bavidge 90+2’). Subs not used: McKay, Wotherspoon, Robertson, Macleod, Ross.
Referee – Cameron Stirling
Attendance – 601
