Smoked by the Smokies

A visit to Arbroath in the SPFL Trust Trophy saw both sides make a few changes from their Championship personnel. It would appear that Arbroath were taking this more seriously than Inverness although Campbell made four changes to the starting line up this week with Adams replacing Gaston in goals and Jacobs, Hylton and Baldé starting in place of Slater, Dow and the injured Bird. Inverness made eight changes to their side in the spirit of the competition  and rested Billy Mckay, Max Anderson and Danny Devine with Doran in for his experience along with youngsters Brooks, Bray and Thompson with Big Harry on the bench.

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Little to talk about in the opening exchanges but Arbroath were looking the hungrier side and trying to create with the visitors lacking penetration. David Gold opened the scoring ten minutes before the break smashing the ball in from a Hylton cross. A second followed just before the break after Cammy Mackay produced a spectacular save to deny a Turan header, but from the corner Tam O'Brien tapped in at the second attempt after a scramble in the box. That prompted a rapid response from Inverness when Adam Brooks replied for the visitors two minutes later after goog possession and a cross from Longstaff. Before the whistle Wallace Duffy left the field to be replaced by Cammy Harper in stoppage time.

Half Time: 2-1

Charlie Gilmour replaced Austin Samuels at the interval but it was the hosts that went straight onto the front foot. On the hour Doran hit the crossbar after he got on the end of a Longstaff cross to volley from six yards. Big Harry and Nathan Shaw were introduced with Bray and Doran making way with around half an hour remaining. Harry's game was short. He was sent off a couple of minutes after coming on for a reckless challenge on McKenna, lordy lordy  Ross Stewart restored the two goal cushion with a vicious strike from just outside the box in the 70th minute. Aaron Steele knocked in the fourth in another melee in the box as we struggled to stop the rot. The smokies could have had a fifth when substitute Slater beat Mackay from eighteen yards but his shot bounced off the post and across the face of the goal. Lewis Hyde reduced the deficit in the final minutes with a header off a Harper free kick to end the scoring. An eventful but unsuccessful afternoon for the Caley Jags. Do I hear the word untennable being passed around?

Full Time: 4-2

Regardless of the eight changes made, it was another poor day at the office...

The stats don't lie no matter what team you put on the park. That's now seven defeats and one draw in our last eight big boy games (excluding the Inverness Cup Final). Where does Billy Dodds go from here? Most fans, if not all, are bringing out the untennable option. And along with Dodds, is it time for the whole board to resign.

By the end of October, it should be clearer. We face Raith Rovers (a), Dundee United (h) and Arbroath (a) again. If we take nothing from these games, then there will be only one option.

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Level Pars

A flurry of transfer activity saw three new players join the Caley Jags ahead of this game. With Billy Dodds under pressure from the fans, Max Anderson and Morgan Boyes not only turned up at the Caledonian stadium, but were in the starting XI. However, we have to wait a bit longer to see Nikola Ujdur once all his paperwork is rubber stamped down under. Sean Welsh missed out again along with a couple of longer term absentees. 

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A cagey opening ten minutes was disrupted two minutes later when Nathan Shaw took on a speculative shot from distance. It was low and maybe the keeper thought it was going past, but it went under his body and trundled into the net off the post to give Inverness a much needed opening goal. Keeper won't want to see that one again.

Shaw was prominent in most moves forward and Charlie Gilmour fired a couple of fierce shots a yard or two wide. Adam Brooks had the ball in the net nearer half-time but was adjudged to be offside with Sharp again looking suspect as he tried to save the shot. Little else of note in a turgid first forty-five played in blustery conditions. 

HALF TIME: 1-0

After the break, if anything, it was even more turgid with any fluent breaks forward coming from the visitors. Substitute Keith Bray did well to create an opening for himself but his finish was weak and saved low to his right by Sharp. The Pars earned their share of the points when Hamilton headed in after a short corner was chipped into the box by Moffat with Mark Ridgers caught in no mans land. Soft goal to give away with ten minutes remaining.

With a couple of minutes left Ridgers made amends when Moffat looked favourite to score but the keeper did well to save low to his left and keep the score level.

FULL TIME: 1-1

The two new loan payers aquitted themselves well without setting the pulses racing. The defence did appear to be more rigid although we were found wanting at the equaliser. Nathan Shaw was the most likely to cause problems and so it proved. Poor decision by Ridgers to decide to flap at thin air for the goal but made amends to earn our point with a tremendous save later. Pars were much more direct than us and you couldn't grudge them their point.

However that point still leaves us floundering at the foot of the table with one point from a possible twelve.

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Diamond geezers do it again

Inverness were without Aaron Doran and Sean Welsh but Danny Devine returned to the defence and Keith Bray started. Hat-Trick Harry was on the bench with young Adam Brooks. Airdrie had new signing Gavin Gallagher on the bench alongside Nikolay Todorov but Colin Telfer missed out with player manager Rhys McCabe. Top scorer Calum Gallagher is the man to keep an eye on.

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WTF! Inverness went behind in the first minute when Cammy Harper scored an own goal. So much for cutting out errors at the back. We chased the game thereafter without creating too much and Calum Gallagher doubled our deficit after half an hour to make our task even more onerous. Austin Samuels hit woodwork and another shambles of a half closed at 2-0 for the hosts with Frizzell booked on the whistle. Depressing stuff from the visitors with no cutting edge. Five minutes after the break Airdrie were reduced to ten men when Adam Frizzell received his second yellow card. Nathan Shaw scored to half the deficit with twenty minutes remaining. We threw everything at Airdrie but Rae was equal to all our efforts and we slumped to our sixth defeat in a row. What now Billy?

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WTF! Inverness go behind inside the first minute when Cammy Harper tries to cut out a deflected cross from Lewis McGregor but knocks it into his own net under challenge instead. So much for cutting out errors at the back. 😡 Wallace Duffy responded in the third minute but his drive went high and wide and sinner Harper put a good cross into the box but Keeper Josh Rae did well to gather confidently. The hosts were looking for a penalty when Aiken went down in the box and Gallagher fired wide. Nothing given. Keith Bray got on the end of a Nathan Shaw cross but his effort was blocked as we looked to get back on level terms. Just after the half hour Bray was close to getting on the end of a David Carson through ball. Surprise surprise! Chasing the game from thirty-five seconds in, we lost a second goal when Calum Gallagher shot into the bottom corner from inside the box, Danny Devine culpable this time, although the pass from Jake Davidson caught him unawares. Is there no end to our error strewn defending? Austin Samuels hit woodwork, Taylor-Sinclair had blocked his effort onto the post as we struggled to get a foothold in this game with half-time approaching. A great run from Gallagher almost added a third and Samuels was booked as his frustration showed five minutes before the interval. Charlie Gilmour curled over after Rae's clearance fell to him and Shaw missed the target as we desperately searched for a way back.

HALF TIME: 2-0

Luis Longstaff replaced Jake Davidson at the break and Billy Mckay was denied by Rae at his near post five minutes into the second period from Longstaff's cross. From the resultant corner Devine's header came off the post and was saved by the keeper then Moments later Frizzell was red carded for his second bookable offence, a late challenge on Bray, having been booked in time added on at the end of the first half. Mckay went close again but was blocked as Inverness looked to take advantage of their superior numbers. Airdrie re-jigged after the sending off with Todorov and O'Connor entering the field. McGregor brought Mark Ridgers into action and likewise at the other end with Shaw on target. Shaw did pull a goal back from close range after seventy minutes when Longstaff's shot came back off the post as we went for broke. Ridgers cut out a cross from Aiken as he broke forward with ten minutes left. Airdrie were living dangerously and Shaw went close again with five minutes left on the clock and he was denied by Rae a minute later. In time added on Sub Robbie Thompson was denied by Rae as he kept Airdrie ahead. Despite a big effort in the second half it ended with Airdrie taking all three points.

FULL TIME: 2-1

Chasing the game after more defensive blunders, we squandered numerous opportunities to get back into it before Shaw scored. Alas, Rae was in good form and a combination of him and poor finishing means we are now bottom of the league on our own after six successive defeats, (three in the league), and the errors keep coming. All this against ten men for near 40 minutes.

The long knives are well and truly drawn...

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It's Coming Home as Harry Claims the Match Ball

The Inverness Cup has been revived and there was a 'one off' game to decide who will look after this substantial trophy for the next year when it will all be done again between the Caley Jags and Inverness Clachnacuddin. It's a whopper of a trophy capable of holding many a dram and it was first played for in 1895 when Caledonian won the inaugural event. Last played for in season 2005-2006, Forres Mechanics are the current holders. The 'Can Cans' are the oldest association football club in the North of Scotland and are one of only two original teams to play in the Highland League since its first season in 1893, the other being Clachnacuddin.

A fairly youthful Inverness XI took to the pitch bolstered by Doran, Duffy Samuels and a couple of newstarts in Brooks and Harry Lodovica who set the tone with a first half hat-trick. Lewis Mackie bagged the last goal after Calum Ferguson scored for Clach.  That meant that Inverness CT have now won this trophy eight times. 🏆

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Inverness Cup Final:  In front of an estimated crowd of 400ish, Adam Brooks had an early effort tipped onto the post and behind by keeper Daniel Rae. After quarter of an hour Austin Samuels was put through by Robbie Thompson but he dragged his effort wide, however five minutes later big Harry Lodovica headed home an Aaron Doran corner via the underside of the bar to open the scoring. Cammy MacKay then had to look lively to keep out Connor Bunce's free-kick after twenty minutes. Big Harry and Lewis Hyde both went wide but keeper Rae then brought down Big Harry and he picked himself up before converting his penalty on the rebound after Rae had saved the initial spot kick. Harry notched his hat-trick moments later when he headed in from Doran's free kick. Straight from the restart Clach won a penalty of their own but Calum Ferguson's low spot kick was saved by Cammy Mackay.

HALF TIME: 0-3

Into the second half and Aaron Doran shot wide before Clach pulled one back when Ferguson scored to narrow the gap. Inverness had made some changes prior to the goal, Lewis Mackie, Jonathan Bain, Calum MacLeod ON, Wallace Duffy, Adam Brooks and Austin Samuels OFF. Mackie thumped in from inside the box fifteen minutes after coming on to restore our three goal lead.

With the game running away from Clach we fielded another couple of substitutes into the final five minutes: Sam Thompson and Ben Meacher on, Aaron Doran and Ali Nixon off.

As it was, Harry's Hat-Trick set us up nicely and Lewis Mackie rounded it off with an excellent strike for Inverness to regain the Inverness Cup for the eighth time. 

All the best to Clach for the season ahead and they battled well having previously lifted this trophy fourteen times.

Robert on CTO: We ended up with only MacKay, Hyde and Lodovica (and arguably Robbie Thomson) on the pitch from our first team squad, plus five from the Academy and two first year Graduates, so a creditable result in the circumstances.

Image from @TMPfoto 

As Frank Bruno used to say after his fights: "where's Harry?"

Well, here he is with the match ball after scoring three in the final. It was his first start for the club and what an impact he made. He's a big lad at full stretch and will be a handful for defenders once he gets up and running.

Man of the Match for his first half heroics but there were also some accomplished performances from some of the younger players on display, notably Robbie Thompson and Jack Walker, and even olde codgers like Aaron Doran put in a good shift. Great confidence boost for all and a smashing strike from Lewis Mackie for the fourth goal. 

I see that Clach have signed goal scorer Calum Ferguson who started his career at Inverness ten years ago before moving on.

Ayr Dump Caley Jags

 Notable absentees for Ayr were last seasons Championship top scorer Dipo Akinyemi who has gone to York City and long time servant Michael Moffat who spent eleven years over two spells at Somerset Park scoring 77 goals in 263 appearances.  Dodds was without Roddy MacGregor and Lewis Nicolson with knee injuries. Sean Welsh has a groin injury and also missed out again as did Austin Samuels and Max Ram. Adam Brooks returned to the bench and Danny Devine replaced the missing Wallace Duffy. New sensation Keith Bray started with Inverness down to only six on the bench. Injuries starting early this season already it would seem with six missing..

Ayr got off to the perfect start after just eight minutes when Francis Amartey, Dempsey and Sam Ashford combined for Amartey to slot home the opening goal. Mark Ridgers saved on his line from Nick McAllister as Ayr looked to double their lead. Keith Bray was blocked going into the box and from the follow up Albinson saved from David Carson at the expense of a corner. Plenty of half chances for both sides to score in the first half with Devine going close for the visitors but Albinson tipped over. Longstaff also went close on the break but his shot bounced just wide. Billy Dodds fell foul of the referee on the interval and had to watch the remainder of the game from the stands. (See how he likes it!)

HALF TIME: 1-0

Longstaff saw his header saved ten minutes after the interval as Inverness looked to get back into the game. A spate of substitutions on the hour for Ayr and Harry Lodovica replaced Bray for the visitors before a Jake Davidson cross found Nathan Shaw, but his effort came back off the post. With twenty minutes remaining Shaw was blocked in the box as we chased for a leveller. Substitute Aiden McGeady shot wide approaching the final ten minutes and Cammy Harper failed to hit the target at the other end. Aaron Doran fired a free kick wide from a tight angle and McGeady missed again as time was running away from us. Ridgers tipped over from Pendelbury in the 90th minute and the as so often, the game slipped away from us to leave us bottom of the table with Arbroath.

FULL TIME: 1-0

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Another defeat leaves Inverness pointless at the foot of the table with Arbroath as Ayr got their first win of the campaign thanks to an early goal from Francis Amartey. Not for the want of trying, but Inverness could not find an equaliser and that will pile more misery on under fire boss Billy Dodds. Our injury situation seems never-ending and we could only muster six on the bench.

Dodds watched from the stand in the second half and will now know why we are concerned... 

The natives are no happy on CTO with many asking for a total clearout from top to bottom, questioning the length of contract offered to Billy Dodds. The buck stops at the very top and that is a massive concern for all. Top scorer Billy Mckay was a forlorn figure and was not best pleased at being subbed. Something is wrong that's not right. Sort it now before we leave this league at the wrong end of the table.

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Matchday One

Bogey side from last season Queens Park were the visitors on Matchday One with a much changed side and a new manager in Dutchman Robin Veldman. We had a few changes ourselves but the man in charge is still Billy Dodds. Roddy MacGregor and Lewis Nicolson were long term casualties before a ball has been kicked in earnest and Sean Welsh and Danny Devine were nursing knocks. Billy Mckay received his award for his record breaking exploits before kick-off and it was game on.

Queens domination on this fixture continued as they went in at half time one goal up through Dom Thomas. Tommy Robson added a second just after the break and in a late push Jake Davidson scored for the hosts. Keith Bray was denied a last minute leveller by McKenna.

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Same old same old:

In a brisk opening to the game Jack Thomson flashed a volley just wide after a sclaffed clearance from Jake Davidson.  Wallace Duffy headed over from a corner in the second minute and at the other end Mark Ridgers was brought into action to deny Jack Thomson. Nathan Shaw also had an effort from the edge of the box saved comfortably by Callan McKenna. A good move forward ended with Charlie Fox blocking Charlie Gilmour as he pulled the trigger after seventeen minutes and Billy Mckay went close but he dragged his effort wide of the mark. Queens were enjoying the majority of the possession and on the half hour we gifted them an opportunity when Harper got mugged. Barry Hepburn then fed Dom Thomas who scored into the roof of the net. Inverness responded and Shaw saw McKenna save his free kick. Ridgers then saved from Jack Spong as Queens dominance continued. However we were still able to carve out chances and McKenna did brilliantly to deny Mckay just on the interval from a Jake Davidson cross.

HALF TIME: 0-1

Austin Samuels shot into the side netting from five yards at the start of the second half but it was Queens who added a second three minutes into the half through Tommy Robson, rolling the ball into into the bottom corner to leave us chasing the game after a comedy of defensive errors offered Queens the opening. Delaney was the main culprit this time. Thomas had an effort saved minutes later as Queens dominated play. Ridgers then saved from Louis Longridge at the expense of a corner kick as Queens Park threatened to run away with the game. Robson was then denied by the overworked Ridgers as QP looked to kill the game off. Substitute Keith Bray was denied by McKenna's legs as we probed for a way back into the game. Samuels blazed another shot high and wide and that brought about the introduction of Harry Lodovica. With time slipping away Davidson scored with a close range header from a Cammy Harper corner, the ball going in via the underside of the bar. Alas it was too little too late for Inverness who went down to an opening day defeat.

FULL TIME: 1-2

Disappointing result to start the campaign. 

Robert on CTO: That was a very disappointing afternoon. We started fast but from about the fifth minute Queens Park started to dominate possession and just seemed sharper than us. Both teams had chances before we gifted the goal. The early goal in the second half really killed it and we only started showing some urgency after Bray and Hyde replaced Gilmour and Longstaff. Davidson got what turned out to be a consolation. Both ‘keepers had good saves and on another day there would have been more goals. As others have said, Bray was the pick of the players, followed by Shaw, Mckay and Duffy.

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League Cup Over & Out

With Dundee winning only 1-0, that was no use to either club and they both leave the League Cup at the end of the group stages. Zach Robinson's 60th minute header was not enough to put Dundee ahead of Raith Rovers to claim a slot in the draw as one of the three best of the rest. For Inverness, we meddled with our starting XI and Harry Lodovica made an appearance in the second half. Danny Devine, Sean Welsh, Roddy MacGregor, Charlie Gilmour and Adam Brooks were nowhere to be seen, hopefully being prepared for the start of the Championship next week.

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Official report from ICTFC

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Inverness gave as good as they got in this encounter but went down to a second half goal from Zach Robinson.

Mark Ridgers made an early save from Pineda who flicked the ball forward from inside the six yard box but the keeper produced a brilliant reflex save to deny the Mexican and tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Billy Mckay had a close range shot tipped over by Jon McCracken in the Dundee goal and Nathan Shaw curled an effort inches wide after good work by Keith Bray. Austin Samuels lashed a shot over after a cut-back from Billy Mckay five minutes before the break as the visitors saw the better of the first half.

After the break a Mckay shot rolled just wide when he got the break of the ball through on goal. Mark Ridgers was called into action as he made a good save to keep out sub Amadou Bakayoko's powerful effort after an initial mix-up in the Inverness defence. Robinson's goal, despite Ridgers' effort to claw the ball away on the hour, meant Dundee needed one more for pole position to qualify. It never came despite them upping their game with Bakayoko and McGhee going close for the hosts. McCracken saved a low effort from Samuels with ten minutes left. A frantic ending saw both sides flash the ball goalwards but the score remained at 1-0 to Dundee at full time.

A decent workout and if we don't have fresh injuries, I presume we rested some players ahead of the start of the real season. Gilmour was suspended.

That's one for @DundeeFC, and now they need a second! 👀

Zach Robinson breaks the deadlock 🔵 pic.twitter.com/E1j8m8fmpZ

— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) July 30, 2023

Highlights from ViaPlay

Billy Dodds post match>>>

Where's Harry? Here he is>>>

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