Ross County 0 Inverness CT 0: Highland honours even

Saturday 2 March 2013

Ross County and Inverness drew a blank in a scrappy Highland derby at Global Energy Stadium.

Chances were few and far between throughout the 90 minutes with neither side able to dictate proceedings at any stage of the match.

After a cagey start to the match Mihael Kovacevic broke into the Inverness box but he overran the ball before he could play it back into a dangerous position.

At the other end Richie Foran drilled the ball across the County goalmouth but the inrushing Billy McKay just failed to connect in front of goal.It was end-to-end stuff and Ivan Sproule raced on to a long through ball from Grant Munro in the 11th minute but the move petered out when Sam Morrow ran out of space.Paul Lawson had a shot from outside the box charged down in the 18th minute by Josh Meekings but any hopes of a penalty for the home side were quickly dispelled.County came close to an opener in the 24th minute when Evangelos Oikonomou pounced on a Sproule cut back but his goalbound shot was brilliantly turned behind for a corner by Inverness goalkeeper Ryan Esson.The visitors came close in the 29th minute when a Graeme Shinnie corner fell to Ross Draper at the far post but his strike was cleared off the line by Rocco Quinn.There was a flare up a couple of minutes later when David Raven reacted to a strong challenge from Iain Vigurs. Both players ended up in referee Steven McLean's book.Andrew Shinnie had the first attempt at goal in the opening seconds of the second half but his effort was well wide of target.The visitors almost broke through in the 49th minute when Oikonomou lost possession 30 yards out but Grant Munro did well to mop up the danger when he nicked the ball off the toes of Andrew Shinnie on the edge of the box.County came agonisingly close to the opening goal five minutes later when Kovacevic collected a cross-field ball from Lawson scooped the ball over Graeme Shinnie's head and flashed a shot just inches past the far post.The visitors made the first change in the 58th minute when they replaced Ross Draper with Nick Ross.A free-kick from Richard Brittain three minutes later was flicked on by Scott Boyd for Munro but the big defender failed to get enough purchase on the shot to bother Esson.At the other end Owain Tudor Jones scooped the ball over the crossbar after a breakaway move.Graeme Shinnie was booked in the 79th minute when he dived in the box under pressure from Oikonomou.Another free-kick from Brittain three minutes later teed up Vigurs, whose low drive was comfortably saved by Esson.County had a chance right at the death when the ball fell for Brittain on the edge of the area but he blasted his effort high and wide.

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Ross County 0 Inverness CT 0: Highland honours even

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