Cowdeneath 1 Inverness 2 

A CONTROVERSIAL decision saw the Scottish Premiership side return north with all three points but Cowden could have easily taken something from the tie.

A home side showing 10 changes from the one that ended last season gave Caley Thistle a real run for their money at Central Park on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Dave McGurn pulled off some excellent stops at key times to keep the top tier team at bay and with the defence having to do without ill Craig Sives, they contained the visitors well.

Greg Ross stepped into the breach and marked the dangerous Scott Boden while in midfield wide players Dean Brett and Lewis Moore tormented the rather hesitant Inverness full backs.

Kris Renton and Gary Glen were constant dangers up front and Renton in particular created a couple of good chances for himself.

Caley threatened in three minutes when Carl Tremarco’s cross looked perfect for Iain Vigurs but a timely Ross challenge saw the danger cleared, then at the other end Renton made a good run and found Chris Turner but before he could convert Gary Warren cleared.

A Vigurs header came back off the Cowden bar in 11 minutes and two minutes later the top league side took the lead.

Boden created the danger with a perfect cut back from the right hand side and Ross Draper fired a low 10 yard shot into the net.

The equaliser came in 23 minutes when Lewis Moore cleverly held off two defenders and fed Dean Brett who fired a low shot beyond Ryan Esson’s reach.

With a strong wind behind them, Caley were soon back on the attack and a Vigurs 25 yard free-kick was palmed onto the bar by McGurn and then the big Inverness striker saw his header hit the underside of the bar but the ball stayed out.

On the interval whistle a Mullen free-kick was perfect for Renton but his header was grabbed on the line by Esson.

Cowden almost went ahead on the 48 minute mark when Moore got clear of the Caley defence and Brett latched onto his pass but his 20 yard drive went inches wide.

It then took a fine McGurn save to keep out Boden’s fierce header from only six yards.

The key moment came in 75 minutes when Gary Warren's header from a Vigurs’ corner hit the underside of the bar and the linesman signalled, amid protests, that he felt the ball had crossed the line.

There was a fine opportunity to level with two minutes left but Cowden sub Craig Johnston missed a simple chance when he fired over from virtually on the line.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (8); Fraser Mullen (7), Shaun Rutherford (7); Greg Ross (6), Gerry McLauchlan (7), Burton O’Brien (6) (Craig Johnston 80 (2)); Dean Brett (7), Chris Turner (7 (David Robertson 76 (3)), Kris Renton (6), Gary Glen (6) Kyle Miller 54 (4)), Lewis Moore (7). Subs not used, Harvey Swann, James Creaney, Cammy Muirhead and Jamie Sneddon.

Caley Thistle: Esson (7) (MacKay 85 (2)); Tremarco (6), McNaughton (7); Horner (7), Warren (7), Polworth (6) (Mulraney 46 (6)); Draper (7), Tansey (7) Vigurs (7), Boden (6), King (6). Subs not used, Brown, Fisher, Sutherland and Mackay.

Referee-Stephen Finnie (6).