Dunfermline 1 Inverness CT 3

Smith, Rutkiewicz and Thomson start. Barrowman (40) 1-0; Hayes (53) 1-1; A Shinnie (93) 1-2; Tansey (110) 1-3.

MATCH PICTURES
The Fourth Round Replay between the Pars was the fourth meeting between the clubs this season and with the first three all ending up all square no doubt the smart money would be on this match going to extra time.

Dunfermline made three changes from the side that lost to Hibs the previous Saturday.  Chris Smith returned in goals in place of the ineligible recent signing Ian Turner and outfield Manager Jim McIntyre preferred Kevin Rutkiewicz and Ryan Thomson to John Potter and Gary Mason.  For Inverness Ross Tokely returned to replace the suspended Kenny Gillet, Richie Foran was in for Nick Ross and in goals Jonny Tuffey came in for Ryan Esson.

All the fans were housed in the Main Stand but the game was live on Sky afterall.  Sammy made a late appearance in the match build up carrying a board saying "Bring on the Celts" but that was all subject to his team managing to get past Inverness Caley Thistle.

With it not being an SPL match the teams ran out and there was not the league line up. It was Martin Hardie who made the only handshake with ICT captain Richie Foran. Andy Barrowman managed a very early shot that crept wide left of the Inverness goal in front of the McCathie Stand.

Then in the second minute Barrowman was played into the right side of the visitor`s box but when one on one with Tuffey the keeper parried the shot and the chance was cleared.  Then three minutes later Joe Cardle fed Paddy Boyle the opportunity to shoot but the ball came off Thomas Piedmayr for the first corner of the night.

The inswinging corner from the left was fisted away by Tuffey at his far post.  Then Foran conceded a free kick midway inside the Inverness half and Martin Hardie, despite the distance, put in a good shot on target that Tuffey took after his initial stop.

Jonny Hayes was able to register Inverness` first shot at goal in tenth minute when Smith punched Piermayr`s free kick off the head of Foran and it fell for him to shoot after Lee Cox had tried but miskicked.

After the good start the Pars were then pegged back by Caley and the game was played much more in their own half. Clearances seemed to go repeatedly to a red and blue shirt until midway through the half Cardle made a run into the Caley box. He tested the keeper and then a Dowie high ball into the box deployed the keeper.

On 25 minutes Barrowman headed a long ball into the box for Andy Kirk but Tuffey held from 16 yards out. Then two minutes Inverness had a decent chance after Tade won possession on the edge of the box and Rutkiewicz`s clearance lined up Greg Tansey for a shot but fortunately Smith held the Inverness man`s half struck effort.

The game was nervy with possibly the fear of defeat making the players cautious. Tokely was penalised for his challenge on Cardle in 33 minutes and the Highlanders felt that the the Dunfermline favourite went down too easily. Hardie stepped up for the 22 yard out free kick but despite clearing the six man wall the ball was easy fodder for Tuffey.

McKay had the ball in the net nine minutes from the break but Hayes ball through was too late and the striker was clearly offside. Caley Thistle earned a 35 yard free kick after Hardie was yellow carded for tugging a shirt but Tansey blasted high over the bar.

The long awaited breakthrough was to come in 40 minutes when Rutkiewicz sent a sweetly weighted ball down the left where Cardle took it deep to cross and BARROWMAN met it perfectly at the far post to head home. 1-0

Inverness tried to counter right away.  There was an opportunity for Caley Thistle from a 22 yard free kick but Tansey`s effort was deflected and Smith gathered easily so the Pars managed to hang on to their lead and went in at the interval one goal ahead.

Half time: Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 0

Andrew Shinnie replaced Lee Cox for the restart and it was the sub who had the first shot of the half but the former Rangers player sliced it wide right. Just as we have seen so often this season Dunfermline then contributed to their own downfall.

Alex Keddie tried a back header to his keeper, Smith had to come out of his box and he thrashed his clearance on to Rutkiewicz for the ball to rebound off into the empty penalty box.  HAYES pounced on the chance and he rolled the ball into the empty net. 1-1 and 53 minutes on the clock. 

With their tails up Caley then had a great chance when Tade beat off Rutkiewicz to advance into the left side of the Pars penalty box. Smith came out to close the Frenchman down but the cross came in and Boyle had to send the ball behind.

Paul Willis and then Liam Buchanan came on for the Pars with Graham and Barrowman withdrawn. Hayes powered foward when he won possession in 70 minutes but Keddie was successful with his block as the no.7 raced into the box.

Dunfermline`s best response was from a Smith clearance that Buchanan sent down the right for Kirk to run on to but the Pars striker`s shot took a deflection and Tuffey gathered.

There was a most bizarre incident in 74 minutes when Hayes and Foran were dragged apart and yellow carded. John Potter replaced Kevin Rutkiewicz at the stoppage but it was the visitors who pushed forward. Andrew Shinnie`s shot was touched over his crossbar after Tade cashed in on a Pars throw in.

Back to the other end and Willis flashed a great ball through the Caley box evading Buchanan and Cardle. Then a Cardle corner from the left was blown up early as the referee spotted some jostling in the box. Thomson broke through but Tuffey stifled his effort.

In 82 minutes Smith punched away a free kick sent in by Tansey and as he executed that he was struck by his own man. After some attention from the physio the keeper was able to resume, just as well since the three subs had already been used.

A Keddie free kick from the centre circle picked out Willis to head the ball down but when Kirk got the chance to shoot he was wide left of target. Extra time seemed to be inevitable after a great Wilis ball into the six yard box missed Kirk`s outstretched foot with just two minutes remaining.

As the board was raised to reveal three added minutes Roman Golobart rolled about in the centre circle after he caught Willis. Tokely remonstrated with his team mate but the physio went on and the injured man was stretchered off with a twisted ankle. The final minutes failed to change anything and so it was to require another half hour.

Full time: Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 1

A Dowie pass back to his keeper created more nervous moments for the supporters as Smith belted the ball out of an inrushing forward. There was under three minutes of extra time played when Thistle took the lead. Smth had little chance when Andrew SHINNIE produced a gem of a goal from 16 yards out on the angle from the right. The ball rattled in off the inside of the far post and it was 1-2.

Smith pumped a 98th minute free kick as far as the edge of the Caley box and the knock down dropped to Thomson but he was surrounded by defenders and his shot was not to bring about the necessary outcome. Four minutes later Cardle sent a corner in from the left but it went straight through the six yard box.

Half time in extra time: Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 2

Inverness took initiative when the final act got underway and after five minutes Ross made it look easy as he drifted in from the right to tee up TANSEY who stroked the ball home from the edge of the box to make it 3-1 to the visitors.

Needing two goals Willis almost got a quick reply but his fine header on a cross from deep on the left went wide. Tade was denied three minutes from the end when it looked like he might make it four.

In 118th minute Buchanan turned to fire a Kirk knock down at the keeper who took the ball at the second take.  The deficit was too great and the tie could not be rescued.  So it was Inverness Caley Thistle who went forward to the Fifth Round on 5th February versus Celtic.