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Caley Thistle handed Scottish Cup reprieve after Queen’s Park are kicked out for fielding an ineligible player

On-loan Hearts forward Euan Henderson was a livewire for Queen's Park against Inverness on Tuesday, but he shouldn't have been playing. Images: SNS Group
On-loan Hearts forward Euan Henderson was a livewire for Queen's Park against Inverness on Tuesday, but he shouldn't have been playing. Images: SNS Group

Caley Thistle have been returned to the Scottish Cup – after Queen’s Park’s 2-0 win in Inverness was wiped out and they were kicked out of the competition.

The Glasgow side, who are the current leaders of the Championship ahead of Friday’s first v second match against Ayr United, have been punished by the Scottish FA for fielding an ineligible player in Tuesday’s fourth-round victory at the Caledonian Stadium.

The fixture was scheduled to be played on January 21, but was postponed due to a frozen and snow-covered pitch.

Between that date and this week’s rescheduled game between the two promotion rivals, Queen’s secured the loan signing of 22-year-old Hearts forward Euan Henderson.

Hearts’ Euan Henderson in action against ICT’s Coll Donaldson in 2019.

However, competition rule 12.5 state only those players signed for the first match can be involved in the rescheduled game.

For example, along the A96 on Tuesday night, Cove Rangers were not allowed to play Miko Virtanen, who was not registered for their initial tie against Ayr United, which was also postponed 10 days previously.

At Friday’s Scottish FA hearing, which stemmed from a notice of complaint from the compliance officer, the punishment handed out to Queen’s was ejection from this season’s competition.

As a consequence, Inverness have been given a second chance in the cup and, after facing Morton in the league on Saturday, will have the trip to Livingston in the fifth-round next weekend to prepare for.

ICT, the 2015 Scottish Cup winners, have already won at Livi this season, with a nerve-shredding 2-1 victory there in the League Cup group stages last July.

Inverness looked on course for extra-time against Queen’s Park on Tuesday, but slack defending late on saw Dom Thomas and Scott Williamson goals earn a victory for Owen Coyle’s visitors.

Inverness boss Billy Dodds, right, will now take his team to Livingston in the fifth-round of the Scottish Cup.

The Spiders, who lost star striker Simon Murray to Ross County on deadline night, were due to take on David Martindale’s Livingston a week on Saturday.

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