Dunc's Homecoming

 

It's Duncan Ferguson's first home game on Saturday against a team expected to be challenging at the top end of the table come the end of the season. Partick Thistle will be a stern test for Dunc's revitalised troops who have been re-energised by the new Gaffer's unexpected arrival at the Caledonian Stadium. He got off to a flier last weekend but the adrenaline started to wear off before the end of the game and Arbroath staged a comeback from 3-0 down before we held out for a 3-2 win on the road, our first success in this years Championship. It's a big ask to expect miracles against well established Championship challengers, but that's the task on Saturday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Match/Ticket Info

North of Scotland Cup v Nairn

Community development Summer report

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Last Time Out

Inverness earned their first three points of the season last week against Arbroath in a five goal nailbiter. Dunc's reign got off to a great start with an early goal from Luis Longstaff. It was added to before the break when Longstaff turned provider for Aaron Doran to thump home his low driven cross after half an hour. Billy Mckay lobbed keeper Gaston just after the break from a Mark Ridgers kick out. Route one is alive and kicking. Arbroath got a lifeline with a freak goal when a clearance rebounded off Ross Stewart and deftly chipped over the flailing keepers hands and into the net from eighteen yards. Meh! Michael McKenna reduced the leeway to one when he arrowed home aftrer a bit of pinball on the edge of the box. We dug deep though and withstood a late barrage to secure the win for a jubilant away support and an equally enthusiastic new manager.

Current Form last five games: L D L L W   That leaves Inverness bottom equal with Morton on four points. Our scoring record is poor with only 6 goals scored but despite the mistakes, we haveonly conceded 10.

Here's the goals from last week>>>

 

Partick Thistle recovered from a 3-0 defeat to Arbroath the previous week to thump Dunfermline 3-0. Scott Robinson scored in the first half before our old friend Brian Graham scored five minutes after the break. Kerr McInroy added a third. This game had a raft of opportunities for both sides but it was the Firhill side that had the cutting edge in front of goal.

Current Form last five games: W W W L W  Good start by Partick has them tucked in behind Dundee United & Raith Rovers in 3rd place with 13 points. Partick are top scorers in the league with 17 goals having conceded 9.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Latest Team News

Ferguson will be without the long term absentees (MacGregor & Nicolson) plus more recent victims in Sean Welsh, Danny Devine and Wallace Duffy. Awaiting further team news>>>

 

Partick Thistle

Kris Doolan XI v Dunfermline

Sneddon

 

Ngwenya   Muirhead   Neilson   Milne

 

McInroy   Robinson (Alston 79)   Bannigan (Williamson 79)

 

Lawless   Graham (Adeloye 67)   Fitzpatrick (McDonald 73)

 

Subs not used: Diack, McGinley, Alston, Stanway, McKenzie,  

 

One for the Diary>>>

 

***Game Changer***

Due to a weather warning this game versus East Fife will now be played at Millburn Academy, with a 12.30pm kick-off.

 

 

What a breath of fresh air listening to Ferguson's pre-match, especially how much he values and appreciates the fans.

If only our CEO and Chairman shared that view!

Nice job Don, always enjoy your pre-match posts - ta very much 👍

I hope the pitch will be ok with all the rain we don't want it cancelled. 

I’m looking forward to the game tomorrow and seeing how we approach the game.

It will be a tough one but one we can win.

I just hope the weather doesn’t make it a lottery or affect the attendance (the trains from the central belt are cancelled).

Let’s get behind Big Dunc and the players and help them get another three points. 

Any pitch inspection planned or risk of it being off? Heard there's no trains on northbound so issues for the Thistle fans

40 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

Any pitch inspection planned or risk of it being off? Heard there's no trains on northbound so issues for the Thistle fans

The train cancellations were announced yesterday due to the amber weather warning.

The club has just announced the game is on with no pitch inspection currently planned.

So far the game at Elgin is off with inspections planned at Dundee and Bonnyrigg.

Edited October 7, 20232 yr by Robert

According to the club a few minutes ago pitch is 100% playable right now. 

I find that hard to believe given the rain falling but that's what they are saying.

ℹ️Today’s match against Partick Thistle remains ON with no pitch inspection currently planned.

Given the forecast, the pitch which is 100% playable right now, will of course be monitored in the hours ahead of kick-off but no inspection is scheduled.

Cheers Don, but very surprising. Rain is due to ease early afternoon.

Testing stats page as we have big problems with it this week. Links to stats removed at the moment

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Let's go Dunc!!! 1. Dundee Utd 7 5 2 0 16 3 17 2. Raith Rovers 7 5 1 1 12 8 16 3. Partick Thistle 7 4 1 2 17 9 13 4. Arbroath 8 4 0 4 15 11 12 5. Airdrieonians 7 4 0 3 7 10 12 6. Dunfermline 7 3 2 2 9 8 11 7. Queens Park 8 3 0 5 11 19 9 8. Ayr United 7 2 0 5 9 16 6 9. Inverness CT 7 1 1 5 6 10 4 10. Morton 7 1 1 5 8 16 4

The pitch might be OK but you'll need an outboard motor to go in the car park 

Dunfermline v Arbroath OFF

 

I'd expect most of the central belt to postpone before we do, that's where the rain has been heaviest.

If the car park and stands will be waterlogged it could become a safety issue. 

 

Maybe thd club should transmit the camera  feed to season ticket supporters and visiting fans to limit issues...

Just back from stadium buying an extra ticket.

from the bridge saw a groundsman working on water on a home end corner of the 100% playable pitch.

girl in office said groundsman working on pitch all morning and there are no worries about the game

on way home rain now easing, only the occasional swipe of wiper blades

game on (hopefully)

36 minutes ago, Moogthurso said:

If the car park and stands will be waterlogged it could become a safety issue. 

 

Maybe thd club should transmit the camera  feed to season ticket supporters and visiting fans to limit issues...

You just need to wear your wellies  

Just listened to Dunc’s pre-match, as STFU said, a breath of fresh air! Loved his honesty about the task ahead. If the players buy into his way of working and thinking (no reason why they wouldn’t) then I feel we have a good chance of clawing our way out of this mess and up the table.

Pretty shite first half to be honest with chances at a premium. Partick started strongly but we grew into the game. However neither keeper troubled so far.

Looking forward to hearing how the second half went and how everyone faired. Holding Partick to a draw and keeping a clean sheet against them has to be a major step forward - we would never have managed that two weeks ago!

A far better team performance, we just need to find that killer pass in the final third. I thought we had the bulk of the second half without troubling their keeper too much. If we had 10 Billy Mckays, with the work rate he puts in, we'd be well up in the table, but I thought we had a few good performers, Longstaff, Carson, Anderson and Gilmour stood out for me as well. It's another point in the right direction, and carries on DF's unbeaten record. Talking of records, it was amusing to hear the team running out to the theme from Z cars, the same as Everton!

Echo the above much better as a team but still need cutting edge in the final third, too often the final ball was found lacking quality but elsewhere we matched up well.

A point is a decent result and means DUtd haven't increased their lead over us.

Yep. I,ll take that

On this evidence, Partick are not better than us.

Given the conditions, a decent enough game for a 0-0. We certainly merited the point and with better use of the ball we could even have got three.

It is good to finally get a clean sheet although Partick did create the better chances with Ridgers called into action a couple of times.

We had a big call for a penalty early in the second half but it wasn’t given. Otherwise I thought the referee did well, taking account of the conditions (when others would have booked Harper). Just a pity he didn’t book Graham for claiming a penalty after trying to dive to head the ball (which he missed) with none of our players close to him.

I hope Doran is not badly injured and it’s just a strain that clears up quickly.

Udjur strolled through the game and looks a real find. Gilmour is becoming more influential in the middle, whilst if Longstaff can find the final ball he will become a real player. As others have said, Mckay was the stand out player in our line up.

Our unbeaten run is up to 2 games and Ferguson was keen to acknowledge the fans again, both before and after the game.

Onwards and upwards!

 

Well done to all the boys. I thought that was a much better team performance.First half was scrappy and first 15 minutes we looked shaky,but second half we came in to our own and had some good touches with all getting pass marks.Only criticism  I would have is we should shoot on sight rather than try and pass the ball in.The team seems to have found some belief and have harnessed the passion guile and drive off big Dunc.At times we looked like Caley of old with some edge of the seat moments.Gone is hoof ball and great to see Dunc get the boys to push forward and have a high line,but get them all behind the ball when not in possession.Promising outlook.