Staggies kept at bay in Highland derby

Ross County 0

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0

Over 6000 fans packed into the Global Energy Stadium to see the first Highland derby of the season end in a stalemate as Inverness and Ross County battled out a scoreless draw.

Ross County charged forward from kick off, and Brian Graham found himself running almost all the way to the ICT six-yard-box. He managed to find Michael Gardyne with a backheel, but the wide man’s attempt to play the ball was mishit and cleared.

That allowed Inverness to break, and the ball would fall to Liam Polworth on the edge of the box. But his curling effort was always going away from goal and did go wide.

But County would hit back once more, and Gardyne again had a similar effort to Polworth, attempting to curl a shot in from the edge of the box. He too though could only watch as his effort went past the post.

While Inverness would be pushing high up the pitch, which forced County to go long in their attacks, the early urgency that both sides showed gave way to a cagey affair.

Though both sides had chances in the second half, from the likes of Polworth and Gardyne, it was very rare that either goalkeeper was tested.

As such the game fizzled out to a draw that did not benefit either side, as they were leapfrogged at the top of the Scottish Championship by Ayr United.