Inverness Caley Thistle pick up an important win against Dumbarton to move six points clear of the bottom of League One at Caledonian Stadium
Scottish League One
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2
Dumbarton 0
Scorers: Bavidge (16) Gilmour (68)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle moved six points clear from bottom spot in League One as they proved too good for Dumbarton at the Caledonian Stadium.
New signing Alfie Bavidge had the dream debut for Inverness when he gave Inverness the lead in the first half. Charlie Gilmour then doubled their advantage midway through the second half to give Inverness all three points.
Inverness made one change to the team which lost 4-1 to Cove Rangers at the Caledonian Stadium last week.
Bavidge, who arrived on loan from Aberdeen, made his debut in the starting line-up as he replaced Matthew Strachan.
Alfie Stewart, who has also arrived on loan from Aberdeen today, was named on the substitute’s bench.
Bavidge wasted little time when he gave Inverness the lead after 16 minutes. Luis Longstaff sent in a cross from the right wing and found the striker in the six-yard box who fired past Brett Long for the opener.
Inverness came close to making it 2-0 minutes later when Billy Mckay charged into the box and sent a pass across the face of goal, but there were no takers.
Dumbarton then suffered a blow nine minutes before half time when goalkeeper Long was forced to come off injured and was replaced by Patrick O’Neil.
Inverness could have doubled their advantage just before half time when Longstaff unleashed a powerful volley from the edge of the box. It forced a fantastic save from O’Neill to keep the score 1-0 at the break.
It was a quiet start to the second half, but Inverness doubled their advantage when Adam Mackinnon’s cross from the right wing found Gilmour who fired into the net.
Dumbarton had a great chance to pull one back when Finlay Gray beat the offside trap and charged into the box before firing a low drive past goalkeeper Musa Dibaga. But his shot clattered off the left post.
Inverness are seven points behind Annan Athletic after they drew 1-1 with Stenhousemuir. Inverness face Annan at Galabank next weekend.
Inverness: Dibaga, Savage, Devine, Gilmour, Mackinnon (Cairns 86), Mckay, Bavidge (Mackay 90), Longstaff (Stewart 75), Bray, Allan, Nolan.
Substitutes: Rebilas, Strachan, Macleod, Thompson.
Dumbarton: Long (O’Neil (39), Lynas (Dunran 68), Brown, Blair, Orsi, Wilson (Hilton 68), Gray (Mumbungo 86), Pignatiello, Niang, Shiels (Mucguffie 86), Clark.
Substitutes: O’Neil, Young, Wallace, Doyle, Nicol.
Attendance 1894