1st Leg Play-Off

 

As Dunc said, "It is what it is, isnt it". The dreaded play-offs are here and we find ourselves with more work to do if we want to retain our Championship status. Standing in our way are Montrose. A side we have not played against since 2009, prior to that we locked horns with them in the lower divisions until we were promoted after 1997. A man we all like to hate, Michael Gardyne has been a prominent player for them and Kane Hester is top scorer at Links Park. A mixture of old heads, journeymen and promising players against our bunch of mercenaries. The return leg is this Saturday at the Caledonian Stadium. Who will make it into the final showdown. Accies or Alloa are the other options. We will do well to not underestimate a Montrose team who do not lack some very experienced players.

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Match/Ticket/Streaming Info

***AWAY FANS: Entry is strictly by online ticket only £17***

Supporters Bus

Second Leg v Montrose

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Venue H2H

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	5	2	1	2	6	10	-4
Away	4	2	1	1	6	5	+1
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	9	4	2	3	12	15	-3

We don't have that great a record against Montrose to be honest, albeit our last meeting with them was a Challenge Cup game in 2009 which went to penalties before Inverness progressed scoring all five spot kicks. Summary: In the end, it was a set of 5 flawless penalties from the home side that forced the tie in their favour. Rooney, Tokely, the captain Munro, Duncan and Djebi-zadi scoring for Inverness, while Ryan Esson saved well from Hegarty. Davidson, Crighton and Gemmell all dispatched their penalties for the Gable Endies, but in the end it proved fruitless. For many the final whistle and the final penalty was the highlight of the match, although Lionel’s celebratory dance certainly forced some entertainment into a poor showing from the 1st division side. The home gathering left grateful to have snatched victory from their surprisingly tough 3rd division opponents, while the small but vocal away support left with heads held high. Montrose put up an admirable fight but a ring rusty ICT eventually forced their way to the end of the match and into the next round for a home tie against Stranraer.

All nine Competitive Meetings v Montrose ***click on first score on left for full report on above game, or any other.

1 - 1 (H)

3 - 2 (H)

2 - 0 (A)

2 - 0 (H)

2 - 2 (A)

0 - 3 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

0 - 4 (H)

1 - 3 (A)

Prior to that early season Alba Cup game, our encounters with Montrose started in October 1994 up until we left them behind in 1997, a 3 - 2 League win, Promotion, an Iain Stewart hat-trick and a customary lob in front of 3036! On our Way Up: A great day for Inverness as the home side won promotion with a superb hat trick from Iain Stewart. They started well and Charlie Christie hit the bar in 4 minutes. They took the lead in 13 minutes when Iain Stewart took a pass from Daisy Ross and slid it home from 8 yards. It all began to go wrong in 23 minutes when Colin McGlashan equalised from the penalty spot after Mike Noble pushed Craig Mailer. Shaun Smith made it 2-1 for Montrose in 42 minutes with a shot from 6 yards after a cut back from David Fisher. The home side came back strongly in the second half and were rewarded in 67 minutes - a Brian Thomson free kick from the left was turned in by Iain Stewart at the far post. The winner came in 81 minutes - a Brian Thomson through ball found Iain Stewart who ran 20 yards before chipping it over Jim Butter under severe pressure from Mark Haro. 
The Division Championship can be won next week - the only team that can overtake them is local rivals Ross County.

Inverness find themselves in the play-offs after one of our most frustrating seasons ever, with many believing this is our worst ever squad. Injuries have been a big part of our last couple of seasons and this one was no different. Billy Dodds was relieved of his duties after winning just one point in our opening six games. Big Dunc the celebrity came in and it looked like we might be saved, despite his shocking track record in management. However, we soon reverted to type and constantly struggled to gain points at home, and on the field that is one of the main reasons we are up to our eyes in sh1te. Add in the continuing off field antics of our board and CEO, then the mismanagement from above is dragging us down. These play-offs are not about them though. This is about the players and the fans who have tried to lift us out of this gloom. Should we avoid the drop, and unless anything changes higher up the chain, then the same problems will exist within the club next season wherever we find ourselves. We did end the regular season with a home victory, unfortunately a bit of a hollow one with QP confining us to the relegation zone despite amassing 42 points and a positive goal difference (just).

Montrose are here by virtue of an excellent season and finishing fourth in League1. 53 points; 15 wins, 8 draws and 13 defeats with 58 goals scored and 57 conceeded, that was enough to qualify for the play-offs despite a less than impressive end to the season with only two wins from their last six games L  D L  L  W W . They look likely to have rested some legs once safe in fourth, the likes of Gardyne not used last week in the 3-2 comeback win over QotS. Familiar names in their ranks are Michael Gardyne, much hated around here. Matheus Machado the young Brazilian prospect once at Inverness and Kane Hester formerly at Elgin City. Sean Dillon, the former Dundee United defender is a player coach at Montrose, plenty experience there. No surprise that Gardyne tops the assists table with 10.

Three players are well in front of the rest in the goals scored department:

• Kane Hester: 11
• Blair Lyons: 10
• Graham Webster: 10

Here's their team lines from the home defeat to Hamilton Accies three games ago.

Starting XI:  Gill; Williamson, Steeves (c), Graham, Dillon, Quinn, Gardyne, Shrive, Lyons, Batchelor, Webster
Subs:  Hester, Hermiston, Emslie, Callaghan, Craig, Matthews, Brown, Machado, Davies.

Latest Team News

Inverness: I doubt Ferguson has much wiggle room within his squad. Alex Samuel took a heavy knock last Friday and might be a doubt, will have to wait for Duncs pre-match spiel. Sean McAllister is struggling as is James Carragher. The good news is Alex Samuel is fine, he only got a whack on the face so he is good to go. Longstaff is also ready after feeling a twinge in his knee. Much of these knocks are dependent on their plastic pitch.

Montrose: They appear to have a solid squad and I have no news of any issues within. (and it's a bank holiday)

 

Play Off Schedule

Tuesday May 7th
Championship play-off semi-finals, 1st leg
   Montrose v Inverness CT
Alloa Ath v Hamilton 

Saturday May 11th
Championship play-off semi-finals, 2nd leg
Inverness CT v Montrose    
 Hamilton v Alloa Ath

Wednesday May 15th
Championship play-off final, 1st leg
Lowest-ranked team at home in 1st leg
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 8.05pm

Saturday May 18
Championship play-off final, 2nd leg
Highest-ranked team at home in 2nd leg
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 5.30pm

 

21 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

We will absolutely batter these part timers and show them why the seaside leagues is no place for a club like ours.

What’s the reason behind seaside leagues? Why is there not any room for a seaside club like ourselves. 

25 minutes ago, ICTPaisley said:

What’s the reason behind seaside leagues? Why is there not any room for a seaside club like ourselves. 

Was thinking the same. 
Falkirk, Hamilton, Alloa, Kelty, queen of south, Annan, Edinburgh and Stirling. 
80% of teams in league 1 , are they all seaside towns/cities??

Edinburgh is next to Firth of Forth is that even a sea.

Well done for all your efforts as usual Donnie

Todarov scores for Airdrie

I’m just going by the BBC text, but Montrose have had three attempts saved in the opening 10 minutes. 

We are a disgrace to the jersey so far. Absolutely honking.

3 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

We are a disgrace to the jersey so far. Absolutely honking.

Thought big Dunc said the players were up  for it?   This is a worry.

Usual stuff.  No urgency at all.

Half time 0-0.

6 attempts by Montrose, 4 on target. Just 2 by us, including Lawal hitting the bar  

The comments from those watching are very concerning: glad I didn’t buy the live stream as I’d have missed half the first half.

Hopefully they waken up after the break, as a draw here will be a bad result and a defeat even worse. 

Edited May 7, 20242 yr by Robert

We’ve been honking, lucky to be level after some flakey defending early on. A great save by Ridgers too. Odd flashes of skill from Lawal the only bright spot.

As I saw it in the first half. Montrose now know they have nothing to fear.

Grim Stuff

 

Inverness had a couple of fresh injury concerns ahead of this first Leg play off encounter at Links Park, and with the effect an artificial surface can have on recovering players James Carragher and Sean McAllister were benched with Samson Lawal getting a rare start. Alex Samuel had recovered from his face knock and will be our main target up front. Montrose had top scorers Kane Hester, Blair Lyons and Graham Webster on from the start with chief assister Michael Gardyne probing and providing the ammunition.

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A bright start for Montrose as they ventured into the Inverness box a couple of times in the opening few minutes without troubling Mark Ridgers in goal. The visitors looked edgy on the unfamiliar surface and found it difficult to get forward, but that's nothing new for us to be honest. In the ninth minute Ridgers pulled off a brilliant save low down to his left to deny Graham Webster after determined work by Blair Lyons down the left. Webster got plenty power on his shot but Ridgers did enough to put the ball behind for a corner. Bit of pinball in the box after the corner but Ridgers eventually mopped up the loose ball. Fifteen minutes in and it's the hosts that are making all the early running with Inverness opting to pass sideways and backwards. Half an hour gone and the current Championship side have failed to muster a decent attempt on goal. Shockingly poor display from us, a spinning turn and drag from Samson Lawal our only highlight. Ridgers was called into action again as he denied a deflected shot from Kane Hester and then we had to look sharp to block another effort from him before scrambling the ball out for a corner. Meanwhile we continued to play possession football which has never won anything and troubled no defence ever. ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz. Rudely awoken from my slumber by an effort from Alex Samuel slipping by the post five minutes before the break as we eventually tried something. Oooft, almost on the interval and Lawal smashed a tremendous strike from over twenty-five yards but it smacked the junction of the bar and out to safety. Bit of a stramash in the home box as Pixie Lot followed a seagull heading towards the Inverness box. When Pixie caught up Montrose were awarded a free kick in their own box. We woke up briefly as half time approached but up until then it was shockingly poor.

HALF TIME: 0-0

 

Clean sheet 🙄 second half killer/s 🤔

14 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

Clean sheet 🙄 second half killer/s 🤔

We are howling so far so hopefully.

Alloa 2-1 up on Hamilton. 

4 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

 

Oh well, at least we didn’t lose.

Cue big Dunc saying how well we played and how well placed we are now to press home our advantage in the home leg. 

Second Half

Samuel got the first proper effort of the second half away as he shot from the edge of the box , but Cammy Gill was equal to it as he saved low down to his right. Montrose responded and Danny Devine did well to block a fierce shot on the edge of the Inveness box from Shrive. The pace of the game had thankfully picked up since the interval and Billy Mckay was close to linking inside the home area. However it was Montrose that went close again through Lyons. On the hour Duffy replaced Savage and Callaghan came on for Shrive. Ridgers easily gathered a flicked header as Montrose threatened from a free kick. Lawal found himself with the ball at his feet 10 yards from goal but he hastily stabbed his shot goalwards and Gill gathered comfortably. Ridgers did likewise as Webster tried a first time volley with twenty minutes left. Another free header from a free kick bounced past Ridgers' post as Inverness struggled to make any headway. With fifteen minutes left Carragher and McAllister entered the game. Inverness were reduced to hoofing the ball anywhere out of defence as Montrose looked to up the pressure. Another really poor gutless performance from Ferguson's side who will have to do much better if they are to stay up. Utter drivel springs to mind.

FULL TIME: 0-0

All to play for next week

That was awful!! No urgency, passion or desire. 

10 minutes ago, BobbyDazzler said:

That was awful!! No urgency, passion or desire. 

From who ? any exceptions?

How soon will hear Ferguson say  " We never really got going "      It's been his most used phrase.

 

Feckin shocking

30 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

Another really poor gutless performance from Ferguson's side who will have to do much better if they are to stay up. Utter drivel springs to mind.

That sums it up for me 

Not really shocked by the result it’s the same old crap week in week out bar the odd lucky result .And by odd I mean ODD  Simply not good enough. 
Can’t believe a former (striker) manager plays a team the way he does !