Smokies for Xmas

 

After our midweek demise at Cappielow, this game takes on a more meaningful role as we languish just four points off the bottom but have played a game more than Arbroath. A rude awakening brought Big Dunc's revolution to a grinding halt against Morton as we struggled to gain a foothold in a towsy encounter on a midden of a pitch. Dunc acknowleged we underperformed and the fans will be looking for an upturn in fortunes at home to Jim McIntyre's Arbroath after Dick got the seven year itch.

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Match/Ticket Info

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Venue H2H v Arbroath

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	24	17	4	3	59	19	+40
Away	24	11	6	7	35	29	+6
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	48	28	10	10	94	48	+46

First meeting this season was Duncs first game in charge:  The fans were looking forward to this one with a mixture of fear, trepidation, apprehension, pessimism, optimism and excitement in equal proportions.  Dunc has certainly got the fans talking again and there's a feelgood factor lurking just round the corner. Rome wasn't built in a day, however Ferguson was not the foreman. Time will tell if this will be a successful appointment, but he has the full backing of the fans at the moment. Arbroath were off the back of a four game winning run. We were on downward spiral since the start of the season, the reason why Dunc is here now. As it happened, we escaped with all three points...

 

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Arbroath

3 - 2 (A)

2 - 4 (A)

2 - 0 (H)

4 - 1 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

0 - 0 (A)

0 - 0 (A)

0 - 0 (H)

3 - 0 (H)

0 - 0 (A)

Dunc's reign of apprehension got off to a promising start at Gayfield as Inverness opened the scoring in the tenth minute through Luis Longstaff who scrambled the ball into the net after a Nikola Ujdur header was not dealt with by keeper Gaston. Longstaff then turned provider as Aaron Doran turned his driven cross into the net after half an hour. Other chances came and went: Nathan Shaw not catching his shot plumb from the edge of the box making it comfortable for Gaston to flop on the ball and save and Billy Mckay not making the most of a great break forward, his low shot a bit of a dolly for the keeper to block. HALF TIME 0-2

Billy Mckay added a third just after the interval lobbing Gaston perfectly with an assist from his own keeper Mark Ridgers. At 3-0 Shaw again might have done better when one on one with Gaston but he chose the wrong option and took himself too wide and the chance was gone. Arbroath came back into it with strikes from Ross Stewart and Michael McKenna to set up a grandstand finish. Stewart's goal was as massive a fluke as you will see. Ujdur attempted to thunder the ball clear on the edge of his own box. Unfortunately Stewart anticipated this and turned his back on the defender expecting him and ball to go flying forward. Alas it looks like it cannoned off his arse and it floated over the despairing flail of Mark Ridgers and into the net. Unbelievable, you couldn't write it, however, I just did. McKenna's goal favoured the hosts as it bobbled off a couple of bodies before he despatched it behind Ridgers off his near post with a tidy finish. With much biting of fingernails, Dunc got off to a winning start after a lengthy period of time added on and that means that we are no longer bottom of the table (just). Phew! FULL TIME: 2-3

Last Time Out

Big Duncs Revolution came unstuck at a sticky Cappielow in midweek as we dished out Xmas presents early. Defensive sloppiness gifted George Oakley an opportunity which he gleefully accepted as he lobbed Ridgers with aplomb after twenty minutes. We struggled to string many passes together which saw us struggle to create much. The second half we were non existant for long spells as Morton were in our faces most of the half. No surprise when Jack Baird hammered in from six yards as we made the schoolboy error of chasing the ball leaving him in acres of space at the far post to kill the game. We did get a minor consolation with a close range header through Adam Brooks, but overall we were not really up for the battle as much as Morton were.

Last Five: W D L W L 

 

Late goal specialists Raith Rovers conjured a 95th-minute winner to move top of the Scottish Championship and leave Arbroath stuck at the bottom. Aiden Connolly had the visitors in front on 19 minutes, pouncing after Sam Stanton's header was blocked. However, Arbroath levelled soon after with a Jermaine Hylton penalty after Liam Dick fouled Leighton McIntosh. Just as the hosts looked set to rise off the bottom with their first point in seven games, Lewis Vaughan struck. The striker sent a stunning finish into the top corner with the last kick of the game to seal a fourth straight league win and put Raith two points above Dundee United having played a game more. (This report from BBC Sport)

Last five: L L L L L 

 

Big game at Tannadice as Raith Rovers visit Dundee United on Saturday

With Arbroath losing to Raith Rovers in midweek, they are still rooted to the foot of the table on 12 points but they have a game in hand over Inverness on 16 points. We blew the chance to open up a more comfortable gap on the teams below and defeat on Saturday would put us right back into the mix for relegation.

The other two teams below Inverness also meet each other on Saturday and that's another one to keep an eye on.

Any team that can put a three or four game winning streak together will do themselves a masive favour.

Latest Team News

Dunc should be back in the dugout this weekend after his misdemeanours. Roddy MacGregor made the squad at Cappielow but was an unused sub. Wallace Duffy missed that one with a calf injury. Long term absentees still missing are Nicolson, Samuels and Doran.

 

Jim McIntyre is the new manager at Arbroath after Dick Campbells reign came to an end after seven years. Must have been itchy.

 

Smokies line up v Rovers in midweek

Gaston

 

Stewart   Steele   O'Brien   Hamilton

 

McIntosh   Gold   Jacobs (Norey 68)   Slater (Lyon 85)   Hylton

 

Bird (Dünnwald-Turan 78)

 

Subs not used: Adams: Stowe.

 

Just to keep @Moogthurso happy, I'd not be upset if we offloaded the CEO to free up money for players.

1 hour ago, STFU said:

Just to keep @Moogthurso happy, I'd not be upset if we offloaded the CEO to free up money for players.

I think majority of fans would be elated if the club got rid of our ceo . Total waste of money and as unpopular as they come .

Crikey, even when I was driving down A9 past the stadium in the first half, a quick glance told me Arbroath were on top!

I’ve a few beers inside me after being at (excellent) hospitality due to the kind generosity of my previous employers, so my views may be a bit inebriated.

I thought we shaded the first half and didn’t deserve to be behind at the break. The tactical change at half time should have put us on the front foot but we were dismal in the second half and didn’t trouble Arbroath. They didn’t even need to resort to time wasting and play acting to run the clock down.

Billy Mckay spoke after the game and told it as it was. We should have gone in 1-1 at the break but we didn’t kick on after half time.

That’s 3 points out of 12 so our battle is at the bottom of the table now rather than the top, and every point is a prisoner. 

Edited December 16, 20232 yr by Robert

Why did we have 3 in central defence in the first half?

Harper and Davidson were not 'up the pitch' enough to make it beneficial. 

This was Arbroath. That confused me? Did they get in each other's way. The defence didn't look comfortable with that set up. 

I think the attitude of 'we expect 6 points from the next two games' permeated the club after Hampden. They were made to look like easy games. Add in the fact that new trialists are being looked at and you can see uncertainty in forming a solid group. Shape wise yesterday was highlighted with potentially 5 main defenders until Nikola was withdrawn. Sending on three attacking subs at full time to salvage something in added time seemed optimistic.  Gaston worked the referee to perfection adding to the overall headache. Partick Thistle away next Saturday should be fun.

2 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

I think the attitude of 'we expect 6 points from the next two games' permeated the club after Hampden. They were made to look like easy games. Add in the fact that new trialists are being looked at and you can see uncertainty in forming a solid group. Shape wise yesterday was highlighted with potentially 5 main defenders until Nikola was withdrawn. Sending on three attacking subs at full time to salvage something in added time seemed optimistic.  Gaston worked the referee to perfection adding to the overall headache. Partick Thistle away next Saturday should be fun.

This.....

The defence has looked fragile all this season including when we've won. Devine for example doesn't suit this passing game. 

Referee was a pedant and Gaston took full advantage. At one point he got a free kick after being fouled by her own player! 

4 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

This.....

The defence has looked fragile all this season including when we've won. Devine for example doesn't suit this passing game. 

Referee was a pedant and Gaston took full advantage. At one point he got a free kick after being fouled by her own player! 

That was a howler and from the North stand we saw plenty of these. Saying that Arbroath's second goal was the worst !

 

 

 

Pretty sad end to the game, First half we played pretty well and missed some chances where players made the wrong choice ( Harper and Shaw ) had we taken them the outcome would have been very different. The second half was so flat as there didn't seem to be as much energy as the first half?

Losing a soft goal from a deflection into the box where their player reacted a lot quicker than our defenders was a blow, Davidson i'm afraid was pretty poor and he looked more and more nervous as the game went on, Whether it's a lack of game time or that he's just shyte I don't know.

We sure missed Carson, and if Welsh was available by some strange occurrence i'm sure we would have more control in midfield, And Gilmore ain't no Allardice.

The Ref is another story, how the moron got fooled by the Arbroath players( Especially Gaston) is beyond belief, One high ball into the box second half saw him come out to try and win the ball, He realised he couldn't and just threw himself over, Ref was suckered and blew for a foul... feckin unbelieveable.

A lot of unhappy fans at full time, Even with Harper sauntering over clapping his hands sarcastically the loss to Arbroath was a sore one.