Another chilling prospect coming up this Saturday as we travel to the West End of Glasgow to tackle third place Partick Thistle with only six games left to salvage our miserable season. We escaped from Tannadice with a hard earned point last weekend, mainly thanks to a tremendous display from keeper Mark Ridgers. An acceptable result under normal circumstances, but given our precarious situation we could have done with all three. However it was not to be and we face the prospect of a pointless weekend unless we can show the same commitment as last week. Anything less and it looks like the play-offs for us with only Arbroath below us at present. We are now at the must not lose stage of the season.
Honours are fairly even over the years and over the last ten meetings Partick just have the edge although uncharacteristically we did suffer a couple of heavy defeats at Firhill in recent seasons. Historically, home advantage seems to be crucial to the outcome of these encounters. Oh dear!
Just before Xmas we were held to a 1 - 1 draw after Max Anderson's 21 second opening goal. Danny Devine was fit enough to start and Jake Davidson again replaced the injured Wallace Duffy at right back. Otherwise no surprises in the Inverness starting XI or bench. As per normal, Brian Graham will present our defence with a robust challenge with Fitzpatrick and McInroy able and willing elfs. 205 visiting fans were on hand to check out this one and at the end of the day Status Quo was maintaned as all five games ended level this weekend. Max Anderson and Jack McMillan were the scorers today.
Ooooooft; having got the match underway, it was an early start for the visitors who caught Partick cold as Max Anderson's weak effort deflected off a defender and found the net after an assist from Billy Mckay, long before all the bums had landed in their seats. 21 seconds apparently! The fast start continued in the third minute as Cammy Harper shot over from the left side. Alas, Jack McMillan squared the game after quarter of an hour scoring from close range. Fitzpatrick shot wide after twenty minutes and Ridgers was then brought into action to stop a long range low effort from Ben Stanway. Ten minutes before the break Wotherspoon bounced a shot just wide from the edge of the box as we ventured forth. A free kick in a promising position for the hosts ended when Graham shot over from just outside the box. Charlie Gilmour had the final effort of the half in stoppage time but it was well wide of the target. Partick with the bulk of the play but it remained all square at the interval. A late goal for Arbroath on half time meant that Inverness had gone from 8th to 5th to 9th over the course of the first forty-five. Meh!
The hosts set the ball in motion for the second half and they were quick to avoid a repeat of the first minutes of the match as they went straight onto the front foot winning a couple of early corners before Anderson went close to his second of the game as the visitors went up the park. Devine did well to deny McMillan his second as he cleared his effort away from goal and Ujdur was booked for fouling Milne moments later. Partick were first with the changes after the hour. Ujdur took a knock but was able to continue and almost got on the end of the ball during a melee following a corner with fifteen minutes remaining. More corners followed but nothing doing before Longstaff saw his shot blocked five minutes before the end. Harper went down in the box but big appeals for a penalty went unanswered. It ended with a point apiece at a difficult venue. FULL TIME: 1-1
A good point at a difficult venue and one which kept us in eighth place after a late goal for Dunfermline scuppered the Smokies. After the last two defeats, this was a welcome performance and point for the 205 hardy souls who braved the weather to keep away from the Xmas shopping.
Last Time Out
We came away from Tannadice with a point thanks to a backs to the wall performance over Dundee United. An early goal from an unusual but very welcome source put us ahead, only his fourth ever goal for the Caley Jags and his first since 26th November 2022. Wallace Duffy scored after a dozen minutes before a sensational lob from the halfway line saw Louis Moult equalise after the break. A bit of dubiety over the goal as we felt Cammy Kerr had been fouled by Moult when he took the ball from the Caley Jags player. Nothing dubious about the strike as it flew over Ridgers before bouncing into the net off the underside of the bar. Carragher and Gary Bollan were booked for protesting and they seem to have a valid point. Mak Ridgers was otherwise the star of the show and Carragher could have nicked all three points at the death when his powerful shot was cleared off the line by Docherty. Good point under normal circumstances, unfortunately circumstances are not normal at the moment as the league table will show. Last Five: D W D L D
Cheers Mark>>>
Partick Thistle beat Arbroath 1-0 at Gayfield to stop them encroaching on us although they still have a game in hand. A 15th minute strike from Aidan Fitzpatrick was enough to keep the Smokies at bay although the game was not as close the scoreline might suggest. Partick had the ball in the net another couple of times but they were chalked off. That result pretty much ensures that Partick will at least be in the play-offs. (at the top end of the table) Last Five: D D L W W
Inverness still have major injury concerns. We seem to have been saying that for three or four seasons now. Nathan Shaw was a gamble that backfired last week and it has been confirmed that he will now miss the rest of the season. Morgan Boyes came through unscathed on his return and Nikola Ujdur was an unused sub last week. MacGregor is also reportedly fit, but he and Austin Samuels appear to be off the radar.
Here's Dunc with the latest smokescreen>>>
Alex Samuel ahead of the game at Firhill>>>
Partick Thistle still have the man we love to hate, Brian Graham. Enough said, the big lad does like a goal or two against us. Partick are the second top scorers in the division with 56 goals, but they have conceded an abnormally large amount of goals in 49, the second most goals against with only Arbroath losing more.
We are where we are, not because we are "excellent" or "brilliant throughout the game", or that we didn't get a penalty.
We are where we are because we are consistently sh!te.
The table does
Firhill for Chills
Another chilling prospect coming up this Saturday as we travel to the West End of Glasgow to tackle third place Partick Thistle with only six games left to salvage our miserable season. We escaped from Tannadice with a hard earned point last weekend, mainly thanks to a tremendous display from keeper Mark Ridgers. An acceptable result under normal circumstances, but given our precarious situation we could have done with all three. However it was not to be and we face the prospect of a pointless weekend unless we can show the same commitment as last week. Anything less and it looks like the play-offs for us with only Arbroath below us at present. We are now at the must not lose stage of the season.
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Match/Ticket/Supporters Bus Info
Scott Young SLO
Official Preview
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Honours are fairly even over the years and over the last ten meetings Partick just have the edge although uncharacteristically we did suffer a couple of heavy defeats at Firhill in recent seasons. Historically, home advantage seems to be crucial to the outcome of these encounters. Oh dear!
3 - 3
(H)
1 - 1
(A)
0 - 0
(H)
1 - 0
(H)
1 - 5
(A)
1 - 0
(H)
1 - 4
(A)
1 - 0
(H)
2 - 1
(A)
0 - 1
(A)
Just before Xmas we were held to a 1 - 1 draw after Max Anderson's 21 second opening goal. Danny Devine was fit enough to start and Jake Davidson again replaced the injured Wallace Duffy at right back. Otherwise no surprises in the Inverness starting XI or bench. As per normal, Brian Graham will present our defence with a robust challenge with Fitzpatrick and McInroy able and willing elfs. 205 visiting fans were on hand to check out this one and at the end of the day Status Quo was maintaned as all five games ended level this weekend. Max Anderson and Jack McMillan were the scorers today.
Ooooooft; having got the match underway, it was an early start for the visitors who caught Partick cold as Max Anderson's weak effort deflected off a defender and found the net after an assist from Billy Mckay, long before all the bums had landed in their seats. 21 seconds apparently! The fast start continued in the third minute as Cammy Harper shot over from the left side. Alas, Jack McMillan squared the game after quarter of an hour scoring from close range. Fitzpatrick shot wide after twenty minutes and Ridgers was then brought into action to stop a long range low effort from Ben Stanway. Ten minutes before the break Wotherspoon bounced a shot just wide from the edge of the box as we ventured forth. A free kick in a promising position for the hosts ended when Graham shot over from just outside the box. Charlie Gilmour had the final effort of the half in stoppage time but it was well wide of the target. Partick with the bulk of the play but it remained all square at the interval. A late goal for Arbroath on half time meant that Inverness had gone from 8th to 5th to 9th over the course of the first forty-five. Meh!
The hosts set the ball in motion for the second half and they were quick to avoid a repeat of the first minutes of the match as they went straight onto the front foot winning a couple of early corners before Anderson went close to his second of the game as the visitors went up the park. Devine did well to deny McMillan his second as he cleared his effort away from goal and Ujdur was booked for fouling Milne moments later. Partick were first with the changes after the hour. Ujdur took a knock but was able to continue and almost got on the end of the ball during a melee following a corner with fifteen minutes remaining. More corners followed but nothing doing before Longstaff saw his shot blocked five minutes before the end. Harper went down in the box but big appeals for a penalty went unanswered. It ended with a point apiece at a difficult venue.
FULL TIME: 1-1
A good point at a difficult venue and one which kept us in eighth place after a late goal for Dunfermline scuppered the Smokies. After the last two defeats, this was a welcome performance and point for the 205 hardy souls who braved the weather to keep away from the Xmas shopping.
Last Time Out
We came away from Tannadice with a point thanks to a backs to the wall performance over Dundee United. An early goal from an unusual but very welcome source put us ahead, only his fourth ever goal for the Caley Jags and his first since 26th November 2022. Wallace Duffy scored after a dozen minutes before a sensational lob from the halfway line saw Louis Moult equalise after the break. A bit of dubiety over the goal as we felt Cammy Kerr had been fouled by Moult when he took the ball from the Caley Jags player. Nothing dubious about the strike as it flew over Ridgers before bouncing into the net off the underside of the bar. Carragher and Gary Bollan were booked for protesting and they seem to have a valid point. Mak Ridgers was otherwise the star of the show and Carragher could have nicked all three points at the death when his powerful shot was cleared off the line by Docherty. Good point under normal circumstances, unfortunately circumstances are not normal at the moment as the league table will show. Last Five: D W D L D
Cheers Mark>>>
Partick Thistle beat Arbroath 1-0 at Gayfield to stop them encroaching on us although they still have a game in hand. A 15th minute strike from Aidan Fitzpatrick was enough to keep the Smokies at bay although the game was not as close the scoreline might suggest. Partick had the ball in the net another couple of times but they were chalked off. That result pretty much ensures that Partick will at least be in the play-offs. (at the top end of the table) Last Five: D D L W W
FRIDAY 29th March
Ayr Utd. v Airdrie
SATURDAY 30th March
Latest Team News
Inverness still have major injury concerns. We seem to have been saying that for three or four seasons now. Nathan Shaw was a gamble that backfired last week and it has been confirmed that he will now miss the rest of the season. Morgan Boyes came through unscathed on his return and Nikola Ujdur was an unused sub last week. MacGregor is also reportedly fit, but he and Austin Samuels appear to be off the radar.
Here's Dunc with the latest smokescreen>>>
Alex Samuel ahead of the game at Firhill>>>
Partick Thistle still have the man we love to hate, Brian Graham. Enough said, the big lad does like a goal or two against us. Partick are the second top scorers in the division with 56 goals, but they have conceded an abnormally large amount of goals in 49, the second most goals against with only Arbroath losing more.