ICT V Dundee Utd - Preview

DETAILS Inverness CT v Dundee Utd Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Saturday 3rd March at 3pm Tickets: Cash gates will be in operation for this fixture. TV/Radio-info: Audio commentary on BBC Radio Scotland. Live video (PPV) available on internetfootball.co.uk for overseas viewers FIXTURES Saturday 3rd March: Celtic v Dunfermline Falkirk v Aberdeen Inverness CT v Dundee Utd St Mirren v Kilmarnock Sunday 4th March: Hibernian v Rangers (Setanta, 2pm) Monday 5th March: Motherwell v Hearts (Setanta, 7:45pm) SPL RESULTS Saturday 17th February: Aberdeen (Mackie) 1-2 Celtic (Beattie, Nakamura) Dunfermline (Crawford) 1-1 Kilmarnock (Naismith, Ford sent off) Hearts (Kingston) 1-1 St Mirren (O’Donnell) Motherwell (McDonald) 1-0 Inverness CT Sunday 18th February: Dundee Utd 0-0 Hibernian Rangers (Boyd, Ferguson) 2-1 Falkirk (Finnigan) Tuesday 20th February: St Mirren 0-0 Motherwell RECENT SPL FORM (most recent games first) Inverness CT: LLLWDW Dundee Utd: DWDLLL PAST MEETINGS The teams have played a total of 14 times (10 League, 4 Cup) with 33 goals (17 Inverness CT, 16 Dundee Utd) between them. Inverness CT: 4 wins (2 League, 2 Cup) Draws: 6 (5 League, 1 Cup) Dundee Utd: 4 wins (3 League, 1 Cup) A GAME TO REMEMBER For this weeks game to remember we take you back to Inverness CT’s first ever victory over Dundee Utd. In their previous 7 attempts Inverness had failed to beat the Terrors but the midweek CIS Cup match gave them another chance to break the duck. Only 2 minutes had gone when Liam Fox put Inverness CT into an early lead. And with 4 minutes left of the first half, Barry Wilson capitalised on a keeper error to slam the ball home making it 2-0 and very difficult for United to come back. If I remember correctly Barry Robson hit the woodwork 3 times during the match!! The 2nd half didn’t bring any goals giving Caley Thistle their first victory over Dundee United in history. Inverness CT eventually lost in the next round away to Livingston. The attendance was 1919. The teams were as follows: INVERNESS CT: Brown, Duncan, Dods, Munro, Morgan, Proctor, Hart, Fox, Wilson, Wyness, McAllister. Subs- Black (for McAllister), Fraser, Parratt, Finnigan, Brewster. DUNDEE UTD: Stillie, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald, Wilson, Canero, Brebner, Duff, Robson, Miller, Fernandez. Subs- Samuel (for Duff), McIntyre (for Miller), McInnes (for Canero), Kenneth, McLean. The referee was John Underhill and there was only 1 booking on the day: Miller of Dundee Utd. Eight of the Inverness players who started the match still play for the club! FACTS BETWEEN THE TEAMS • All League meetings between the teams have taken place in the SPL. • Inverness CT have only lost one of the last 8 meetings in this fixture, however it was the most recent meeting of the two teams in December when Dundee Utd won 3-1. • Dundee Utd never lost any of the first 7 meetings between the teams. • The biggest wins was by 2 goals, both teams have won by this margin. • Inverness CT forward Gary McSwegan played for Dundee Utd. • The fixture produces an average of 2.4 goals per game. PLAYERS TO WATCH Ian Black (Inverness CT): Ian has been a great player for Inverness CT in his 3 years at the club, however it could have been even better if his crime count had a few less cards on it. He is a very aggressive midfielder who already has 11 yellow cards and 1 red card this season, in 22 games. However, Black is a great player as was shown by his performance against Celtic. It was one of his best games for the club and was part of the link-up for the goal. Before last Sunday, he was used to sitting on the bench however I believe after the Cup performance and Roy McBain’s suspension, he will start again. Has had an up and down season but is keen to end the season on a high. Barry Robson (Dundee Utd): One of Caley Thistle’s greatest players, Robson is one of the best left wingers in Scottish football, which is why he is pushing for a Scotland call-up. He started his career at Rangers as a youth before Inverness CT snapped up a bargain. He was loaned out to Forfar which only progressed him further as he later became a terrific player for Inverness in the first division. However he felt he could achieve greater things at Dundee Utd, and has since been captain and has just signed a new 4-year deal at the club. Has played in all 3 meetings between the clubs this season and has scored 9 goals all season. Squad: Ally Ridgers, Jonathon Smith, Michael Fraser, Darren Dods, Stuart Soane, Ross Tokely, Guy Kerr, Richard Hastings, Stuart McCaffrey, Grant Munro, John Rankin, Ian Black, Zander Sutherland, Alan Morgan, Richie Hart, Barry Wilson, Russell Duncan, Markus Paatelainen, Gary McSwegan, Rory McAllister, Graham Bayne Injured: Dennis Wyness (dislocated shoulder- out for season) Craig Dargo (dislocated shoulder) Suspended: Roy McBain