Easter Road was venue for the second Scottish League Cup semi-final with Hearts and Inverness lining up to see who would make the final to meet Aberdeen. Bright conditions make for the prospect of a good game. Hearts could forget about their league travails and make a final which would be a fillip for their players and fans alike. Will it be the team making the longest journey for the game that prevails like in yesterday's semi-final; only time would tell. Inverness manager John Hughes and assistant Russell Latapy were back on familiar ground but they would be hoping to leave in a better mood than the last time they left Easter Road. Up in the heights of row NN provides one of the best views of a game in Scotland. Tynecastle may win on atmosphere but Easter Road wins on views from the press box - at least you do not lose circulation to your lower limbs watching games there. The cold bright day did not attract the numbers that yesterday's semi-final encouraged to come along. TV cameras do tend to impact on the live experience and atmosphere. It would have been a better advert if that game was on the box as it was a sell out and a background of full stands make the football all the more visually appealing.
In the third minute it looked like Hearts had shot themselves in the foot. Danny Wilson failed to send the ball firmly enough to his keeper and Billy McKay pounced before passed the ball across goal to Ross Draper who chose the wrong foot and skyed the ball over the bar. A warning for Hearts. The early pressure is all from Inverness who were roundly booed in the 14th minute for not putting the ball out of play with David Smith lying prone in their half. Hearts' Dale Carrick could have done with being a couple of inches taller so he could have contorlled his header in the 15th minute from Dylan McGowan's cross rather than see it head over the bar. Hearts were having difficulty in staking a lengthy stay in the Inverness half with even Callum Patterson being called back into defence. He was not afraid to put his head were the boots were flying and tool a knock from an ambitious overhead kick in the 6 yard box. A Sam Nichollson shot in the 34th minute warmed the hands of Dean Brill in the Inverness goal as he blocked his stinging shot. Hearts were having the rely on the occassional foray forward but were not having much luck in breeching the Inverness defence. Inverness' Mckay nearly broke the deadlock with a few minutes to go to half time. The ball reached him in the box from Draper and he fired towards the far post but Jamie MacDonald parried the ball away to safety. Inverness could live to regret the lack of goals for their efforts.
With manager Hughes words no doubt ringing in their ears, Inverness started the second half at a high tempo and set up camp in the Hearts half. And it finally paid off. After another period of pressure the ball broke to Greg Tansey outside the box and he needed no second invitation to send in a powerful shot which flew past MacDonald and into the net. This did nothing but encourage Inverness to apply yet more pressure. Heasrts have had a torrid time of the second half with a blue tide just relentlessly heading their way. Patterson was denied twice from getting the equaliser 17 mins into the secnd half. A lofted ball was missed by two defeneder, who got in each other's way and Paterson fired in a strong effort. This was parried by Brill and Paterson headed the rebound goalways only to see David Raven get back and head the ball away. Hearts had the chance to equalise with a free kick, seconds later, on the edge of the box which earned Gary Warren a second yellow and off he went. A double punishment for Inverness as from the blocked free-kick Jamie Hamill fired in a low shot to make the score 1-1. A few minutes later and another free-kick to Hearts eneded in another Hamill goal. This time he needed no help as his free-kick was floated into the postage stamp. Game on as they say. MacDonald was called upon to save a firm header from Josh Meekings as Inverness drove forward again. Things were not going their way however as Hearts were spending more and more time on the attack. Paterson mau have been called back to shore up the defence but that does not stop his striker instinct as he waltzed through the nverness midfield and had a powerful shot blocked. Time was running out for Inverness and while the pocession stats may be in their favour, the goal tally was not. Five minutes of extra time and more pain for Invreness as a second player was sent off as Meekings took out a Hearts palyers at his waist. No way back for Caley now. How wrong coud I be?!?!? With nine men on the field, they managed to get the Hearts defence to crumble and equalise through Nicholas Ross who forced his way through a scramble of bodies and kept a cool head to get the ball into the net at the second attempt.
Extra time and the legs of the remainder of the Caley team will be tested as Hearts should try to stretch them into spaces they cannot hope to cover. Hearts sub and new boy Paul McCallum nearly became an instant hero as he fired in a header which was blocked by Brill in the first minute of extra time. It was Inverness' turn to absorb pressure and clear their lines as the numerical usuperiority had to be contained. All bodies back in defence and balls cleared to an empty opposition half. I think Inverness will have to rely on dead ball situations for any goals and that includes the penalties that are looming. The first 15 minutes of extra time end goalless which is more down to the determination of the Inverness defence than anything else. The second period of extra time was more even and it was hard to remember than Inverness were down two men. One minute of extra time could still not seperate the sides and it was kicks from the penalty mark that would detemine the result.
Inverness go first and miss with their fans right behind the goal.
Hearts also miss their first one.
Inverness score.
Hearts score.
Inverness score.
Hearts miss (Hamill).
Inverness score.
Hearts score.
Inverness score and meet Aberdeen in the final.
Man of the match (at 90 Minutes): Not just for his goals but all round display and leadership; Hearts Jamie Hamill
Hearts: MacDonald, Hamill, McHattie, Wilson, McGovern,Robinson, Paterson, McKay, Smith, Carrick, Nicholson
Subs: Ridgers, Stevenson, McCallum, Tapping, McGhee
Inverness: Brill, Raven, Shinnie, Vincent, Warren, Meekings, McKay, Draper, Doran, Watkins, Tansey
Subs: Esson, Ross, Devine, Tremarco, Williams
Referee: John Beaton
Attendance: 12,762