Deja View at Ochilview

The hosts had a sparse bench and had re-loaned young keeper Colbi McQuarie back from Motherwell ahead of this clash. Gary Naysmith had a seasoned starting XI though with the dangerous Matty Aitken and Ross Taylor, their matchwinners last time in the Highlands, present again today and Man of the Match back in August Darren Jamieson in goal. Scott Kellacher started with our midweek four goal striker Alfie Bavidge up front with Zimba & B Mckay in reserve. Calum MacLeod kept Ross Millen on the bench and Robertson kept the very impressive Oscar MacIntyre out of the starting XI. Much of the Inverness success this season has been built on the solid foundation of our defence who have only conceded nine League goals this season.

They did us again! The Warriors were looking to close the six point gap on the leaders who face another treacherous away game next week at the Montrose swimming pool. They achieved their goal in another frustrating day for the visitors and are now just three points off the pace. No scoring in a drab first half with Inverness slowly warming to the task. Much of the same after the interval before the hosts opened the scoring through Olly Whyte to breech our defence for the first time in yonks. Despite Warrior Leyton Grant having an early bath after 86 minutes, that's how it remained.

A not so Merry Xmas 🎅

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After a minutes silence observed in memory of former Warrior Bobby Tasker the game got underway. The host were fired up for this one and forced a series of corners in the opening minutes but the game lapsed into a midfield battle with little goalmouth action in the opening quarter of the game although Inverness did manage a couple of corners of their own and from a well worked routine, Paul Allan's shot was deflected over. The most interesting thing so far was a booking for Danny Devine in the 26th minute. Just before the half hour Ross Taylor got through the defence and shot on target but Ross Munro saved low. With half time approaching, Calum MacLeod's shot was saved a fell to Liam Sole but he shot wide when it was maybe easier to score. The pressure was beginning to mount on the home goal and Adam MacKinnon saw an effort blocked and Mitchell Robertson headed over before the half time whistle blew.

 HALF TIME: 0-0

 Munro was called into action two minutes into the half to save from Michael Anderson as he shot from outside the box, but chances were still hard to come by and on the hour Sole missed the target after a quick burst forward and Wotherspoon shot over from an acute angle. Stenhousemuir opened the scoring in the 65th minute when Olly Whyte slid a Matty Aitken cross into the box behind Munro. Paul Allan hit the bar off a whipped in free kick with twenty minutes left as Billy Mckay entered the park. MacLeod was thwarted by Jamieson in the top corner with ten minutes left, the keeper tipping his effort over. Leyton Grant, who had been booked in the first half got his marching orders five minutes from the end when he received a second yellow, apparently he was to be subbed but refused to leave at the nearest point. Alfie Stewart missed the target as the game slipped away from the Caley Jags and desperation set in as Remi Savage fired one over in the 90th minute. A big missed opportunity right at the end with Bavidge unable to get onto the ball and that was that. Massive disappointment at Ochilview! The stats will show that we were dominant. However we have been caught out again by a resilient Stenhousemuir.

Not as Merry a Xmas as it could have been, meh!

 FULL TIME: 1-0

It's all very well putting nine past Dumbarton, but it's these games that will define our season. 

With Chanka Zimba carrying a knock he was not risked until the last few minutes. That might have made a difference here in a rough and tumble game.

We did dominate possession:

• 67%-33% possession

• 14-3 attempts

• 9-3 corners

• Unfortunately, stats don't win games

On CTO Yngwie pulled no punches: We dominated possession from start to finish but couldn’t create clear chances, lacked sharpness and soon ran out of ideas. We could’ve played all night and wouldn't have scored. Even in the last 10 minutes against 10 men we had little to offer in the final third except the same predictable stuff we’d been doing all match. Stenny were organised but did nothing special and all they had to do was do the basics well to keep us at bay. So we didn’t do enough to win but shouldn’t have lost either. The soft goal we conceded was a rare foray from them into our box, and I think the defending and goalkeeping should have been better as they fired the ball through the keeper from a tight angle. Today was so disappointing after our recent good form and attacking prowess.

Full highlights from Stenhousemuir

No Listen! 👂

Gary Naysmith

Date:  20/12/2025  Venue: Ochilview Park Attendance: 0663 Referee: Lloyd Wilson 
 
Stenhousemuir: 1

• Manager: Gary Naysmith

• Lineup:  Jamieson; Meechan, Buchanan, Graham, Bilham, Grant, Ewen, Anderson,

• Whyte, Taylor (Cameron 62), Aitken (McGill 88)

• Subs (not used):  McQuarrie; Simpson

• Scorers: Whyte (65)

• Booked: Grant (39, 84), Taylor (55), Graham (60), Aitken (79)

• Sent Off: Grant (84)

Inverness CT: 0

• Manager: Scott Kellacher

• Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod (Millen 78), Devine, Savage, Robertson, Sole (B Mckay 71),

• Allan, Chalmers (Zimba 78), MacKinnon (Stewart 62), Wotherspoon (Longstaff 62) Bavidge,

• Subs (not used): Ross; S Thompson, MacIntyre, Alonge

• Scorers: none

• Booked: Devine (26)

• Sent Off: none