Archives | Inverness Caley Thistle 0 Dunfermline 0

The second successive 0-0 draw between the teams at The Sarens PSG Stadium meant it was one point that the Pars took back down the A9

Dunfermline were the visitors to Inverness Caley Thistle for the opening match of the 2026-2027 Championship season. Neil Lennon made one change to the starting eleven he fielded the previous Sunday against St Mirren, skipper Charlie Gilmour starting against his former club at the expense of Alfons Amade who dropped to the bench.

The visitors formed a guard of honour to welcome the League One champions on to the pitch to unfurl the championship flag before the Pars kicked off attacking the goal at the Kessock Bridge end.

It was a cautious start from both sides but there was a chance in 7th minute when Shea Kearney`s ball to the back post was narrowly missed Andrew Tod. Inverness responded two minutes later with an Adam MacKinnon effort from 20 yards out deflected for corner on right. Another corner ensued from the left and Aston Oxborough did really well to fist away Liam Sole`s inswinger fisted.

The best chance of the first half came in 12th minute. Sole travelled down the left and cut back for Ryan Duncan near the penalty spot. Oxborough saved his well struck shot and then reacted to thwart the follow up. Great stuff from the Pars stopper.

Kearney`s 16th minute shot from 25 yards reflected growing Pars frustration as he lashed the ball well wide right of target. Caley Thistle continued to look threatening on the break and when
Calum Macleod was played through on the keeper the full back slid his shot wide right. Yet another amazing let off.

Dunfermline`s best chance of a goal came in 27 minutes after a Robbie Fraser pass had picked out Andrew Tod 25 yards out and the striker didn`t delay in launching a terrific shot that thundered back off the left goalpost. Tod next sent Kearney up the right and the leaping Oli Shaw just couldn`t get on the Irishman`s cross. Zak Rudden retrieved the ball but Caley`s defence came out on top.

Rudden was lying in his own half when Shaw made a break up the left but he missed support and the chance was gone. The home side finished the half creating several good opportunities.

Twenty year old Alfie Stewart on loan from Aberdeen saw his shot saved by Oxborough. In 38th MacKinnon shot into the stand and next Sole teed up Duncan but the former Don sent his effort straight at the keeper. Stewart`s through ball then split the defence and a goal looked certain but Bavidge sent his attempt wide left. Graeme Shinnie continued the habit sending the final chance of the half wide right.

The possession stats would suggest it had been an even first 45 but with 12 shots to the Fifers three the Highlanders must have wondered how on earth they were not ahead at the break. The Pars had suffered from too many misplaced passes especially when trying to switch play. Caley`s five on target shots had primarily been straight at the orange kitted Pars keeper and Oxborough`s double save had kept the game goalless.

Half Time: Inverness Caley Thistle 0 Dunfermline 0

Oxborough was first keeper in action in the second half to save from Mackinnon after Stewart and Bavidge had combined to create the chance. But the second half started better for the Fifers, Fraser`s ball for Shaw to shoot was blocked and Kian Corbally`s follow up was deflected for the Pars first corner of the afternoon. When Corbally sent the setplay over from the left those in black and white saw Sam Cleall-Harding pushed but the referee saw something else and blew up in Caley Thistle`s favour.

Next minute, in 54th, Shaw broke into left side of the Inverness box but forced wide he failed to get a shot away. Running on to a penetrating Fraser pass, A Tod forced a second Pars corner and again Colin Steven saw an infringement.

Any thoughts that Caley had been contained were quashed when Danny Devine intercepted a pass and sent his side forward to force another corner that was punched away by Oxborough. However Sole returned the ball to the back post where Duncan really should have netted but thankfully he headed over.

Shinnie, MacKinnon and Macleod switched the ball around with some smart passing before Neil Lennon introduced Chris Kane for Zak Rudden and most recent loan signing from Dundee, Aaron Donnelly for Luke Robinson. The travelling support were trying to encourage their team forward and towards them but Duncan and Macleod continued to ensure play remained in the Dunfermline half.

As Josh Cooper and Alfons Amade waited for an opportunity to come on Callumn Morrison was added to make it a triple substitution in 74 minutes. Morrison was fed a pass from Kane that let him in on the right side to shoot but he sent that attempt outside the far post. Morrison then was the supplier for the next chance but Kane touched his effort wide right.

It looked as though Cooper was going to repeat his scoring as a substitute but through on keeper Ross Munro he stuck his shot wide right. Both sides had chances as the game came to a close. Caley sub Bates continued the trend of hitting shots straight at Oxborough and Dunfermline`s hopes faded when Morrison could not use a useful pick out by Cooper.

Inverness succeeded in ensuring that the Pars have still only won twice there in the last 15 years but a draw at what will no doubt prove to be difficult place to leave with full points, might well turn out to be a good start to the Pars season.

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