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Inverness CT 4-1 East Fife - League 1

Fifers Swamped in Second Half Blitz

The rain arrived just in time for kick-off in the Highlands after a few days of late Summer sun. The Fifers were in no mood to be turned over by an on form Inverness and made life difficult for their hosts in the first 45. However, David Wotherspoon headed the Caley Jags in front after seventeen minutes. Nathan Austin levelled just before the interval but Wotherspoon scored his second after an hour and a deflected effort by Alfie Stewart added a third minutes later. 99 bonk as substitute Alfie Bavidge completed the scoring in the 99th minute. That win puts Inverness top of the table for now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plenty of posturing in the opening minutes as both teams tried to suss out their opponents. A Brian Easton header from the centre of the box was saved by Ross Munro in the thirteenth minute but five minutes later Inverness took the lead when David Wotherspoon scored with a looping header. Alfie Stewart tried his luck with a header of his own bur Ruairidh Adams gathered it comfortably. Dick Campbell's side were making it difficult for the hosts to create clear opportunities and Spoony shot wide on the half hour. Danny Devine headed wide with chances at a premium. Former Caley Jags striker Nathan Austin squared matters just before half time when he rose high to send a header into the net off Ewan McLeod's looping cross into the six yard box to stun the home crowd.
HALF TIME: 1-1 
Bustling striker Tommy Goss replaced Lewis Latona at the interval for the visitors but it was the hosts that came out like a scalded cat, creating a number of half chances over the next fifteen minutes. Zimba and Easton were both substituted after a clash of heads before the hour, Easton on a stretcher, Zimba still on his feet. The quality of Wotherspoon restored our advantage firing high into the net after a deft flick over the defenders leg and minutes later a deflected strike from Alfie Stewart took the ball behind Adams to increase our lead. Inverness had turned the screw since the interval and were flooding forward and getting their rewards for it. Deep into stoppage time Alfie Bavidge added a fourth in the 99th minute when a slick ball from Billy Mckay saw him run into the box to drill home with pace, power and precision at the keepers near post. Four superb goals and three points. What's not to like!
FULL TIME: 4-1
 









That combination of results today sees Inverness hit the top of the table on matchday eight. Alloa and Kelty still have a game in hand though and surprisingly Hamilton Accies are the ones leading the chase with Stenhousemuir on the same points as them.
After a towsy first half, the floodgates opened as the hosts pressure paid off once they upped the work rate. Another two goals for Spoony and Alfie Stewart's have a go policy worked in his favour with the deflected strike. Good to see Alfie Bavidge get in on the act with his 99th minute goal. A superb ball through ball from Billy and a great finish by Bavidge.
Next up for Inverness on 4th October could be good indicator to see if we have the cajones to take this League by the scruff of the neck. It's a visit to take on Hamilton Accies at Broadwood Stadium. An early six-pointer if ever there was one with John Rankin's side defying their apparent lack of funding and still getting results,
Good reception for the linesman today. Hope he wasn't too upset and never let it bother him. Mr Ross was his name
Pos
Team
Pld
Gd
Pts
1
Inverness
8
13
16
2
Accies
8
9
14
3
Stenny
8
2
14
4
Alloa
7
1
12
5
Monty
8
-2
11
6
East Fife
8
-4
11
7
Queens
8
0
10
8
P'Head
8
-3
10
9
Kelty
7
-7
6
10
Cove
8
-9
2



Honest as ever, Dick is Sick as a Parrot 🦜

 
Date:  27/09/2025  Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 2316 Referee: Cameron Stirling
 
Inverness CT: 4
Manager: Scott Kellacher
Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod. Devine, Savage, MacIntyre, Longstaff (Alonge 90+6), Wotherspoon (B Mckay 90+6),
Chalmers, Stewart (Allan 82), Sole (MacKinnon 82), Zimba (Bavidge 58)
Subs (not used):  Ross; Strachan, Millen, Robertson
Scorers: Wotherspoon (17, 62), Stewart (65), Bavidge (90+9)
Booked: none
Sent Off: none
East Fife: 1
Manager: Dick Campbell
Lineup: Adams; McLeod (Newton 77), Munro, Easton (Bah 57), Peggie (Norey 77), Latona (Goss 46), Millar,
McManus, Culbert, McKenna, Austin 
Subs (not used): Rollo; Slattery, Jones, Nicol
Scorers: Austin (43)
Booked: none
Sent Off: none


By tm4tj in Reports 2025-26 ·

Inverness CT -V- East Fife - League1 - Preview

East Fife Four Forfar Five

Some 'headlines' are harder than others to forget, like SuperCaleygoBallistic.... It was only in his head, but it did eventually happen, sadly, after his death. The Scottish League Cup Group B tie between the sides went to penalties after a 1-1 draw. And the score in the shootout? East Fife 4 Forfar 5. Thanks to Eric Morecambe for that one. However, back to business. One of this seasons promoted sides, East Fife, come North on Saturday for a 3:00pm kick-off at the Caledonian SarensPSG Stadium. They have had a solid start to the season sitting in mid-table, and with Dick Campbell at the helm that's no surprise. It's fair to say he has had a tough paper round, but as a football manager he knows the game inside out, gaining seven promotions at five different clubs managing Brechin and Arbroath from Tier 4 up to Tier 2. Some might say he has had plenty practice, but there's a shrewd tactician in there somewhere and he certainly knows his way around the lower leagues where he has been very successful and always makes you work hard for the points.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Match/Ticket/Bus/Bar/Info
Hospitality
Nessie & Nessa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look who is at the helm of HMS SNECK as she sails into calmer waters having survived the tsunami's of the last few seasons. Great to see the wee happy smiles on the faces again. Billy and Kells also doing their best to grin having guided us through stormy waters to safety and security.


In the Pink at Palmerston with this squad last weekend and we came away with three well deserved points thanks to two tremendous goals from Chanka Zimba and a seventy yard (70) effort from Luis Longshot.
LEAGUE 1 RESULTS
Kelty 0-3 ICTFC
ICTFC 2-0 P'Head
ICTFC 1-2 Stenny
Mont 0-2 ICTFC
ICTFC 1-0 Alloa
Cove R 0-1 ICTFC
QofSth 0-2 ICTFC

Our 6-0 hammering of Dundee B in midweek will have given Scott Kellacher much food for thought as he selects his team for this weekend. Another swashbuckling performance with some stunning goals, none moreso than the Jordan Alonge mega rocket from around 28 yards, ooooft!
I'm not sure I've seen a better strike anywhere in all my puff. What a hit! Power, control and precision. Boom! That aside, we had a MotM performance from Adam MacKinnon and great to see Ross Millen back on the park. Paul Allan getting more minutes in the legs as well. All good here.
ℹ️ Matchday Info
🎟️ Tickets HERE
🚗 North & South Car Park Open
🛍️ Club Shop open from 10am - KO
🍺 Bar 94 open from 1200
🚍 Stagecoach Service Buses will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1245 and 1415. Buses return from the Stadium to the Bus Station 10 minutes after the full time whistle and at 1800.
Dick's squad for their last League1 fixture against Montrose. They lost a midweek KDM Trophy encounter away to Clyde having made changes with Rollo in goal and Newton and Bah replacing Easton and Peggie.
League1 Results
Head 4-1 E Fife
E Fife 0-1 Alloa
Accies 1-2 E Fife
E Fife 2-1 Kelty
Stenn 1-1 E Fife
E Fife 2-1 Queens
E Fife 1-1 Monty
Defender Andy Munro and forwards Nathan Austin and Bobby Jones have all scored twice in League1 this season. They have a pretty potent strike force of Nathan Austin, Michael McKenna and Tommy Goss though.
The clubs have only met 11 times with the Caley Jags winning 7, drawing twice and losing twice. The most recent fixture saw Inverness win 1-0 in November 2020. Played at an empty stadium during Covid. Inverness won the game but all credit to East Fife for making this a tough tie. It took a penalty save by Cammy Mackay in stoppage time to keep us ahead after Shane Sutherland had opened the scoring in the second half. We had Mackay to thank for a wonderful save in the first half as well and he was my MotM.

The Fifers, formed in 1903, were the first to win the Scottish League Cup three times and the first of only two sides from the second tier of the Scottish league system to win the Scottish Cup. This makes them the most successful club in Fife in terms of major honours won
Only six years after becoming members of the Scottish League, East Fife appeared in the 1927 Scottish Cup Final, which they lost 3–1 to Celtic at Hampden Park. The 1927 cup feat was surpassed just over a decade later when "The Fifers" won the 1937–38 Scottish Cup. The prestigious trophy was secured with a 4–2 win over Kilmarnock in the replayed final. The game was watched by a crowd of almost 92,000 spectators
Here we can see the fans arriving in their wee fishing boats to dock at the Stadium Port.
Club Song: The team's pre-game anthem is "Telstar" by The Tornados, named after the communications satellite launched in 1962. 
Picturesque Villages: The East Neuk is a popular tourist area with beautiful fishing villages, including St Monans, Pittenweem, Anstruther, and Crail. 
Pos
Team
Pld
Gd
Pts
1
Stenny
7
4
14
2
ICTFC
7
10
13
3
Alloa
6
2
12
4
Accies
7
7
11
5
E Fife
7
-1
11
6
QotS
7
1
10
7
Monty
7
-3
8
8
P'Head
7
-4
7
9
Kelty
6
-9
3
10
Cove
7
-7
2

By tm4tj in Previews 2025-26 ·

Inverness CT 6-0 Dundee B - KDM Trophy

Dundee B Hit for Six - KDM Trophy

Dundee threw in a couple of curve balls in the shape of first team squad players in keeper Kieran O'Hara and centre back Aaron Donnelly. Former Caley Jags loan player Charlie Reilly returned to the Caledonian Stadium for his first comeback game since injury. He looked lively when he played for us but his time here was cut short with a bad knee injury. First half goals from Mitchell Robertson, Jordan Alonge and Billy Mckay had Inverness in the driving seat at the interval. Charlie Reilly had smacked the bar in the best moment for the visitors. After the interval Paul Allan added a fourth and Alfie Bavidge knocked in a fifth with Sole the provider for both goals before he notched one for himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Billy Mckay had the first effort after four minutes but keeper Kieran O'Hara saved low down. Alfie Bavidge was blocked minutes later and Adam MacKinnon saw a shot tipped over after quarter of an hour. Plenty of home pressure and a goal was coming. And boom! It came through Mitchell Robertson from the resultant corner as he headed the hosts in front from Luis Longstaff's corner kick. Oosenburgh headed over as the Dee came forward and MacKinnon was keen to have a go minutes later and he was again denied by O'Hara from distance. Nothing the keeper could do when Jordan Alonge fired into the top corner midway through the half to make it 2-0. What a hit from Alonge! Bavidge went close to number three moments later, the ball going narrowly wide. Dundee had a couple of moments of their own with the excellent Charlie Reilly striking the bar with half an hour gone from long range and Logan Ross was called into action to deny Ashton Leiper. Eight minutes before the interval Billy Mckay added a third goal from inside the box.
HALF TIME: 3-0
Liam Sole replaced Longstaff at the break and as play resumed Mckay saw O'Hara brilliantly save low in the bottom right corner. Substitute Sole brought out another save from the keeper but he couldn't stop Paul Allan making it 4-0, firing high into the net, Sole with the assist. The substitutions started and Howett was denied by Logan Ross before Bavidge shot wide at the other end and Sole saw O'Hara keep out another effort. More subs for both sides into the final twenty minutes but the goals still came as Alfie Bavidge the fifth of the night from close range from another Sole assist. Sole himself ended the scoring with the sixth goal to keep us top of the table after four games.
FULL TIME: 6-0
 What can you say?
Not sure this experiment needs to be repeated but that's another doing for a B team. The bottom 8 places are occupied by B teams. 😮 You've got to feel for some of the B team youngsters getting thrown to the wolves. On the other hand, as mentioned, it's great to get game time for fringe and returning players
Robert on CTO picked out the positives: I’m enjoying the Challenge Cup as it is letting us see players who would otherwise get limited game time, and with a large squad that is valuable.
It’s letting Adam MacKinnon and Paul Allan, for example, get minutes in them after injury.
It was a routine win and could have been more but for several good saves by the Dundee goalie.
MacKinnon ran the show, especially in the second half. Alonge scored a goal of the season contender. Robertson again looked the part. Kerr and Sam Thompson did not look out of place after they came on.
Yes I’d rather see Highland League teams involved rather than B teams, but I cannot see the format changing.
However, win promotion and we go straight in at the last 32 stage and that has to be our aim.
So to sum up, a useful competition given the size of our squad, getting minutes into players and showing the competition we have for places in the league starting line up.
And it’s nice to see us top of the table!
IBM was happy: Another very good performance from all the team including those that have not had much game time and the two young subs that came on later! Good passing and movement and six good goals from different players! The only real chance Dundee had was rattling the bar in the first half. Well done to the management and all the team for a very good game to watch
Jordan Alonge




Date:  23/09/2025  Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: **** Referee: Daniel Graves 
 
Inverness CT: 6
Manager: Scott Kellacher
Lineup:  Ross; Millen, Robertson, Savage (Kerr 55), Strachan, Longstaff (Sole 46), Allan (Sam Thompson 55), Alonge, MacKinnon, B Mckay, Bavidge
Subs (not used):  Munro; MacLeod, Devine, MacIntyre, Chalmers, Zimba
Scorers: Robertson (15), Alonge (23), B Mckay (37), Allan (52), Bavidge (76)
Booked: none
Sent Off: none
Dundee 'B': 0
Manager: Scott Robertson
Lineup:  O'Hara; Baird (Scott 64), Browne (L Perrie 75), Crombie, Oosenbrugh, Donnelly,
Mitchell, Reilly (Howett 46), Bland (C Perrie 64), Rooney (Johnstone 75), Leiper
Subs (not used): Lynch; Boyd,
Scorers: none
Booked: Baird (22)
Sent Off: none

By tm4tj in Reports 2025-26 ·

Inverness CT -V- Dundee B - KDM Trophy

KDeeM Trophy Time

Dundee B are up North on Tuesday night at 7:45pm in the KDM Trophy group stages part of the event (pre knock out). The Challenge Cup is a bit of a convoluted competition this season with a thirty team group stages league competing for twenty-two places in the knockout stages. Once the Championship sides enter the event, that gives you a straight thirty-two team knockout competition. At the moment, after three games, Premiership 'B' teams fill 8 of the bottom 10 places which means as it stands only two Lower League teams would be eliminated after the League phase with only Celtic and St Mirren B teams progressing and only Annan Athletic and Stirling Albion dropping out. Inverness are one of four teams on maximum points midway through the league stages, the others being Stenhousemuir, Montrose and Edinburgh City.
The Caley Jags will be buoyed by their recent League form. Four wins on the trot, scoring six times and all clean sheets. Stirling Albion were the last team to score against us in the last KDM fixture at the beginning of the month, and it took a wonderful strike to hit the net. It all depends on what team we put out but also remember to keep some match winners on the bench just in case. Might be an opportunity to get Ross Millen, Paul Allan, Alfie Bavidge and Adam MacKinnon back up to speed as they continue their comebacks. I'm sure the likes of Mathew Strachan, Mitchell Robertson and Jordan Alonge will be itching to get a start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Caley Jags squad we had on duty against Stirling Albion in our last KDM Trophy fixture. Despite there being a fair spattering of first team regulars, we made extremely hard work in winning the points. It took a 94th minute direct from a corner kick strike by Liam Sole to clinch the winner after a great display by Stirling Albion keeper Robert Duffy.
The Binos had taken the lead with a tremendous strike by Ross Cunningham after half an hour. Chanka Zimba pulled us level five minutes later and that's how it stood until well into time added on when Sole produced the winner.
Bar 94 will be open and the matchday bus service will be operating for the Challenge Cup game against Dundee that kicks off at 1945 on Tuesday 23 September.
Bar 94 will open at 1730, with last orders at 1915 (the bar must be fully vacated by 1930). The bar reopens at full time.
A bus will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1900, returning from the Stadium 10 minutes after the full time whistle.
The bus fare is £2.70 single (contactless payments or cash accepted), and Over 60 / Disabled and Under 22 Concession passes are valid, giving free travel on the service to passholders.
Dundee B put this team together to face Forfar Athletic in their last fixture. After opening the scoring in the 18th minute through Finlay Allan, the Dee's young loons went down 4-1 to their hosts, the Forfar Loons.

21
ArabB
3
-2
3
22
Binos
3
-2
3
23
Annan
3
-3
1
24
Well B
3
-6
1
25
Gers B
3
-5
0
26
Jam B
3
-6
0
27
Killi B
3
-6
0
28
Don B
3
-7
0
29
Dee B
3
-7
0
30
Hibs B
3
-7
0
Position 21-30 will be eliminated
It's fair to say that the teams at the top end of the table have probably already secured their knock-out status although a couple of wins for the Arabs or Binos could lift them into contention.
Adults: £10, Concessions: £5 (Over 65s & Under 16s)
Buy tickets HERE
Tickets for this match available in the Main Stand only with Section Lower F available for Dundee B supporters.
Also available in-store from the Club Shop and over the phone during opening hours (Mon-Fri, 9.30am – 4pm)
Open on Matchday, 10am – KO.
Under 16s Tickets are not available online but are available in-store from the Sarens PSG Stadium or over the phone on 01463 222880 during office hours.




By tm4tj in Previews 2025-26 ·

Queen of the South 0-2 Inverness CT - League 1

Longstaff Longshot seals win

Scott Kellacher made two changes from last week with Bavidge and Mckay dropping to the bench and Chanka Zimba and Luis Longstaff coming in from the start. Queens had a sparse bench with only the five subs. It was a second airing for the new away strip and the visitors didn't have to wait long for the pink strip to open the scoring through Chanka Zimba in the 9th minute with a deft back heel flick. Thereafter it was Queens keeper Ross Stewart doing his utmost to stem the flow in a first half dominated by the Caley Jags, but with only one goal and five bookings, would we pay the penalty for not scoring more and picking up yellow cards instead? These two teams had started the day on ten points apiece and just in behind current table toppers Stenhousemuir. By half time, Inverness found themselves at the top. It took a 94th minute long range strike from Luis Longstaff to secure the points after keeper Stewart had come up for a corner only to find himself stranded as we scored on the break forward. Alas Stenhousemuir scored another couple to regain top spot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inverness were looking to come out of the blocks quick and the almost took the lead in the fourth minute after Liam Sole found Alfie Stewart outside the box. His well struck shot smacked the bar for what could have been a sensational start to the game. As it was we only had to wait another five minutes when Stewart fed Chanka Zimba for the big striker to flick into the bottom corner for the start we wanted. Keeper Ross Stewart had to look lively to keep out a Wotherspoon header from an acute angle off a Sole corner. All the early chances going the way of the visitors and the keeper denied Alfie Stewart as he cracked another one goalwards from outside the box, the keeper palming the effort to safety. Zimba was blocked as he tried to get another shot away. Looks like the shoot on site policy was working so far with Ross Stewart denying Alfie Stewart, Calum MacLeod and Zimba on the rebound. It's fair to say Ross Stewart has been the busier keeper in that first half with half a dozen saves and also tipped a Spoony effort over the bar. Guthrie went closest for Queens heading just over. The second busiest guy on the park was referee Chris Graham who booked four five Caley Jags players in a fifteen minute spell before the interval. That could come back to haunt us later in the game.
HALF TIME: 0-1
The second half started like the first with Alfie Stewart on a personal mission with another couple of efforts saved by the keeper with Devine and Sole also being thwarted by him. Ross Munro was eventually brought into action after nearly an hour of play as he tipped a Guthrie header onto the bar and over and at the other end a Luis Longstaff shot came off the bar and bounced off the back of the Queens keeper and then rolled onto the post before he grabbed it. (Keeper Stewart should buy a couple of lottery tickets tonight) Sole was denied by Stewart again. However, with Queens still within touching distance, they came out of their shell a bit and Liam Smith was blocked before Jack Hannah shot high and wide from distance. Stewart denied Alfie for about the fiftieth time with twenty minutes remaining, but there were signs that Queens fancied taking something from the game despite the stats being loaded in our favour. (15 on target to 0). Another Guthrie header cannoned off the bar after a Kai Kennedy free kick with Munro saving from Jack Stott on the line off the rebound. With five minutes left substitute Billy Mckay shot just wide of the post. In a dramatic ending and with MotM keeper Ross Stewart up for an injury time corner, Luis Longstaff sealed the points from ten yards inside his own half on the break after the corner was cleared, the ball landing inside the net on the third bounce. The drive home is much more enjoyable with three points in the bag...
Stenhousemuir came back to win 3-1 and that keeps them at the top of the table a point ahead of the Caley Jags closely followed by Alloa, Accies and East Fife who come North next week.
 FULL TIME: 0-2 
Well, on this occasion, the stats don't lie. 16 shots on target for the Caley Jags. What a performance with Queens keeper Ross Stewart making 14 saves. Outstanding performance by the visitors with the inclusion of Chanka Zimba and Luis Longstaff vindicated. Queens can have no complaints about the result, but a one goal lead is never enough going into time added on. What a dramatic ending with the keeper up for a corner trying to salvage a point and Luis Longstaff scoring from half a mile away!

















Pos
Team
Pld
Gd
Pts
1
Stenny
7
4
14
2
ICTFC
7
10
13
3
Alloa
6
2
12
4
Accies
7
7
11
5
E Fife
7
-1
11
6
Queens
7
1
10
7
Monty
7
-3
8
8
P Head
7
-4
7
9
Kelty
6
-9
3
10
Cove
7
-7
2


Date:  20/09/2025  Venue: Palmerston, Dumfries Attendance: 1114 Referee: Chris Graham 
 
Queen of the South: 0
Manager: Peter Murphy
Lineup:  Stewart; Hewitt, Douglas, Hannah, Charters, Johnstone, Stott (O'Donoghue 87),
Smith, Lyon, Kennedy, Guthrie
Subs (not used):  Green; Rogerson, McLinden, Gray
Scorers: none
Booked: Johnstone (51), Hewit (70)
Sent Off: none
Inverness CT: 2
Manager: Scott Kellacher
Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod, Devine, Savage, MacIntyre, Sole (B Mckay 80), Wotherspoon (Allan 77),
Chalmers, Longstaff, Stewart (MacKinnon 80), Zimba (Bavidge 71)
Subs (not used): Ross; Millen, Strachan, Robertson, Alonge
Scorers: Zimba (9), Longstaff (90+4)
Booked: Savage (31), Devine (37), MacLeod (41), Chalmers (41), MacIntyre (45+2)
Sent Off: none

By tm4tj in Reports 2025-26 ·

Queen of the South -V- Inverness CT - League1 - Preview

On the Road Again

As Willie Nelson once said: "We are on the road again" to arguably the toughest test of the season so far as we make the long trek to Dumfries to play Queen of the South, one of the clubs who will fancy their chances at making the play-offs at the very least. Often a difficult venue to try and extricate points from, Palmerston will host the game this Saturday with a 3:00pm kick off. Our last visit last season saw Admin Brooks take his anger out on us as we were pumped 4-1. I believe we are a different beast this season though and barring injuries we should have enough in the locker to come away with something as long as we stay focussed on the job in hand.
If you are needing cheered up, there's a comedy night at the stadium the night before the game at Dumfries. See details below
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Match/Ticket/Bus/Info
Car Park for Sale: Sold
KDM Trophy v DundeeB
Hospitality v East Fife
Comedy Night (This Friday)
⬇️ See Below ⬇️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tickets available here


It was the first outing of the new away strip last weekend and it was a successful outcome as thankfully the curse of Manager of the Month failed to materialise.
LEAGUE 1 RESULTS
Kelty 0-3 ICTFC
ICTFC 2-0 P'Head
ICTFC 1-2 Stenny
Mont 0-2 ICTFC
ICTFC 1-0 Alloa
Cove R 0-1 ICTFC
We came away with a hard fought 1-0 win over Cove Rangers at Balmoral Stadium thanks to a deflected second half strike from Calum MacLeod. That win pushed the Caley Jags up to second in the table behind the only team to beat us in the league, Stenhousemuir.
Despite picking up the three points, if I can nit-pick somewhat, we disappointed on our TV debut with a less than flattering but hard grafted display. Defensively we dealt reasonably well with Cove and racked up our fifth clean sheet, which has not gone unnoticed. The part that was less aesthetically pleasing was our inability to carve out as many clear opportunities as we should have. I know, I know, it's nit-picking of the highest order, but with the quality of our options on and off the park I was expecting more. Maybe it was the fake grass or the lack of atmosphere amongst the portacabins, but we looked lacklustre from early on. Could do with Alfie Bavidge getting his shooting boots on. Are we expecting too much of him after his explosive entry last season. I'm sure it will come, let's hope it starts on Saturday at Palmerston. Calum MacLeod has rightly been getting the recognition he deserves after taking stick in his opening adventures at right back. Good wing back displays from him recently and always willing to add to the attack on occasion. Great to see him get his reward with the winner at Cove. As they say, "you've got to be in it to win it" and although there was a deflection, he backed himself to get on the end of Spoony's lay off and three points it was.
Scott Kellacher has the usual script: "One or two struggling" So basically, that tells us nothing, therefore make your own team up for this one.

Queens went down last weekend at East Fife with this squad. Reece Lyon headed them level just before the interval but Nathan Austin hit a second half winner just after the restart.
LEAGUE 1 RESULTS
Cove R 0-2 Queens
Queens 1-4 Accies
Queens 4-0 Peterhead
Stenny 0-0 Queens
Queens 2-1 Kelty
East Fife 2-1 Queens
Kai Kennedy is still at Palmerston but Adam Brooks is now at Crusaders in Northern Ireland. Kurtis Guthrie and Reece Lyon have three League1 goals and Kai Kennedy has scored twice.
Peter Murphy was not a happy bunny after losing at East Fife hinting that they (QotS) deserved nothing from this game and simply did not turn up. I take it that that means they will have had their arses kicked and will be up for it this weekend
Home advantage was an indicator last season with both sides taking full points in their home games. The last meeting at the end of March last season saw Adam Brooks hit a second half brace after we had the temerity to go ahead midway through the first half. We ended up getting thrashed 4-1 Meh!
Saturday, March 29th, 2025, 3:00 PM at Palmerston Park, Dumfries. Attendance: 1,006
It was a miserable afternoon down South as the game kicked off and after the posturing was over, Ben Brannan put the first effort of the afternoon wide in the tenth minute. Alfie Stewart went even closer from distance. It had been a good opening twenty minutes from the visitors and after Keith Bray had a header saved Alfie Stewart scored into the bottom corner from inside the box. Perfect start from the Caley Jags but we were quickly pulled level when Jack Hannah headed high into the net from a Kai Kennedy ball into the box. That was Hannah's first goal for QotS. Bray had one chalked off for offside as Inverness responded to that setback but it was the hosts who were starting to look more threatening as half-time approached and Harry Cochrane went close after he latched onto a cross from the left but shot inches wide.
HALF TIME: 1-1
Shortly after the break Connal Ewan blocked a shot from Kennedy as the hosts went on the front foot. Cochrane went close again and a minute later Jordan Allan put Queens in front, slotting into the bottom corner after an assist from Admin Brooks. Alfie Stewart tried his luck from outside the box but his namesake in goal saved easily. Musa Dibaga saved from Taylor Charters after a quick counter attack with Kennedy providing the opportunity. With around twenty minutes left Admin Brooks stuck the knife in lashing home from a tight angle into the top corner. Game over, but not the scoring. Kennedy was chief tormentor winning a free kick from which Luissint went close to a fourth but for Dibaga keeping the ball out. It was a bit of backs to the wall in the final moments but Admin Brooks finished his vendetta against us with a fourth in the last minute, smashing in a powerful strike to end our day of pain in the rain.
FULL TIME: 4-1
Jack Hannah scored the equaliser five minutes after Alfie Stewart had opened the scoring for the visitors. Queens eventually routed the Caley Jags 4-1 with further goals from Jordan Allan and a brace from Admin Books. He really has it in for us and was a pain in the rain.
Table ahead of Saturdays fixtures







Formation: Queen of the South FC was formed in March 1919 from three existing Dumfries and Maxwelltown teams: Arrol-Johnston Car Company, Dumfries FC, and the 5th Kings Own Scottish Borderers. 
Another club, Dumfries Amateurs, said stuff that for a game of soldiers and declined the invitation to join and the other clubs agreed to the merger. Dumfries Amateurs dissolved in November 1920.
National League Competitions Division 2 – Champions 1950–51, 2001–02, 2012–13; Runners-up 1932–33, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1980–81, 1985–86
National Cup Competitions
Challenge Cup – Winners 2002–03, 2012–13;
Runners-up 1997–98, 2010–11
Scottish Qualifying Cup – Winners 1923–24
Scottish Cup – Runners-up 2007–08


Here's the League1 fixtures for this weekend
Some tasty fixtures that will affect the look of the table come 5:00pm on Saturday. It would of course be a big ask for all the games to align nicely again this weekend. Let's not forget that Alloa and Kelty have a catch-up game to play and that goes ahead on October 7th @ 19:45. With that in mind a Cove win this weekend would be much appreciated as would a win for Kelty. That said we need to do the business ourselves. Could Peterhead also do us a favour and take something away from Stenhousemuir.
Turning out to be a competitive League with every team capable of getting a result on the day. Back home next week after a fortnight on the road with East Fife up North. Looking forward to it already. E FIFE HOSPITALITY EVENT


By tm4tj in Previews 2025-26 ·

Cove Rangers 0-1 Inverness CT - League 1

Three Points on the Road

The Caley Jags were involved in the final game of the day in League1 which was being screened live on BBC Alba at 17:30. This was Cove's 200th game in the Leagues since they came into the SPFL set-up. Our brand spanking new pink kit got it's first airing today. Declan Glass and Michael Doyle being out was obviously a smokescreen as they both start today but Blair Yule and Aaron Darge are still missing. The Caley Jags started with Liam Sole, Alfie Bavidge and Billy Mckay up front with Ross Millen, Paul Allan and Adam MacKinnon on the bench. Also plenty of attacking options on standby. With most early results favourable for the Caley Jags, the opportunity was there to tuck in behind new leaders Stenhousemuir with Alloa and Queen of the south both losing.
A pretty grim first half of few opportunities with Bavidge making a hash of the best opportunity, skying a cross over the bar from ten yards. Calum MacLeod scored the only goal in a tense second half with a deflected strike and that was enough for the Caley Jags to move up to second place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 A bit of a cagey opening to the game with Cove content to give us the ball and watch us fail to make much headway. Alfie Stewart was the first to have a proper go after winning the ball in midfield and driving forward before firing a powerful left footer a yard wide. Although we dominated the early possession we only had a shot from Bavidge thereafter that was easily plucked out of the air by Robbie Mutch. Glass only lasted seventeen minutes before hobbling off to be replaced by Mylchreest. Alfie Bavidge missed a great opportunity minutes later when he blazed a low Calum MacLeod cross high over the bar when he really should have been making the keeper work. Cove had their closest effort from a set piece when a Jackson Mylchreest glancing header went a few feet wide with keeper Munro scrambling across his line to cover. To be honest the rest of the half was poor, lacking in quality and urgency and there really was nothing to see here.
HALF TIME: 0-0
Joe Chalmers curled an effort closer than the keeper anticipated methinks eight minutes after the restart. Either way, it was still wide with Cove also looking to be more of a threat this half already. Cove were unfortunate not to benefit from a ball ricocheting around inside our box following a corner. On the hour the changes came with the introduction of Zimba and Longstaff for Bavidge and Mckay who had been increasingly ineffective. The deadlock was broken when a great ball in by MacIntyre was fed out by Wotherspoon for Calum MacLeod to rifle a shot goalwards. It took a deflection off a defenders boot and ended up high into the net. Paul Allan replaced Wotherspoon for the final fifteen. Plenty of graft over the final minutes but not enough guile. Sole turned and shot with five minutes remaining but it was an easy gather by the keeper. Cove went up the other end and Ross Munro had to look lively to deny Lewis O'Donnell. Either side of the keeper and he might have been in trouble, fortunately it was straight down his throat. It all ended a bit frantic and we all held our breath when Danny Devine and David Eguaibor clashed in the box. The referee kept us all waiting before he eventually booked the big Cove striker.
 FULL TIME: 0-1
 Three in a row for the Caley Jags.
Once more, we seemed to make hard work of a simple task, but the three points stuck with us and with other results falling kindly we now sit second in the table.
We did just enough to get the win but the performance was disappointing. Maybe we were lulling the rest of League1 into a false sense of security.
Another difficult away game next week at a ground that we often struggle to take points away from. It's a visit to Palmerston to face Queen of the South who will be smarting after losing out to East Fife earlier today.
Great to see Liam Sole engaging with the fans as he left the field to be substituted. Not his best day on the park, but he knows how to keep the fans happy.
Calum MacLeod was TV MotM. 🏆

Pos
Team
Pld
Gd
Pts
1
Stenny
6
2
11
2
ICTFC
6
8
10
3
QueenS
6
3
10
4
E Fife
6
-1
10
5
Alloa
5
1
9
6
Acccies
6
3
8
7
Head
6
-2
7
8
Mo
6
-3
7
9
Kelty
5
-5
3
10
Cove
6
-6
2




 
Date:  13/09/2025  Venue: Balmoral Stadium, Cove Attendance: 0456 Referee: Alastair Grieve
 
Cove Rangers: 0
Manager: Paul Hartley
Lineup:  Mutch, Bisland, Strachan, J Eguaibor, Doyle, Harrington, Glass (Mylchreest 17),
D Eguaibor, O'Donnell, Megginson, Parker
Subs (not used):  Demus; Ochmanski, Donaldson, Milnes
Scorers: none
Booked: Mylchreest (22), Megginson (45), Parker (86), D Eguaibor (90+6)
Sent Off: none
Inverness CT: 1
Manager: Scott Kellacher
Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod, Devine, Savage, MacIntyre, Sole (MacKinnon 90+3), Chalmers,
Wotherspoon (Allan 75), Stewart, Bavidge (Longstaff 61), Mckay (Zimba 61)
Subs (not used): Ross; Millen, Strachan, Robertson, Alonge
Scorers: MacLeod (66)
Booked: Stewart (80), Sole (90+5)
Sent Off: none

By tm4tj in Reports 2025-26 ·

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