Ahead of the KDM Evolution Trophy final, we take a look back at Raith and Inverness Caley’s road to Firhill…
It all began on the 14th of August. Now, 120 games later, we are down to our two finalists. There is a thrilling encounter on the cards between two sides who know exactly what the trophy known as the Challenge Cup is all about.
Both sides will be looking to match Falkirk’s record title haul (4) in this competition with a win on Sunday, having both claimed the trophy twice outright, and sharing the 2020 trophy between them, due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the match.
Their opponents Raith Rovers, however, have made the Challenge Cup their domain in recent years. Raith defeated Rangers in the 2014 final at Easter Road to claim their maiden win, before going on to become the first side to reach three consecutive finals.
After sharing the 2020 trophy, they defeated Queen of the South in the following final in 2021/22. Raith would then lose the following season’s final to Hamilton Accies, ending an astonishing 1,660 day undefeated streak in the competition.
Let’s take a look back at Raith and ICT’s journeys to Firhill…
Where did it all begin?
With the KDM Evolution Trophy rebrand, this season’s competition underwent a significant makeover, featuring a record prize pot and the introduction of a Champions League-style group phase.
20 sides from Leagues 1 and 2 (including ICT) alongside 10 Premiership B-Teams competed across six group matchdays, feeding into a single league table, with the top 22 clubs qualifying for the seeded knock-out round of 32.
Inverness opened their campaign with a 4-1 win away to Elgin, with Alfie Bavidge scoring a brace alongside goals for Robbie Thompson and Paul Allen.
Another 4-1 win followed, this time at home against Aberdeen B, with a hat trick for Chanka Zimba on the night before Billy McKay added the icing on the cake late on.
Inverness ran the gauntlet, winning all six games with ease. A 2-1 win against Stirling Albion was their toughest test of the league phase, before another 4-1 triumph over Forfar and a pair of 6-0 tankings of both Dundee and Dundee United’s B-teams saw them top the table with maximum points.
The B-teams experienced a torrid time in the group phase, all of the bottom eight places, with only Celtic and Hearts’s Colts sides making it through to the last 32.
Goals Galore in the last 32.
The second round saw the Championship clubs (including Raith) join the remaining sides in the competition, with a phenomenal 68 goals scored over the 16 ties.
Inverness were once again top of the scoring charts, putting Dumbarton to the sword with a 9-0 hammering away from home.
Four first-half goals from Alfie Bavidge along with strikes from Calum MacLeod, Billy McKay and Luis Longstaff saw Caley Thistle 7-0 up at the interval. Ross Millen got in on act after the break with a penalty before McKay grabbed his brace to round out the rout.
Raith weren’t content to let Inverness have all the goalscoring fun, putting on their own seven-goal thriller in the Second Round at home to Hamilton.
Darragh O’Conner put Raith ahead on five minutes, before Finlay Cameron equalised for Accies five minutes before the break. Raith restored their lead with a Scott Brown 40-yard screamer five minutes into the second half, before a hat trick from Jai Rowe saw Rovers triumph 5-2 and advance.
Tough Tests In Last 16
The third round was one of slimmer margins, with both teams needing to show grit to get through.
Inverness travelled to the venue of Sunday’s final, Firhill, to take on Partick Thistle. Logan Chalmers put the Harry Wraggs ahead after 11 minutes, but ICT rallied, with goals from MacIntyre and McKay giving them the lead.
However, quick-fire goals from Cale Loughrey and Alex Samuel within sixty second of each other put the Maryhill side back in front, before a late goal from McKay took the tie to penalties.
In the shootout, Kyle Turner missed his second spot kick of the night to hand Inverness the 4-2 win on penalties.
It would be a penalty that saw Raith navigate a narrow game at home to Queen of the South. Dylan Easton’s first-half goal from the spot sealed a 1-0 win in a tie which saw both sides hit the woodwork in the second half.
Quarter Finals Navigated
It was a reversal of roles in the quarter finals, with yet more tight encounters lying in wait for the eventual finalists.
It would be Raith that would be taken to a shootout this time round, after a battling 1-1 draw away to Queen’s Park.
Despite Calum Ferrie saving Raith’s first effort from the spot, Rovers keeper Josh Rae pulled off some heroics to ensure Raith prevailed 3-1 on spot kicks.
Inverness found themselves in a battle at home to League 1 title rivals Stenhousemuir, with Bavidge firing home the only goal of the game 17 minutes from time.
Semi Final Scares
The semi finals saw Inverness travel to Somerset Park for a stern test against Scott Brown’s Ayr United. A double from Jordan Alonge cancelled out George Finney’s strike for the Honest Men as Inverness claimed a 2-1 win.
There was more penalty drama for Raith, who were once again taken to the limit, this time by Airdrieonians. Dylan Easton put Raith ahead, only for Jake Hastie to level two minutes from time. Five out of five converted penalties booked Rovers’ trip to the Firhill final.
Raith currently sit fifth in the Championship – just outside the promotion play-off spots. Dougie Imrie’s men lie five points behind local rivals Dunfermline, having played two games more.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle are currently knee deep in the League 1 title race, one point clear of Stenhousemuir at the top of the table with five games to go, and will be hoping to claim a double come the end of the season.
Who will prevail at Firhill on Sunday? Only time will tell.
