Caley Thistle made to work for win

INVERNESS MANAGER BUTCHER INCLUDES MORE TRIALISTS IN HIS TEAM AGAINST IMPRESSIVE Forres Mechanics

By Stephen Kasiewicz

Published:

Caley Thistle completed their pre-season preparations by defeating an impressive Forres Mechanics side in a friendly at Mosset Park last night.

Trialists Daniel Stratford and Slovakian forward Robert Ujcik scored for the Caley Jags in a far from comprehensive win.

After victories against Clach, Buckie Thistle, Elgin City, Huntly and Brechin City, Terry Butcher's side found it difficult to break down Forres ahead of its first-round Challenge Cup game against Montrose at home on Saturday.

New signing Robert Eagle started in midfield, while trialists Narius Bulvitis, Stratford and Slovakian attackers Ujcik and Jaroslav Machovec also began the game.

Irish midfielder Johnny Hayes, another new signing, played for the entire second half. Forres, who included signing Darren Shallicker in attack, could have conceded a goal after just three minutes.

Machovec, who played for Odra Wodzislaw in the Polish First Division last season, almost made an impression when his shot was cleared off the line by Can-Cans defender Neil Whyte after Stuart Knight had saved Jamie Duff's goal-bound header.

Eagle struck the post with a well-aimed free kick eight minutes in after Nick Ross was fouled just outside the penalty area.

Forres more than held their own as the early Caley Thistle momentum faded and Shallicker almost caught Inverness goalkeeper Ryan Esson off guard with a quickly taken free kick on 27 minutes.

Former Elgin City forward Shalllicker then shot over and Nick Ross tested Stuart Knight after deftly avoiding a couple of challenges from Forres defenders.

Machovec should have opened the scoring just before the break but headed over from close range.

Stratford broke the stalemate with a speculative looping shot from the right-hand side of the penalty area nine minutes into the second period.

Esson did well to deny Shallicker after he connected with an Iain Penwright cross but Hayes showed his pace to cut back for Ujcik who shot past Knight to send Inverness two up.

Barrowman headed on to the bar after Hayes again cut through the Can-Cans defence to send in an accurate cross from the left late on.

CALEY THISTLE – Esson, Stratford, Shinnie, Duff, Bulvitis, Morrison, Ross (Hayes 46), Gillespie, Ujcik (Barrowman 59), Machovec (Rooney 59), Eagle (Stewart 65).

FORRES MECHANICS – Knight, Milne, Youngson, Grant, MacPherson (Robertson 68), Collins (Duncan 46), Whyte, Wardrop (Moore 46), Shallicker (Green 64), Penwright (Fraser 64), Chambers.