Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4-1 East Fife – Match Report by Oli Anderson
🏆William Hill League 1
📍Sarens PSG Stadium
🗓️Saturday 27th September | Kick-off: 3:00pm
Inverness Caledonian Thistle cruised to a 4-1 victory over East Fife in the Highlands on Saturday afternoon. Goals from David Wotherspoon, Alfie Stewart and Alfie Bavidge secured the three points, which sent Caley Thistle to the top of League 1.
Inverness opened the scoring after 17 minutes, when David Wotherspoon broke in behind our defence. He sent his looping header over the head of a stranded Ruairidh Adams, with the ball dipping underneath the crossbar, and into the goal.
Inverness continued to have the lion’s share of the chances as the half progressed, though it was East Fife who would score next, as Nathan ‘Fash’ Austin equalised on the stroke of half-time. Ewan McLeod’s cross found the striker, who nodded the ball past Ross Munro to send the sides in level at the break.
The second half started with a serious collision between Brian Easton and Chanka Zimba. The East Fife defender came off worse and was stretchered off the pitch. Brian Easton received ten stitches after the match and will be out of action for a while, although he is on the road to recovery.
The resulting forced substitutions spurred ICT on, and they would score twice in as many minutes shortly after the restart. Firstly, Wotherspoon grabbed his second with a nice half volley into the side-netting, before Alfie Stewart added another from a deflected effort.
Caley Thistle remained in control and would add a fourth in the 99th minute, when Alfie Bavidge burst in behind. He drilled his shot low and beat Adams from close range.
Speaking with East Fife TV post-match, Dick Campbell was earnest in defeat: “I was delighted to get in at half time at 1-1. Being honest, they are the best team in the league, and they totally showed that today. The last three games I’ve watched East Fife concede soft goals; there has been something missing, I’m not sure if it’s hunger. One thing is for certain, though. We deserved nothing from the game today.”
Campbell also extended thanks to the travelling fans and demanded an improved performance from the side ahead of Saturday’s clash with Cove.
Reporter’s Man of the Match: Reis Peggie.
Two of ICT’s danger men over the piece turned out to be their wingers, Sole and Longstaff. However, Reis Peggie spent his time on the pitch completely nullifying the latter’s threat, with the danger from Longstaff only coming to the forefront after Reis’ departure from the park.
It was a bad day at the office, but I was impressed by the manner which Peggie continuously denied the winger.
Inverness – Munro, MacLeod, Devine, Savage, MacIntyre, Wotherspoon (McKay 90+6’), Stewart (Allan 82’), Chalmers, Zimba (Bavidge 58’), Sole (Mackinnon 82’), Longstaff (Alonge 90+6’). Subs not used: Ross, Strachan, Millen, Robertson.
East Fife – Adams, Peggie, Munro, Easton (Bah 57’), McLeod (Newton 77’), Millar (Slattery 90+2’), Culbert (Nicol 88’), Latona (Goss 45’), McManus, Austin (Jones 86’), McKenna. Subs not used: Rollo.
Referee – Cameron Stirling
Attendance 2,316
