Inverness 1 - 1 Hearts

Published Date: 10 September 2011
Inverness: Tade 51
Hearts: S Elliott 81

STEPHEN ELLIOTT'S first goal of the season rescued a point for Hearts at Inverness following an uncharacteristic error by goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald which gifted the Highlanders the advantage. MacDonald slipped under minimal pressure and Nick Ross capitalised to supply Gregory Tade for the opening goal, but Elliott converted substitute David Templeton's cross nine minutes from time.

It was a defiant response from Hearts, who finished the match in command despite Inverness fashioning several good openings in the second half. The first half had been a virtual non event but MacDonald, deputising for the injured Marian Kello, unwittingly injected life into the proceedings with his mistake. He recovered and actually kept his team in the game with a series of impressive saves prior to Elliott's equaliser.

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio demanded extra training from his players by withdrawing their midweek day off but neither side started the game with any real vigour. The visitors had not conceded since losing 5-0 to Tottenham Hotspur at Tynecastle last month and rightly arrived in the Highlands with confidence.

Inverness might have stifled that after only seven minutes, Richie Foran controlling David Davis' cross before Marius Zaliukas cleared the ball away from the Irishman's outsretched toe. Andy Webster then wasted a glorious opening four yards out following Jamie Hamill's corner by shooting straight at Graeme Shinnie on the goal line.

The only other moments of note in an unremarkable first period were Stephen Elliott's drive, which Ryan Esson held comfortably, and Foran just failing to connect properly with Andrew Shinnie's cross.

The second half started with a grave error from MacDonald which gifted Inverness the simplest of goals. Taking a pass from Adrian Mrowiec, the goalkeeper allowed the ball to run across him and then stumbled in the act of clearing as Ross pursued him. With MacDonald grounded, Ross took over and rolled the ball for Tade to stroke into the empty Hearts net.

MacDonald went some way to redeeming himself with some stupefying stops during the remainder of the match, first denying Tade in a one-against-one situation. Then David Templeton, an interval replacement for the ineffective Arvydas Novikovas, struck the Inverness crossbar from an acute angle.

Just as Hearts seemed to be regaining their composure, Zaliukas dithered on a through ball attempting to shepherd it out for a corner. Davis dispossessed him and crossed for Andrew Shinnie, however his first-time finish was off target from close range. MacDonald again saved from Tade when eyeballed by the former Raith Rovers striker. As the closing stages arrived, Inverness were entitled to question how they only had a one-goal advantage.

On 75 minutes, Tade delivered a deep cross which eluded Danny Grainger and was collected by the unmarked Foran. He switched the ball to his left foot for a powerful attempt which looked certain to secure the victory until MacDonald beat the ball away.

Ultimately, the hosts paid for their profligacy in front of goal. Nine minutes from time, with Hearts having lifted their pace, Elliott forced an equaliser. He manoeuvred himself in ahead of Thomas Piermayr to prod Templeton's cross towards goal. The ball trundled out of Esson's reach and in off the goalkeeper's right post, sparking huge relief amongst the travelling support.

Inverness CT (4-4-2): Esson; Piermayr, Tokely, Golobart, G Shinnie; Davis (Tansey 65), A Shinnie (Chippendale 81), Morrison, Ross; Foran (Sutherland 86), Tade. Subs: Tuffey, McKay, Gillet.

Hearts (4-1-4-1): MacDonald; Hamill, Webster, Zaliukas (Taouil 67), Grainger; Mrowiec; Stevenson, Black, Obua (Jonsson 78), Novikovas (Templeton 46); S Elliott. Subs: Hamilton, Sutton, G Smith, Robinson.

Referee: William Collum.

Attendance: 4106.

Taken from the Scotsman