Season hanging by a thread.

GAME POSTPONED

 

Should Nicola Sturgeon not shut down all sport in the aftermath of the ill advised and infamous Dubai debacle, then Raith Rovers should host Inverness on Saturday 16th January 2021 @15:00. As it stands, all football below Championship level in Scotland has been put on hold and all Scottish Cup games postponed until after the weekend of January 30/31st. If the Cup games do return to action, an eagerly awaited potential Highland derby could materialise should we first see off Buckie Thistle in a twice postponed tie. Anyway, frozen out in more ways than one at the moment.

It barely seems justified or acceptable that I should be writing about a bunch of guys kicking a bag of wind around a frozen park in the middle of winter, but I suppose we need something to take our minds off the ongoing battle against coronavirus that has brought this and other countries to it's knees. We are not alone in this struggle, it's threatening the very existence of mankind so let's all try and do our bit to get back to some form of normality and do as we are asked. In the darkest days on this planet, world wars saw millions of people asked to got out and save our country by fighting the enemy, lying in muddy trenches, frozen, soaking and terrified, going to foreign lands, being apart from our families and the ones we love. Today, we are being asked to stay inside our own houses and wash our hands with soap and water. It's a small sacrifice, but one that is just as important as the previous battles that have killed millions around the world. I hope we can all help and ease the burdens on our Doctors, nurses, NHS, essential retailers and workers who are keeping the country going. So, over to you and let's beat the enemy you can't see.

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Live Streaming from Raith TV

Official Preview (when available)

ICTFC Tribute to Ian Broadfoot

Donation in memory of Ian Broadfoot

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Our last game was on 29th December when we drew 1-1 with Dunfermline in the Highlands. A stunning second half goal from Miles Storey cancelled out a first half strike from Kyle Turner. That endeth the scoring in a game both managers felt they deserved to win. Our previous game was on 19th December when we slumped 2-1 at Alloa having taken an early lead through the much maligned Brad Mckay. However a thumping free kick from Innes Murray and a gaffe from Mark Ridgers gifted the points to the Wasps as we simply crumbled. So, only one game in a month after the cup ties against Buckie Thistle were postponed firstly for a frozen pitch then the covid19 shutdown.

Rovers see-saw season continues. High scoring yet also producing some stunning reverses. On boxing day they went to Alloa and came away with a 5-2 victory at what has been a difficult place for Inverness to pick up points. That game ended with a flurry of goals (Duku (17), Armstrong (33), Lokotsch (84), Ross (90, 90+3). Buchanan scored a brace for Alloa (75 & 89 pen). They followed that up with a surprising 2-0 home defeat by Queen of the South. The only certainty in the Championship is that there are no certainties, think Dundee 3-1 Hearts.

We have played Raith twice already this season. A topsy turvy League Cup encounter at Stark's Park ended 3-3 with Raith taking the 'bonus' win after a penalty shoot-out. Back in November, we entertained Raith at the Caledonian Stadium in front of a covid restricted '300' fans. It was an excellent performance and James Keatings and Scott Allardice were the men that did the damage in what turned out to be a comfortable 2-0 win.

Our record against Rovers has been tremendous over the years. Our last defeat was over twenty years ago when an understrength side went down 2-1 at the Caledonian Stadium. Fittingly, Ian Broadfoot was our reporter at the game on 28th October 2000. Here is his report: Injury-hit Caley Thistle lost this game because of a poor first half display. Despite this they nearly took the lead in 13 minutes when a David Bagan shot was blocked by Greig McCulloch and spun over the bar. Raith scored first in 16 minutes when Jim Calder failed to hold a Shaun Dennis cross and Jay Stein hit home the loose ball from six yards. In 21 minutes a poor headed clearance by Stuart McCaffrey was picked up by Andrew Clark and he set up Ivan Mballa and the Frenchman slammed the ball into the net from 12 yards. ICT had a penalty claim turned down in 38 minutes when Charlie Christie was brought down by Paul Browne. After the break the home side improved but Guido Van de Kamp denied them on several occasions. Paul Sheerin pulled one back in 79 minutes when he netted from close range after a good cut back by Roy McBain. Four minutes later Sheerin watched in frustration as Van de Kamp saved his low shot. As time ran out he came close twice more but Raith held on to win.

Match report written by Ian Broadfoot

Inverness would finish fourth that season with Raith ending up seventh.

Last ten meetings between the clubs

2 - 0 (H)

3 - 3 (A)

4 - 1 (H)

2 - 1 (H)

1 - 0 (H)

4 - 3 (H)

4 - 0 (A)

1 - 0 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

1 - 0 (A)

This time round, it will no doubt become known as the Kai Kennedy derby. The loan arrangers at Rangers have loaned the Ranger out to Raith Rovers after his loan spell at the Caledonian Stadium ended in January. He will be a huge miss to us with Aaron Doran having received a bang on the head and an enforced lay off because of it. Lewis Toshney and Kevin McHattie are out for around another month, but David Carson could be ready for a place on the bench.

***Latest Team News***

Wallace Duffy is set to return to action and Daniel Mackay and Nikolay Todorov are in pole position for a first XI start. Brad Mckay is available for selection as his suspension was only covering Scottish Cup games. Danny Devine took a knock at the end of the Dunfermline game but should be good to go for this one.

Assistant manager Paul Smith is still in charge and Manny Duku is still banging in the goals, and along with Kai Kennedy and Ethan Ross they will be a handful for our defence. At the back, Mendy, Benedictus and Musonda are immovable objects so expect a tough day for our front men. Maybe Todorov will get the nod to combat the height of the Rovers defence.

***Even Later News***

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have a new Board

 

More to follow......

Raith Rovers apparently have an outbreak of COVID in the squad and are asking for a postponement.

https://www.raithrovers.net/46224/club-update-covid-19.htm

Not looking good for the Kai Kennedy Derby...

I thought it has been very quiet from both camps this week. Lack of official info all round.

 

7 hours ago, tm4tj said:

I thought it has been very quiet from both camps this week. Lack of official info all round.

Nothing on our club's website.

I have a feeling that there is a full shutdown coming as cases amongst players /coaching /backroom staff and requests to postpone due to Covid are becoming more frequent.

12 hours ago, Row S said:

Nothing on our club's website.

I have a feeling that there is a full shutdown coming as cases amongst players /coaching /backroom staff and requests to postpone due to Covid are becoming more frequent.

Well, that, or they're keeping to their age old tradition of keeping radio silence until the last minute...

At the minute there isn't a lot to update anyone on. The game may be on, it may be off. We don't know. Until Raith Rovers get some kind of steer from the SPFL I suspect we won't hear a thing from ICT.

And it’s not as if fans will be inconvenienced by travelling for a game that is called off.

Once we know if it is on, all we need to decide is whether to buy the live stream or not. 

Just had a look at the Raith Rovers website and there is no update to what was there yesterday. Given it is now after 1600, hopefully that means the game will go ahead. 

That's the match off.

What's that, 5 weeks since we last played?

There's going to have to be a rethink on keeping Championship games going, and probably best to just have a circuit break for all sports - tm4tj has really put it into perspective in the opening post.

Paul Lambert was on Look East news at lunchtime as he's just returned to work after being off for 4 weeks after catching the virus. He's still not fully recovered and has added his voice to those calling for a halt to protect players, staff and their families.

I don't think that the Championship should be suspended.

It may be harsh, we are living in strange and difficult times but if a club has an outbreak it is almost certainly because someone has breached the rules somewhere.

In these circumstances, if the club have at least 14 players Covid free then they should be obliged to play. If not, the match should be forfeited 3-0 to the opposition.

That way, the league can be played out and there is a huge additional incentive for players and other staff to rigorously adhere to the rules which will also have a general knock on effect to the prevalence in their local communities.

Absolute farce and more fixture congestion. 

1 hour ago, Jack Waddington said:

What's that, 5 weeks since we last played?

Dunfermline at home on 29 December was our last game. We have had postponements on four successive Saturdays now along with Tuesday evening. 

1 hour ago, Kingsmills said:

 

It may be harsh, we are living in strange and difficult times but if a club has an outbreak it is almost certainly because someone has breached the rules somewhere.

In these circumstances, if the club have at least 14 players Covid free then they should be obliged to play. If not, the match should be forfeited 3-0 to the opposition.

I agree if it is clear that a breach occurred, and there is to be an investigation into the circumstances:

https://spfl.co.uk/news/raith-rovers-v-ict-postponed

However, with this strain being more virulent and transmissible, we can’t assume that anyone in football who catches it has breached the rules. Wales are saying it is spreading within Supermarkets (and we know there have been cases in two Tesco stores here recently) so are club officials and players not allowed in shops?

We have just had two coaches and an official self isolating. Those affected at Raith could well also be innocent victims of the virus.

I see that Kilmarnock and St Mirren have won their appeals over 3-0 defeats being awarded after alleged breaches. 

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by Robert

Hmm, what to watch tomorrow then? C(o)unty v Dons looks interesting. Or not. Think I’ll go for “not”.

We could drop to 8th tomorrow as Queen of the South are at home to Arbroath. 

20 hours ago, Robert said:

We could drop to 8th tomorrow as Queen of the South are at home to Arbroath. 

Arbroath have just scored 2 in 3 minutes when it looked like Queens were cruising at 2-0.