Down The Pub

Tight as a ducks erse: This crucial game ended in stalemate as did the entire Championship fixture list. In a tight first half both keepers had saves to make with Ridgers probably the busier. Queens opened the scoring on the hour when the defence allowed Fitzpatrick to run forty yards unchallenged to fire high past Ridgers. Toddy levelled minutes later from a Storey cross, heading down into the bottom corner for his tenth goal this season. No further scoring with Inverness finishing the game on top but unable to get the winner.

Can we be King of Queens? Down to the nitty gritty now and another crucial game ahead as we travel to Palmerston Park Dumfries for what is the start of the proverbial six-pointers with only four games left in the Championship. Queens on Saturday at 3:00pm, our sixth away game out of the last seven, then Dundee (H), Hearts (A), Ayr United (H). It's a difficult closing run to the season when you consider our immediate target, Dunfermline, close out the season against bottom teams Arbroath and Alloa. As the table stands, we are only three points ahead of Queens going in to this game and they still have a game in hand.

HOT TODDY SCORES A PEACH: This crucial week kicked off at Cappielow and despite the condition of the pitch Inverness managed to score twice in the first half. We benefitted from what looked like an infringement for a pass back seven minutes before the break. Scott Allardice lashed the ball high into the net after much confusion and two minutes later Nikolay Todorov turned in the box to lash the ball into the net after some defensive bloopers. Two up at the break but the next goal could be important and it was Muirhead that gave Morton some hope. However Todorov superbly volleyed home after chesting down the ball to restore our two goal cushion and Danny Mackay scored a tremendous fourth with a curling shot from the edge of the box. Back up to third for Inverness with Dundee also winning at Ayr.

Big week starts tonight: The race for a play-off place is entering the final laps now with just five games left for the Caley Jags to try and overhaul one of the clubs above us in the table. Off to Greenock on Tuesday night for a 7:00pm start to face Morton who beat us in Inverness last time we met. In reality, the best we can hope for is overhauling one team before the end of the season and take our chances against the rest if we make the play-offs. Our next two games will shape our season and are crucial to our success this campaign. Away to Morton followed by a trip to face Queen of the South at Palmerston. Aye, there are no easy games left, it's then Dundee at home, Hearts away and our final game is a home tie with Ayr United.

Unfortunately no fans were allowed in for the first Highland derby since April 2019 when County beat Inverness 2-1. This time round Inverness demolished County with a clinical display of finishing to come from behind and win the tie 3-1. It was a dour first half that sprung to life after thirty eight minutes when former Caley Jags favourite Billy Mckay scored with a close range header after a corner had been flicked on. It took Inverness less than a minute to respond when Nikolay Todorov lashed the ball home following a free kick. In truth the game needed the goals as it had been a war of attrition prior to these strikes. County upped the pace in the second half but it's easy to see where their problems lie, a lack of a cutting edge and poor defending would cost them. In the fifty-fourth minute Dan Mackay burst forward on the left, ducked inside two defenders before finishing with aplomb. The best County could offer was a header wide by Jordan White as Inverness continued to look like the team in the top division. The icing on the cake was complete when substitute Shane Sutherland turned in the box to drive home as County failed to clear their lines. Best chance for County was a late scramble in the box but we're getting used to them now and cleared the ball much to the chagrin of the wee team over the bridge.