Every Point is a Prisoner

 

Apart from the top three teams, every point gained is crucial in the Championship, especially at the end of the table we find ourselves rooted to. Like us, Dunfermline hit a sticky patch but look to be over the worst and came away from Firhill with all three points on Friday night after nine winless games. We salvaged a draw in stoppage time at Arbroath. No rest for the wicked though, so it's back to action against our fellow strugglers on Tuesday night at 7:45pm. Ferguson has wholesale injuries to contend with for this one. It might be quicker to say who is fit. What could possibly go wrong!

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Match/Ticket Info

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Venue H2H v Pars

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	24	10	9	5	31	22	+9
Away	25	9	11	5	30	27	+3
Neutral	2	0	1	1	3	4	-1
Total	51	19	21	11	64	53	+11

Overall, we have had the beating of Dunfermline over the years since we first crossed swords with them back in August 1999 where our first taste of Championship (Division 1) football ended in a 4-0 defeat at East End Park in front of 4865 fans. You can read the report on that game HERE. Five out of the last ten meetings have ended in draws with two wins apiece.

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Pars

1 - 1 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

2 - 0 (H)

1 - 1 (A)

1 - 2 (H)

0 - 0 (A)

1 - 0 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

1 - 3 (A)

2 - 1 (A)

 Our last home win over Dunfermline:  2 - 0 Looking promising...Inverness took a massive step towards a play off place by defeating Dunfermline Athletic for the first time this season. An encouraging but goalless first half where Reece McAlear had hit the post was replaced by a two goal second half with chances at both ends. The deadlock was broken by a man who only scores screamers. Reece McAlear lashed the ball across the keeper and into the top right corner of the goal from a difficult position wide on the inside right area. What a strike that was but it only woke the Pars up from their lethargy and they had three or four great opportunities before substitute Austin Samuels sealed the points after he sprinted on to a through ball from Aaron Doran to slot neatly behind Mehmet in goal. Comfortable thereafter for the remainder of the game and an excellent three points to strengthen our hold on third place with Raith, Arbroath and Partick all dropping points. 

Last Time Out

A week after we let slip a two goal advantage over Partick Thistle, we salvaged a point at Gayfield with a 94th minute goal from Cammy Harper after loanee Adam Mackinnon had put Arbroath ahead ten minutes from the end. To be honest, we spurned far too many good opportunities, enough to win three games, but credit to the players for snatching a point at the death. Always a difficult venue, made moreso by a lengthy injury list that saw us without around ten players (Longstaff, Mullen, Ujdur, Boyes, Duffy, MacGregor, Lodovica, Nicolson) and a suspended Max Anderson who will miss the Dunfermline game as well. That left us with a sparse bench of only four outfield players, and not all of them were fully fit. Last five Championship games:  L W L D D 

Dunfermline threw a relegation spanner in the works last Friday a week after they also drew with Arbroath to complete this wee quadrangle of fixtures. However, they landed us all in the kacke by defrauding Partick 3-1 at Firhill where shockingly poor refereeing decisions affected the result in Dunfermline's favour. Brian Graham should have had a hat-trick but officially is only credited with scoring once. Goals from Walcott, Todd and Benjamin turned this game on it's head, much to the chagrin of bottom clubs Arbroath and Inverness. Last five Championship games: D L L D W 

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Full fixture list on Tuesday night 1. Dundee Utd 24 15 6 3 49 14 51 2. Raith Rovers 24 15 5 4 44 33 50 3. Partick Thistle 24 10 8 6 47 40 38 4. Morton 24 10 6 8 34 28 36 5. Ayr United 25 8 5 12 34 45 29 6. Dunfermline 24 7 7 10 28 34 28 7. Airdrieonians 23 8 4 11 23 29 28 8. Queens Park 25 7 6 12 32 44 27 9. Inverness CT 25 6 8 11 30 32 26 10. Arbroath 24 5 5 14 25 47 20

Tuesday night 27th Feb all at 7:45pm

Ayr United v Partick Thistle

Dundee United v Airdrieonians

Inverness CT v Dunfermline

Queen's Park v Arbroath

Rovers v Morton

Latest Team News

Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen is out for the season with a stress fracture in his back. We already have long term issues with Longstaff, Lodovica and Nicolson. Added to that list is Ujdur, Boyes, MacGregor, Duffy and now Charlie Gilmour who limped off injured to be substituted after an hour and is out with a knee injury. Alex Samuel managed to play the full game with his hand strapped and also picked up stitches after the tackle from Adam Mackinnon. Nathan Shaw was also a doubt on Saturday but played all 95 minutes as well. The good news is that Max Anderson is not injured. The bad news is that Max Anderson is suspended. Of our injured squad, Wallace Duffy and Alex Samuel look the most likely to make an appearance. Expect a another sparse bench tonight.

We're injured, aren't we>>>

 

The addition of Chris Kane to the Pars squad was a great bit of business for them in the January sales. Here's all of their new additions, all loans: Chris Kane, forward (St Johnstone); Xavier Benjamin, defender (Cardiff City); Malachi Fagan-Walcott, defender (Cardiff City); Brad Holmes, forward (Blackpool).

Pars team at Partick on Friday night

Mehmet

 

Benjamin (Welch-Hayes 80)   Hamilton   Fagan-Walcott

 

Todd (Moffat 67)   Otoo   Allan   Edwards

 

Holmes (Jakubiak 61)   Kane   McCann

 

Subs Not Used: Little; Chalmers, Sutherland, Summers, 

I would have taken a draw before the game, but Dunfermline were poorer than expected and what with the other results, I am now really disappointed.  

We started brightly and to be fair, there was good commitment, throughout the team till the final whistle.  When Dunfermline pressed us in midfield we often played some pretty neat stuff to keep possession under pressure. The trouble is, we created next to nothing and there is a worrying lack of inventiveness.  Even when there is a shooting opportunity they pass rather than have a pop.  We have to take a few more risks up-front.

Billy has a poor record of taking penalties.  Credit to him for standing up and taking responsibility but surely we must have others in the side who can hit the ball harder and closer to side of the goal.

Highlight was Devine's brilliant block on the line.  Superb!

And whilst we on the positives, that result extends our unbeaten run to 3 games.   

Pars take on the game>>>

 

Not a great penalty has to be said. Although to be fair it was gifted to us.

Thought last night the only way we were likely to score would be a set piece, but on second look even Devine's hatrick of headers were miles off.

I think the ex rangers experiment has gone wrong but going by Dunc's post match interview are they coaching them to score only one goal ?? really fear for the play off's with that attitude 

 

16 hours ago, forresjags said:

The bunch of loanees were the standouts tonight. Not sure where your thinking comes from to question their commitment. Cammy Kerr easily the best player on the park tonight

 

And Samuel certainly put himself about, I sat next to two guys who had come up from Manchester [not ICT fans, just Ground hopping] and they felt he was perhaps MOTM for effort, really frustrating that Mckay had his penalty saved [he has form]. I thought Kerr looked at ease in midfield [looks like he will have to stand in for Gilmour for a while]  as did McAllister [although he turned into people a few times]. Savage won lots of headers, but seems short of pace. Harper was pretty good down the left, and was found often with long balls cross field. As for Devine he had monster game in defence and three headers over the bar from our corners [good that he got to them, less good that he was off target each time.

Shaw should really be on a wing full time IMV

Good news that we have Anderson back next match, kinda think we were a bit quick to let Bray go out on loan

A real kick in the teeth that Cillian Sheridan scored one and made two for Queens Park last night...mad that Dundee United lost at home, and Partick not showing good form at all, both results benefitting our immediate rivals

Now that Austin Samuels is finally fit, could he give us half a dozen 'purple patch' games

My gut feeling is we will be safe....but it wont be comfortable

It was a quick trip up for me, I was on the 6:35 out of Inverness Airport this morning, next Dundee United away!

Yep, On reflection and bearing in mind that it was a pretty make shift side we did no bad!

Pity about Billy's pysh penalty where he did it all wrong, As we said for most of the game that 1 goal would probably been enough for 3 points.

Alex Samuel did a power of work but didn't see a lot of support for him, Duffy did ok considering he's no trained for weeks, And i'm thinking Savage is looking fine in defence where he reads the game pretty well.

As for Devine's heading ability..  ouch!  Even Carragher had a good chance with a header blasted well wide, So onto Morton game, I think it will go one of two ways, First is a bit of a mauling where that useless dumpling for us and goal merchant for them will score a couple for a big win.

Or..  we play our hearts out and snatch a welcome win with Samuel getting a late winner! 

 

Caley 100 being positive is the most heartening post I have seen in ages OR has he been hacked?

59 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

Caley 100 being positive is the most heartening post I have seen in ages OR has he been hacked?

Agreed even I’ve given Victor Meldrew a green dot. 
Dougal