Desperate Stuff

A dreadful game where we shared a goal apiece with almost relegated East Fife. We prevailed in the penalty shoot-out to earn the bonus point but the performance was not what was expected. I know I know it is usually a competition we use to fine tune our squad but we are a far cry from the finished article going by that performance. An absolutely honking performance mostly played at pre-season pace. The one bit of quality got us level in time added on, from a neat finish into the bottom corner by MacKinnon after good work down the left flank. Otherwise dreadful. Too many players looked as if they were still on a pre-season jolly with no apparent urgency on the job in hand. I've seen better stuff at the Hub over the last few weeks from under 12's. I don't know why I bother sometimes.

Gaffney opened the scoring after the half hour in a dour uneventful game. A slack ball by Sole was transferred forward with the Fife forward player looking yards offside. Myles Gaffney knocked in with nobody near him. MacKinnon's goal was a good low curling effort from around 16 yards after two or three players were involved down the left side. Ross Munro made one good save in the penalty shoot-out as he saved the Fifers second spot kick. We put all five of ours away comfortably. Shinnie, Wotherspoon, Kargbo, Bates and Longstaff winning us the bonus point. In the other Group F fixture Linlithgow Rose pulled off a good win at Cappielow, defeating Morton 1-0 with a goal from Callum Rae early in the second half. We play the Rose next week at Prestonfield.

We were not the only Championship side to struggle. As well as Morton going down, Dunfermline were pumped 3-0 at East Kilbride. Partick Thistle showed how it should be done by hammering Brechin City 6-0.

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Date:  11/07/2026  Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: **** Referee: Sean Murdoch 
 
Inverness CT: 1

• Manager: Scott Kellacher

• Lineup:  Munro; Macleod, Devine, Savage, Boutin (Bates 71), Sole (Kargbo 62), Allan (Wotherspoon 62),

• Stewart, Shinnie, Duncan (MacKinnon 85) Bavidge (Longstaff 62)

• Subs (not used): Ross; Clark, Keogh, Chalmers,  

• Scorers: MacKinnon (90+1)

• Booked: Boutin (59), Bates(90+4)

• Sent Off: none

East Fife: 1

• Manager: Dick Campbell

• Lineup:  Gaston; Wilson, Bah, Easton, Peggie, Slattery, Millar, Milne, Newton (Trialist B 81),

• Gaffney (Skeen-Hamilton 64), Ross (Austin 85)

• Subs (not used): Rollo; Linton, Healy, Fairley

• Scorers: Gaffney (34)

• Booked: Ross (24), Gaffney (59), Bah (74), Wilson (86)

• Sent Off: none