Inverness Caledonian Thistle prove too good for Strathspey Thistle in North of Scotland Cup victory
North of Scotland Cup quarter final
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 6
Strathspey Thistle 0
Scorers: Thompson (10, 43) Alonge (14) Sole (20, 25) Robertson (40)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle proved too good for Highland League outfit Strathspey Thistle as they cruised into the North of Scotland Cup semi finals with an emphatic victory at the Sarens PSG Stadium.
Strathspey Thistle had gone into the match full of confidence after their best ever start to a Highland League campaign, winning four out of their first six matches and being in fifth place in the league.
But Inverness, who fielded a number of youngsters and loan stars in the first team, blew the Grantown club away within the first quarter of the match before hitting for them six at half time.
Not before Strathspey threatened to take a shock lead though. Shaun Morrison had space on the left wing and sent a cross into the box that found an unchallenged Calum Brown. But his strike was well saved by Logan Ross to deny Strathspey the lead.
But Inverness took the lead in the 11th minute when Robbie Thompson latched on to a cross in the box and found himself unchallenged as he fired into the bottom right corner of the net.
Inverness doubled their advantage four minutes later when Matthew Strachan’s cross into the box found Jordan Alonge whose diving header at the edge of the six-yard box made it 2-0.
The game was practically killed off as a contest in the 20th minute when Liam Sole was unchallenged to fire a cross from the right wing into the net with a low drive.
Sole then got his second of the game in the 25th minute when he found himself unchallenged again when he was set up by Ben Gardiner to fire home from 10 yards.
Mitchell Robertson, who is on loan from Celtic then made it 5-0, five minutes before half time, when he managed to charge into the box before hitting a low drive inbetween a Strathspey defender’s legs which went into the net.
Thompson made it 6-0 two minutes before half time when he connected with a cross from the left wing into the box before firing into the net.
Strathspey to their credit kept their heads up and almost pulled one back four minutes into the second half. Daniel Whitehorn had a great chance in the six-yard box when he connected with a Dylan Lawrence cross which was well saved by Ross.
Strathspey went close again with 15 minutes remaining when they were given a free kick at the edge of the box. Jamie Calder’s effort was on target but was punched away by Ross.
Inverness were looking for a seventh and came close when Sam Reid sent through Archie Kerr’s whose shot was well saved by Gillan.
Strathspey went close again in the dying minutes when Caelan Mutch’s shot forced Ross into a save with his right foot to ensure he kept a clean sheet.
Inverness: Ross, Clark (Thomson 78), Strachan, Robertson, Walker (Reid 70), Thompson, Alonge, MacKinnon (Kerr 62), Gardiner (Rodgers 70), Thompson, Sole (Harkness 62).
Substitutes (Unused): Rebilas, Leighton.
Strathspey: Gillan, Franczak, Calder, McShane, Williamson, Doran (Lawrence 34), Shewan, Morrison (Nixon 75), Race (Mutch 60), Lisle (MacPhee 45) Brown (Whitehorn 45).
Substitutes (Unused): Rae, Fraser, Laidlaw.
Referee: Harry Bruce
Inverness: Ross, Clark, Strachan, Robertson, Walker, Thompsn, Alonge, MacKinnon.