Partick Thistle -V- Inverness CT - Preview
Another crucial game and this time a big six-pointer as we travel up Byres Road to take on Partick Thistle who still have two games in hand over us and only one point behind. Kick-off is on Friday night at 7:45pm and it's another TV game for us, live on BBC Scotland channel.
Match/Ticket/TV/Supporters Bus 07462218717
Venue Pld Won Drn Lst For Agst + / - Home 22 9 6 7 36 33 +3 Away 20 5 6 9 21 28 -7 Neutral 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 42 14 12 16 57 61 -4 Last 10 Competitive Meetings
3 - 3
(H)
0 - 0
(A)
3 - 1
(H)
1 - 3
(A)
1 - 3
(H)
2 - 1
(A)
1 - 2
(H)
1 - 0
(A)
3 - 2
(H)
1 - 1
(A) Partick hold a slim advantage overall in the head 2 heads, but over the last ten meetings Inverness have a very slight edge.
The first fixture this season resulted in a 3-1 win for Inverness back in September: After a difficult first half, Inverness ran out comfortable winners against Partick Thistle in a second half goal blitz. The visitors dominated the first forty-five and Scott Tiffoney drilled the opener out of nothing as the defence backed off. Manny Duku was denied by a combination of keeper and post but it was Partick that should have scored a second, however Mark Ridgers did well to deny Brian Graham. Harsh talking at the break saw Inverness come out for the second half with the bit between the teeth and Kirk Broadfoot was the unlikely hero as his twenty yard shot evaded the outstretched fingertips of the keeper to level the score. Shane Sutherland did well to drill in the second from an angle after the keeper fluffed his lines allowing Shane to slot in from twenty yards. The third was a peach as Duku stepped over the ball and Aaron Doran fired high into the net for a brilliant goal and game over. That's five wins out of five and the run goes on...
The second encounter was 0-0 draw at Firhill at the end of October: Partick Thistle survived to earn a point after the woodwork saved them twice and keeper Jamie Sneddon denied Sean Welsh from the spot after guessing the right way. Inverness were well on top but it's only a point which means Killie pull further away at the top. Performance of the day was from Arbroath who came from two down to beat Dunfermline Athletic 4-2.
The last meeting was at the beginning of February, a thrilling 3-3 draw: Partick Thistle struck early to add to our gloom through Brian Graham but Billy Mckay squared the game after twenty minutes with a close range finish from a Carson cross. Graham scored his second with a header soon after, Scott Tiffoney once again the provider and he almost scored one for himself but for a fine save from Ridgers. Shane Sutherland equalised just on the interval with a header from a McAlear corner. With twenty minutes left Deas conceded a stone wall penalty and Graham notched his hat-trick. Substitute Cammy Harper drove into the box but Sneddon blocked his shot and moments later Pearson appeared to hit the bar with an angled drive from twelve yards and Mckay rolled one past the post. We got the draw with the last head of the ball deep into stoppage time when Broadfoot headed in a cross from McAlear.
Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts 1. Arbroath 27 12 12 3 39 19 48 2. Kilmarnock 27 14 5 8 34 19 47 3. Inverness CT 27 10 10 7 35 26 40 4. Partick Thistle 25 10 9 6 38 24 39 5. Raith Rovers 27 9 12 6 34 30 39 6. Morton 27 7 10 10 30 35 31 7. Hamilton Ac. 27 7 10 10 29 41 31 8. Ayr United 27 7 8 12 25 40 29 9. Dunfermline 26 4 12 10 24 40 24 10. Q.O.S. 26 5 8 13 26 40 23 It's getting very tight at the top of the table as the business end of the season gets into full swing. There's a very fine line between remaining in the play off places or dropping into the middle of the table. It's almost as if nobody wants the automatic promotion spot as the top five clubs draw their way towards promotion, not one team taking the bull by the horns, which is just as well as we are on a ten match run without a win, probably the biggest losers in the top five which will drop us out of contention soon if we don't stop the rot.
Saturday Fixtures all 3:00pm
Arbroath v Dunfermline
Killie v Accies
Queens v Morton
Rovers v Ayr Utd
Partick are also back in action against Queen of the South on Tuesday night at Firhill.
Last Time Out
Inverness drew with a resurgent Hamilton Accies last Friday in an entertaining draw at The Fountain of Youth. Whilst our first two defeats were poor results, given the context of this encounter it could be seen as a decent point away from home had we not been on a run of ten games without a win. Anyway, 1-1 it finished with Josh Mullin arrowing a strike high into the net for Accies and Sam Pearson opening his account for the Caley Jags.
Partick were in action in midweek and came from behind to get a point at Gayfield against League Leaders Arbroath. An early strike from Colin Hamilton was not enough for Arbroath as Partick levelled through Ciaran McKenna on the hour.
Latest Team News
Billy Dodds has the usual suspects out injured plus two or three isolating/covid and Roddy MacGregor abducted by an Alien. Official Preview might reveal all, but somehow I doubt it. I see that Roddy's name made the official preview this week. That's a start I suppose
Don't know about the Partick players, but I understand their pitch is on the treatment table!
Eric the Stat has this info on Parick since the January sales:
Outgoings
Harry Stone - Goalkeeper recalled to parent club Hearts in the window and subsequently loaned out to Albion Rovers FC
Shea Gordon - The central midfield player is on loan to Queen of the South for the rest of the season.
Jake Hastie - Attacking Left Wing from Rangers FC recalled and now on loan to Linfield FC.
Zak Rudden - The 22 year old Centre Forward is on loan to Dundee FC and is expected to have a permanent move to Dens Park this summer.
Incoming Players
Andy Firth - A goalkeeper who rose through the Liverpool FC U18, U21 and U23 system, was transferred to Rangers in 2019, now on loan at Firhill until end of season.
Robbie Crawford - The Globetrotting versatile Midfield player has transferred to Partick from Motherwell FC.
Kyle McAllister - An Attacking Right Winger on loan from St Mirren until the end of this season.
Alex Jakubiak - The Centre Forward is on loan from Dundee FC where he has suffered a number of injuries since joining in August 2020, including a thigh tendon in a game against ICT. (Jakubiak was injured once again in bizarre fashion, suffering a dislocated shoulder during an altercation at a Dundee nightclub..... allegedly)
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tm4tj in Previews 2021-22 ·
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