Match Summary · Football · Scotland · League Cup · Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC · East Fife FC · Myles Gaffney · Adam MacKinnon
East Fife produced the first big moment of the tie when Gaffney broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute. His finish put the visitors 1-0 up and gave them control of the first half, with that advantage still intact at the interval as Inverness searched for a way back.
For long stretches, it looked like that single goal would settle the contest. Inverness pressed on in the second half but had to wait until the final minute of regular time for their breakthrough. MacKinnon delivered it at 90 minutes, turning the mood inside the ground and dragging the League Cup tie level at 1-1.
That strike sent the match to penalties, where Inverness completed the turnaround. The home side finished 5-3 winners in the shootout, sealing progression after surviving a serious scare.
It was a brutal end for East Fife after protecting their lead deep into the night, but Inverness found the response exactly when they needed it. The score after 90 minutes told one story; the final outcome told another. In the end, the home side owned the decisive moments and took the win from a dramatic cup summary.