Inverness CT 2-0 Dundee United

Liam Fox scored Caley Thistle's opening goal

Two first-half goals ensured Inverness Caledonian Thistle progressed to the CIS Insurance Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Dundee United.

Liam Fox drove home the opener in the second minute to set the tone for the game at the Caledonian Stadium.

Barry Wilson sealed Caley's place in the draw for the last eight, rolling the ball home after a defensive error.

But Inverness rode their luck, their former winger Barry Robson hitting the woodwork with three headers.

Caley player-manager Craig Brewster had made six changes to the side that lost by a single goal to Hearts at the weekend, including the restoration of Fox to a central midfield berth.

The 21-year-old wasted no time in proving his worth to the team when he latched on to a pass from Dennis Wyness and drove the ball over the head of goalkeeper Derek Stillie in the United goal after 112 seconds.

United responded and, from a David Fernandez cross, Robson should have scored when he was left unmarked only six yards from goal.

However, his header struck the post and rebounded to safety.

The same combination linked up and Robson struck the bar with a diving header.

That miss proved costly for United, whose defence was all at sea as Wilson bundled the ball past Stillie and ran it into an unguarded net.

United's night got worse in the 67th minute, when Lee Miller was replaced with Jim McIntyre after the Scotland striker was poleaxed in a collision with Mark Brown.

Robson could not believe his luck when he again headed the ball against the post, this time from a Mark Wilson cross after fine play from substitute Collin Samuel.

McIntyre then flicked an effort just past Brown's far post after a towering header from the constantly probing Grant Brebner.

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Caley Thistle player-boss Craig Brewster:
"Sometimes you need a bit of luck and it certainly went our way.

"You only have to look at Manchester City, who even more unlucky to hit the woodwork six times at the weekend.

"However, I was delighted with the work-rate of our players and we were positive when in possession of the ball and did well to track back and defend when we lost it.

"We have a small squad and every player who was available for selection was either playing or on the bench."

Dundee United manager Gordon Chisholm:
"I thought we made a number of chances, but we didn't take them and we made a shocking start to the game.

"We didn't come out with the right attitude and the two goals we conceded were far too slack.

"I don't think we are in the position where we can give the opposition an early goal.

"And perhaps, if we had shown the determination we displayed in the second half throughout the course of the game, it would have been a different story."

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Inverness CT: Brown, Duncan, Dods, Munro, Morgan, Proctor, Hart, Fox, Wilson, Wyness, McAllister (Black 85).
Subs Not Used: Parratt, Brewster, Finnigan, Fraser.

Goals: Fox 2, Wilson 41.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald, Wilson, Canero (McInnes 75), Brebner, Duff (Samuel 45), Robson, Miller (McIntyre 67), Fernandez.
Subs Not Used: Kenneth, McLean.

Booked: Miller.

Att: 1,919

Ref: J Underhill