Inverness Caledonian Thistle will take a slender lead into the second leg of the Scottish Premiership play-off quarter-final after Shane Sutherland inspired a comeback win against Partick Thistle.
Sutherland pounced to equalise after Billy Mckay’s shot was spilled, and then put in a brilliant cross for Austin Samuels to tap home the winner with eight minutes left.
Robbie Crawford had put Partick Thistle in front but it is Inverness who are in pole position to face Arbroath next.
Ian McCall’s side seemed in the ascendancy after Brian Graham’s slick reverse pass teed up Crawford to fire home his first goal for four years after 54 minutes, but in-form Caley Thistle turned the tide.
Having struggled to trouble goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon for the first 69 minutes, Mckay’s shot from the edge of the box forced an error and Sutherland – who got the benefit of a marginal offside call – followed in to level.
In an end-to-end match, the home side had a huge chance to take the lead when substitute Juan Alegria latched on to a terrible back pass from Inverness defender David Carson, but the Rangers loanee fired over the bar.
It proved to be a costly miss as Inverness – who finished one place above their opponents in the regular season – soon went up the other end of the pitch, where Sutherland floated in an inch-perfect cross for Samuels to side-foot beyond Sneddon.
The tie remains finely poised with the return in Inverness to come on Friday, but Billy Dodds’ side hold the momentum as well as the scoreline advantage after an impressive turnaround.
Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall: “I felt we edged it. It’s tough out there. We took the lead, and the goalie’s got to do better with the goal it’s that simple. And he knows that. And then Juan misses the best chance of the game. In a game of this magnitude, that’s a big moment.
“And then our captain [Ross] Docherty, who was outstanding, made a mistake. We made two mistakes and got punished for them. We’re a bit gutted but the tie is most certainly not over.”
Inverness CT manager Billy Dodds: “I thought it was an even game to be honest. They had a chance to go 2-1 up, we take our chances. First half was pretty even as well. I’d have taken a draw but I love the win. It’s only half way there though.
“Thistle are going to come to Inverness on Friday and have a go and hopefully we can pick them off at the right times and have the tie killed off.”
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Partick Thistle
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Sneddon
- 16McKenna
- 18Akinola
- 3Holt
- 33HendrieBooked at 40mins
- 22Crawford
- 23Docherty
- 8Bannigan
- 10JakubiakSubstituted forAlegríaat 74′minutes
- 9GrahamBooked at 76minsSubstituted forSmithat 86′minutes
- 7Tiffoney
Substitutes
- 2Foster
- 11Smith
- 13Firth
- 15Bell
- 17Murray
- 25Alegría
- 30Stanway
Inverness CT
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ridgers
- 8Carson
- 15Broadfoot
- 6Devine
- 5Deas
- 4Welsh
- 23McAlear
- 11Sutherland
- 14WalshSubstituted forHydeat 19′minutesSubstituted forSamuelsat 60′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 17ChalmersBooked at 49minsSubstituted forHarperat 75′minutes
- 9MckaySubstituted forHardyat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Harper
- 18Allardice
- 20Hardy
- 21MacKay
- 24Samuels
- 28Hyde
- Referee:
- Steven McLean
- Attendance:
- 2,919
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away6
- Corners
- Home6
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away14
Live Text
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Post update
Match ends, Partick Thistle 1, Inverness CT 2.
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Partick Thistle 1, Inverness CT 2.
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Booking
Austin Samuels (Inverness CT) is shown the yellow card.
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Post update
Foul by Cameron Harper (Inverness CT).
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Post update
Robbie Crawford (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Scott Tiffoney.
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Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Cammy Smith replaces Brian Graham.
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Post update
Offside, Inverness CT. Cameron Harper tries a through ball, but Sean Welsh is caught offside.
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Post update
Foul by Kirk Broadfoot (Inverness CT).
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Post update
Tunji Akinola (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Sean Welsh (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Post update
Foul by Ross Docherty (Partick Thistle).
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Post update
Offside, Partick Thistle. Brian Graham tries a through ball, but Juan Alegría is caught offside.
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Goal!
Goal! Partick Thistle 1, Inverness CT 2. Austin Samuels (Inverness CT) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Shane Sutherland with a cross.
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Post update
Foul by Joseph Hardy (Inverness CT).
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Post update
Ross Docherty (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Juan Alegría (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
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Post update
Foul by Reece McAlear (Inverness CT).
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Post update
Kevin Holt (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Attempt blocked. Reece McAlear (Inverness CT) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.