Scottish Cup 4th Round

In a hectic January schedule, we now have to fit in a 4th Round Scottish Cup tie against Edinburgh side Spartans. It should be going ahead on Saturday at Ainslie Park, a ground they share with Edinburgh City. Kick-off is timed at 3:00pm. The Caley Jags are in the middle of a fixture backlog after a few rescheduled games. Two postponed games at the start of January will see us embark on a run of four away games on the trot in the space of 10 days before a home game against Alloa on the 24th January. Having beaten Partick in the KDM Trophy, we have now added another home game (KDM) against Stenhousemuir on 27th/28th before we end January away to Queen of the South. That will be seven games in twenty-one days. Tough schedule by any standard but one which we should relish.

Regardless, back to our current status and it's off to the Vanloq Community Stadium face the Spartans.

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Scottish Cup v Spartans

KDM Trophy

Kieron Willox

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A sight we never thought we would ever see as Shinnie lifts the Cup

That was our victorious squad for the KDM Trophy shoot-out win at Firhill in midweek. Billy Mckay scored twice after Oscar MacIntyre opened our account in the first half. The main hero on the night was Ross Munro who saved two penalties. One during the first half which was in fact a triple save as he blocked the resultant follow ups and a brilliant save in the penalty shoot out to set up the win.

After a couple of postponements, we made heavy weather in knocking Tranent out of the Cup at the neutral venue of Millfield Park, Haddington. Mitchell Robertson and Chanka Zimba had us 2-1 ahead at the interval and that's how it remained. Tranent were well fired up for this one and that must give Spartans a boost as they will look to cause a cup shock.

Inverness have loaned back a former Academy graduate at the Caledonian Stadium. Kieron Willox, 19 years old, is from Nairn and began his career at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC, progressing through our Academy before joining Scottish Premiership side Rangers at the age of 16 in 2022. During his time at Rangers, Kieron made appearances for the club’s Under-18s and B Team. He comes in from Stoke City.

Matchday Info

For fans making own way, Spartans FC suggest getting off the train at Waverly and getting a number 8 or 27 bus which will drop supporters off within a 5-minute walk of the ground. For those driving it would be parking in the sides streets around the stadium area. Away fans will use the Bain & Irvine stand at Spartans and any under 16 fans must be accompanied on entry and throughout the game by an adult.

Spartans last squad out was at home to Dumbarton FC on January 3rd. Bradley White opened the scoring as half time approached. Marc McNulty added a second with twenty minutes to go and that's how it ended in this League2 clash.

Like Tranent, Spartans won't be an easy route to the next round. Plenty experience at Ainslie Park, none moreso than former Caley Jag favourite and captain Sean Welsh. Marc McNulty seems to have been everywhere in his senior career except the old firm and at 33 he still has plenty of life left in him. James Craigen has also been around mostly just outside the premiership in his 34 years and Callum Booth has been at Hibs, Partick Thistle, St Johnstone and Dundee United amongst others during his 34 years.

Spartans are running away with League 2 at the moment, eight points clear of second place East Kilbride. They have the second best defensive record in that league and have won their last three League games.

They got to Round 4 of the Scottish Cup having eliminated East Kilbride 2-1 (McNulty ⚽⚽)and then Bonnyrigg Rose by the same score (Watson⚽ Stowe⚽)

From Wiki: Ainslie Park on Pilton Drive in north Edinburgh is the home ground of Spartans. The stadium has a capacity of 3,612 (504 seated). Ainslie Park is only part of the new project that Spartans have invested into their new ground, a wider development of the Spartans Community Football Academy. The new facility incorporates a fully enclosed stadium which meets SFA and SPFL criteria, with an artificial pitch, floodlights, seating for 504 spectators and an overall capacity of 3,612. Another full size, floodlit artificial pitch sits adjacent to the main playing area and the accommodation incorporates six changing rooms, a club room, committee room and a physio room. The Club ground holds a P.A system and a bar for spectators.

Who are the Spartans?

• Founded: 1951

• Home ground: The Vanloq Community Stadium

• Manager: Douglas Samuel

• Record attendance at City Park: 3,346 v St Mirren (5th February 2006)

• Record attendance at The Vanloq Community Stadium: 3,127 v Manchester United (23rd July 2011)

• Record attendance away from home: 11,615 v Aberdeen (21st September 2024)

• Home colours: white shirt with red flash, red shorts, white socks

• Away colours: navy shirts, navy shorts, navy socks

In a previous life, Caley played Spartans in the Scottish Cup in 1987 winning 5-0.

Goals by Urquhart, Robertson (x2), Hercher (x2)

Cheers Mantis, memories are made of this. What a find 

Below images came from Mantis here on CTO

Excellent as usual.

Searched the other night to see where I will get my pre match pint. checking the Spartans website just now………..

• Our café bar will be available pre match, at half time and full time for Spartans season ticket holders and hospitality guests only.

  anywhere else close?

Top stuff TM. SC Lothian round two. Show no fear!

bc

2 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

Excellent as usual.

Searched the other night to see where I will get my pre match pint. checking the Spartans website just now………..

• Our café bar will be available pre match, at half time and full time for Spartans season ticket holders and hospitality guests only.

  anywhere else close?

You will have to arrange to meet Mantis but have plenty money in your wallet

Another tough tie. Hopefully we will be up for the cup. Ties like this always remind me of times gone by when we were the 'underdog' and how we were very much out to cause an 'upset'. Spartans will be that team this time around.

8 hours ago, IBM said:

You will have to arrange to meet Mantis but have plenty money in your wallet

Googled “ pubs near vanloq stadium” last night, nearest is George st, city centre. Looks like a pot of tea in the Morrisons cafe across the road. Maybe get a list from the wife and do this weeks shopping.

Do you have a spare pound you could lend me for a trolley.

Edited January 17Jan 17 by bishbashbosh

43 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

Googled “ pubs near vanloq stadium” last night, nearest is George st, city centre. Looks like a pot of tea in the Morrisons cafe across the road. Maybe get a list from the wife and do this weeks shopping.

Do you have a spare pound you could lend me for a trolley.

9 hours ago, IBM said:

You will have to arrange to meet Mantis but have plenty money in your wallet

Home game for me. 31 bus into town, probably frequent the Thistle Street Bar, then just round the corner in Hanover St for the 27 which goes right past the park.

45 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

Googled “ pubs near vanloq stadium” last night, nearest is George st, city centre. Looks like a pot of tea in the Morrisons cafe across the road. Maybe get a list from the wife and do this weeks shopping.

Do you have a spare pound you could lend me for a trolley.

Yes it’s a pretty poor area. If you’re driving you can get 3 hours parking in Morrisons. Otherwise the best plan is to do what I do nowadays on trips up the road. Take the train.

Prepare for glory! 😄

BBC stats very much in our favour. 73% possession, 10 corners, 8 shots.

0-0. Heard this one before?

That's us out 4-2 on pens.

We didn’t do an awful lot wrong, it’s just that we didn’t do enough in the final third - not for the first time recently. Hugely disappointing and not really good enough I suppose , but a major factor today was that their keeper played a blinder.

Shocking result with, to me, highly questionable team selection by Kellagher again. Substitutions seemed a bit bizarre as well. All very well rotating team selections when we are on A winning run but, to me, it just appears manager doesn't know his best team.

If we don't beat East Fife, next week, then questions must be asked of the managerial team.

I understand some will be uncomfortable this being mentioned but this is the first poor run Kellagher has managed over so he needs to prove he can turn things around. I'm not convinced he can given how inconsistent we currently are.

Think we could have played all day and not score, one of those games I think

7 minutes ago, Peleistheman said:

Think we could have played all day and not score, one of those games I think

Not a rare occurrence unfortunately. Something is wrong, these players should be looking at themselves.

7 minutes ago, Peleistheman said:

Think we could have played all day and not score, one of those games I think

Take it you were at the game peleitm. Sounds like it was a stalemate type of game. Take it Spartans were time wasting targeting penalties. Was the ground wet and heavy? That would have influenced the match and made it difficult for both teams strikers!

Can’t blame the defence. Just one of those games that passed us by again! Look forward now to East Fife game back in the league.

bc

Edited January 17Jan 17 by big cherly

1st half - patient in possession, created half a dozen half decent chances, then a McKay half volley was spectacularly tipped over the bar.

2nd half - much more urgency and attacking focus from us and the game opened up, leaving gaps at the back sometimes. We were clearly trying to win it in the 90 - we were more willing to shoot, and the substitutions were attacking ones.

ET - not much happened. We looked a bit tired, Spartans looked absolutely knackered, but we didn’t create much.

Pens - They simply took better pens than us.

Waiting to hear Kells excuses....

No listen

Disturbing stat if it's true is 18 corners for Inverness allegedly. I find that one hard to believe.

WTF do we practise in training???

4 hours ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

BBC stats very much in our favour. 73% possession, 10 corners, 8 shots.

0-0. Heard this one before?

That was because our transition was so slow. Spartans didn't press, every player got back behind half way line. Most of our possession advantage was what I call chuckle bros footie in our own half, to you, to me, from me to you. We had a defence splitting pass to billy in first half that he volleyed but for the keeper to make a great save. Sole was used a lot but couldn't get in a cross, too much fancy Dan stuff instead of boxing the ball earlier.

We were a bit better when we took on mackinnon and longstaff.

Their GK was my mom. A hundred Miles better than anything else on the pitch.

Thought we nicked it with last kick of the ball but for the linos flag.

With stenny scoring 5 last week and pumping morton 4-0 today they are going to be hard to catch if we keep playing the way we are. If today was a league game that would be us 2 points from 12 the last 4 games. Not promotion football.

8 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

No listen

Disturbing stat if it's true is 18 corners for Inverness allegedly. I find that one hard to believe.

WTF do we practise in training???

Said before, against plastic player cut outs.

@big cherly plastic pitch.

As was said they simply took better pens than us but after making 5 subs I think all our best takers were off the park.

I know the goalie Paddy Martin is decent, he was at Bonnyrigg for a couple of years so I saw quite a lot of him.

Hey, 100, lend me your ear..... No listen....

Pretty poor performance : got what we deserved.....

Did Bavidge go off injured at half time or was it because he was playing poorly?