Alba Challenge Cup
First Round
Saturday 25th July 2009
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Montrose 1 (aet)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle win 5-3 on penalties

Steven Tweed’s new look Montrose side took last’s season’s SPL side Inverness Caledonian Thistle all the way in the first round of the Alba Challenge Cup only to crash out on penalty kicks after the side’s couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes of cup ties action at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.
Despite falling behind to a goal on the stroke of half time Montrose fought back and deservedly equalised through 18 year old substitute Jordan Leyden with three minutes left to force the match into extra time. It was no more than Montrose deserved for an excellent battling display against a very disjointed Inverness Caledonian Thistle. On this form Terry Butcher’s side will have a battle on there hands to get back into the Premier League at the first attempt.
Montrose can now hopefully take this form into the CIS Cup tie at Dingwall on Saturday and into their league campaign.
Steven Tweed gave debuts to seven of his summer signings Steven Coutts, Sean Fleming, Alan Campbell, Sean Crighton, John Gemmell, Jon Voigt and Sean Anderson. While a further two Gordon Pope and goalkeeper Stuart Hall were on the bench. Injury ruled out James Collier and Fraser Milligan as well as Tweed and young Aaron Sinclair.
Montrose lined up with Coutts in goal, Hegarty and Fleming in the full back positions with Campbell and Crighton in central defence. Maitland and Davidson were in central midfield with Nicol on the right and Anderson on the left. Gemmell and Voigt were in attack.
On the bench with Pope and Hall were youngster’s 19-year-old Chris Herd, 17-year-old Nick Gray and 18-year-old Jordan Leyden.
With goalkeeper Coutts, Crighton, Maitland and Nicol all aged 19 and Fleming, Anderson and Pope all twenty there was certainly a youthful look to the Montrose side.
Montrose got the new 2009/2010 season underway in glorious sunshine in the Highland capital resplendent in their new designed all white away kit bearing the name of new shirt sponsors Monarch of the Glen Park.
Inverness won an early free kick when Ross was fouled by Fleming but the free kick by Daniel Stratford was cleared by the Montrose defence.
In the fifth minute Hegarty was fouled by Haynes giving Montrose a free kick, which the full back took himself. John Gemmell headed the ball down into the area but found no takers.
With 12 minutes gone Inverness striker Richie Foran raced into the box but he was stopped in his tracks when Alan Campbell got back to tackle. Unfortunately the ball bounced off the defender and out for a corner kick, but the Montrose defence was on hand to clear the danger.
A minute later a handball gave Montrose a free kick, which Nicol played short to Gemmell. His cross was headed back to keeper Esson before Jon Voigt could get to the ball.
In the 15th minute Inverness won another corner kick after another solid tackle by Sean Crighton. This time ex Motherwell striker Richie Foran got his head to the ball but could only head safely into the arms of Steven Coutts.
Only a flag by the assistant stopped the Gable Endies from taking the lead with 22 minutes gone. Munro fouled Gemmell from behind and referee Norris awarded a free kick, which Chris Hegarty took. The ball was headed out only for Davidson to hook the ball over the top to Crighton but as he headed the ball back across goal Jon Voigt had strayed into an offside position and blasted the ball off keeper Esson.
The home side had a good chance themselves to score in the 32nd minute. Foran headed a free kick from Stratford across goal to his strike partner Barrowman but his diving header went well wide of Coutts post.
Jon Voigt did well to get on the end of a pass back but Esson just got there first and blocked the ball off the striker and the ball looped over the crossbar.
In the 36th minute Chris Hegarty became the first booking of the match when he fouled Jonny Haynes who was running at full pace up the left.
Two minutes later Hegarty and Haynes clashed inside the box with the Inverness player coming off worse and having to leave the field of play for treatment.
Five minutes from the interval Caley debutant Cox turned inside the box and fired straight into the arms of Steven Coutts.
Haynes was unable to continue and was replaced by Roy McBain with three minutes of the half remaining.
Inverness won a free kick in a dangerous position a minute later when Hegarty was at it again and was adjudged to have tripped McBain twenty yards out in a central position.
Foran took the kick but could only blast the ball into the Montrose wall.
After defending so well in the opening half disaster struck Montrose when the home side opened the scoring on the stroke of half time. Foran gathered the ball wide on the right in what looked like an offside position. His deep cross was gathered by substitute ROY McBAIN who skipped his way along the byeline and fire in a low effort which deflected off the outstretched boot of Sean Crighton and into the net.
There was only time for Montrose to restart the match and referee Norris blew for half time.
With fifty minutes gone Montrose were forced into a change when Sean Fleming suffered a hamstring injury and he was replaced by Gordon Pope who himself was carrying a foot injury.
Two minutes later Inverness brought on Adam Rooney for fellow striker Andy Barrowman.
Montrose split open the Inverness defence with a slick passing move involving Nicol and Gemmell but the final pass through into space was just too pacey for John Maitland who just failed to reach the ball before keeper Esson.
In the 57th minute a Sean Anderson back heal put through Daryl Nicol inside the box but as the youngster was about to shoot he fell to the ground but with Montrose claiming a penalty referee Norris booked him for diving.
On the hour mark Richie Foran had another effort at the Montrose goal from distance but he didn’t trouble Coutts as the ball flew over the crossbar.
Montrose had a good chance to equalise in the 67th minute when Maitland sprayed a pass wide to Nicol on the right. He fired over a cross which John Gemmell headed to wards goal but it went inches wide of the far post.
Steven Tweed made his second change of the match in the 70th minute when he brought on Jordan Leyden for Jon Voigt. Leyden moved to the left wing, Anderson to the right with Nicol pushed upfront.
Two minutes later Inverness had a good chance to grab a second goal when Ross Tokely met a Stratford corner kick only to power his header over the crossbar.
Seconds later Tokely was booked for another foul on John Gemmell.
With fifteen minutes remaining Lionel Djebi-Zadi raced up the left flank and won a corner kick. Stratford took the kick again and again Montrose cleared.
In an effort to grab an equaliser Montrose went for broke and pushed three up front in the shape of Leyden, Gemmell and Nicol with ten minutes left.
Three minutes later Russell Duncan tried an effort at goal from twenty yards but he shot straight at Steven Coutts.
With five minutes left Montrose made a final change when 17-year-old Nick Gray came on to replace John Maitland who had had another fine match in the middle of the Montrose midfield.
Gray went up front with Nicol moving back into middle of the park.
In the 87th minute Montrose equalised Crighton cleared the ball up the park and young JORDAN LEYDEN raced in between Stratford and Tokely and calmly lobbed the ball over Ryan Esson and into the net for a fantastic goal. He raced over to the Montrose fans and was quickly mobbed by his delighted teammates.
With two minutes of normal time remaining Roy McBain was booked for a foul on Chris Hegarty.
With no more scoring the match went into an additional thirty minutes of extra time.
Montrose created the first chance in the 92nd minute when Gemmell was fouled. Hegarty played the free kick short to Sean Anderson whose cross come shot caught out keeper Ryan Esson but just sailed over the crossbar.
Two minutes later a headed clearance from Crighton was met on the volley by Roy McBain but he could only volley wide of the far post.
In the 95th minute a strong run from the middle of the park by Nick Gray saw him release Jordan Leyden but he couldn’t shake off the challenge of Ross Tokely and the chance was gone.
Three minutes later Daryl Nicol gave the ball away to Inverness Caledonians Russell Duncan but he could only put his twenty-yard effort wide of goal.
In the 100th minute Gemmell was fouled by Djedi-Zadi giving Montrose a free kick. Hegarty swung the ball once again into the danger area, Crighton did well to head back across goal but there were no takers.
Inverness had a great chance to go ahead in the 103rd minute when substitute Adam Rooney broke clear of the Montrose defence but his lob beat Coutts only to rebound to safety off the far post.
In the 107th minute Inverness substitute’s McBain and Rooney’s linked up only for the latter to blast the ball over the crossbar.
Seconds later Rooney set up Duncan but once again his shooting was woeful and the ball once again went well wide of the post.
Inverness kept up the pressure and substitute Richard Hastings had a shot saved by the feet of Coutts inside the Montrose penalty area.
With two minutes of extra time remaining a great pass from Leyden found Gemmell unmarked just outside the box but he couldn’t control the ball and the chance was gone.
Steven Coutts ensured that the match would go to penalty kicks to decide the winner with a point blank range save from an Adam Rooney in the final minute of extra time.
And so onto penalty kicks Rooney was the first to score for the homeside, but disaster struck Montrose when Chris Hegarty missed Montrose’s first blasting the ball off Esson. Tokely then side footed home a second for ICT before captain Hugh Davidson scored a first for Montrose off the post. Munro sent Coutts the wrong way to put the home side 3 – 1 ahead before Sean Crighton placed his kick into the corner for Montrose. Duncan scored Caley’s fourth before John Gemmell calmly side footed home a third for Montrose. It was then left for Lionel Djedi-Zadi to send Coutts the wrong to put Inverness through to the second round but they had been made to work for it all the way by the Gable Endies