Inverness CT2–0Dumbarton

Dumbarton couldn’t make it three wins on the spin, as goals in either half saw Inverness keep all three points in the Highlands.


Alfie Bavidge pounced on a defensive mistake to give Scott Kellacher’s men a 15th minute lead, with Charlie Gilmour securing the points midway through the second period - with Sons then going on to hit the post and bar on a day where keeper Brett Long was carried off with a serious looking injury.


But manager Stevie Farrell felt there was plenty in his side’s performance to be positive about, saying: “They’ve probably had about four chances in the full game, they score the opener from a cross we should do better. And from a corner kick where we have an overload where we should do better.


“It was a strange game, a bit surreal. Inverness had a lot of the ball, then we had a lot of it for the final 20 minutes. But in their moments they took their chances. In our moments we’ve hit the post and bar. It hasn’t fallen for us in our moments.”


Farrell stuck with the same side that had defeated Kelty Hearts a week earlier, with skipper Mark Durnan fit enough for a return to the bench.


After keeping their first clean sheet of the season against Kelty, Sons couldn’t extend the run to a second game as they fell behind with 16 minutes played.


Keith Bray showed good skill to set Luis Longstaff free down the right, with his cross causing all sorts of problems - and the ball dropping perfectly for Caley Thistle debutant Alfie Bavidge, only signed on loan from Aberdeen in the morning of the game, to stab into the net.


Bavidge was involved again soon after with his cute pass sending Billy McKay clear, but the veteran found no takers for his ball across the face of goal.


After that things settled down, with Sons growing into the game and enjoying more of the ball - albeit without calling Musa Dibaga into any form of action, other than forcing the Spanish keeper to collect a couple of crosses.


As the game neared half-time the home side then showed their threat once again as Billy McKay was slipped clear, he took the ball wide of Brett Long before going for goal - but the Northern Irishman was somehow denied by his fellow countryman at the expense of a corner.


Catching the resultant delivery would be Long’s final action of the game however, as he was caught by a Caley Thistle player jumping for the ball and crumpled in a heap. After receiving extensive treatment he was carried off, with Paddy O’Neil stepping off the bench for the third time already this season.


O’Neil’s first touch saw him comfortably hold a low Adam MacKinnon drive from the edge of the area, with the half looking like fizzling out with attacking intent low from both sides.


But, on the stroke of half-time, O’Neil was called into action again. Paul Allan’s driven free-kick was only cleared as far as Luis Longstaff on the edge of the area, with the former Liverpool youngster’s ferocious strike superbly touched round the post by Sons’ replacement stopper.


Sons started the second-half with tenacious play from Kalvin Orsi winning a corner, David Wilson’s delivery bounced through to Ethan Brown - who saw his shot blocked, with Sons furious as referee Dan McFarlane waved away vocal shouts for a handball.


A surging Finlay Gray run then saw him burst beyond James Nolan and cross for Kalvin Orsi, but blue shirts recovered before he could turn and get a shot on goal away.


Opportunities remained at a premium however, until the hosts secured the points 20 minutes from time.


A clever short corner routine saw Adam MacKinnon find Charlie Gilmour on the edge of the area, and the former Arsenal man rifled high beyond the full stretch O’Neil.


Immediately after the goal Sons boss Farrell introduced skipper Mark Durnan and the fit again Jinky Hilton from his bench.


The two were involved almost straight away as Hilton's free-kick was met by the unmarked skipper, but his header flew over Dibaga’s bar.


Hilton then sent Finlay Gray racing in on goal with an inch perfect pass, but he was denied by a terrific save from Dibaga - who flew out of his goal to narrow the angle at the expense of a corner.


The changes looked to have totally woken Sons up, with Durnan clipping the bar from an outswinging Ryan Blair corner.


Strong play from the skipper then sent Gray again racing in on goal, this time the midfielder beat Dibaga - but saw the ball clatter off the near post with the rebound just skipping away from Hilton.


That was the last chance of note, as Caley moved themselves closer to safety - whilst Sons fell 13 points from safety.