Jags v Wasps

With points getting increasingly more difficult to gain as the season progresses, the Caley Jags entertain one of the better qualified squads in League1 as Alloa Athletic come North to the Caledonian SarensPSG Stadium on Saturday for one of the many six-pointers to come before the end of the season. We regained top spot in midweek at East Fife and Alloa strengthened their promotion credentials with a resounding win over Montrose. Top on goal difference with just four points separating us from Alloa in fourth. Inverness won a tight first meeting this season through a deflected Liam Sole strike. The last meeting was a 1-1 draw in November when a Longstaff goal was cancelled out by one from O'Donnell. All to play for with Stenhousemuir at bottom club Kelty and Queen of the South at East Fife. Big weekend coming up.

ℹ️ Matchday Info: Alloa Athletic (H)

🎟️ Tickets available from HERE
🛍️ Club Shop open from 10am - 4pm tomorrow, 10am - KO on Sat
🚗 Car Parking: North & South Open
🍺 Bar 94 open from 1200
🚌 Stagecoach Service Buses will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1245 and 1415.

🚍 return from the Stadium to the Bus Station 10 minutes after the full time whistle and at 1800.

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Match/Ticket/Bar94/Info

Stenhousemuir KDM Trophy

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Our last squad out in the arduous ordeal at Bayview where the first half passed everyone by before an Alfie Stewart blockbuster and an Alfie Bavaidge sprint & finish put us back on top of the table. It was hard work in testing conditions but we got there in the end.

• Last Six League1:

• D W L L D W

That doesn't tell the whole story of our last six League games. Hidden in amongst those results was a less that average struggle to beat Tranent 1-2 in the Scottish Cup, postponements, a 0-9 KDM Trophy thrashing of a weak Dumbarton side, two League1 defeats on the trot to Stenny & Montrose, a KDM postponement followed by a goalless draw at Cove, a KDM win at Partick on penalties, a Scottish Cup scalping at Spartans on penalties before we eventually lifted the doom and gloom in a gruelling war of attrition at the Gulags of Bayview in League1. Incidentally, the first draw in the last six above was 1-1 at Alloa back in November 25th and the first win was our last home game, a 4-0 win over troubled Accies. After the Accies game it was 7 (SEVEN) games in a row away from home. That's the roller coaster ride we all signed on for back in the day.

Inverness won a tight first meeting this season through a deflected Liam Sole strike: It took a massive stroke of good fortune for substitute Liam Sole to grab the winner with a deflected shot off Charlie Dewar in a match dominated by the hosts, however we allowed Alloa to push for an equaliser late in the game because we had failed to swat the Wasps away when we were totally dominant and Ross Munro had to pull off a good stop to deny Alloa a late leveller. Oscar MacIntyre was a deserved MotM with a great display of wing back wizardry. The latest meeting was that 1-1 draw in November when a Longstaff goal was cancelled out by one from O'Donnell.

Strap yourself in, there's more to come!!! 

• 🙂On Saturday, the normal times will apply for both Bar 94 and the matchday bus service, ideal if you are attending hospitality.

• Bar 94 will open at 1200, with last orders at 1430 (the bar must be fully vacated by 1445).

• The bar reopens at full time, when we will be joined by some of the players.

• 🚍Buses will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1245 and 1415.

• 🚍Buses return from the Stadium to the Bus Station 10 minutes after the full time whistle and at 1800.

That is how Alloa laid out their squad for the midweek encounter against Montrose. It ended in a convincing win for the Wasps as they trounced Montrose 4-1 with goals from Josh Gentles, Charlie Dewar x2 and Luke Donnelly before a late consolation by the Gable Endies through Graeme Webster. Alloa were good value for the win although Monty keeper Sharp won't want to see his involvement in the second where he missed a cross into the six yard box. Subs made after the hour: Clarke, Burnside, Sammon, Buchanan, Rankin. Good depth to the Alloa squad. Alloa claim that was Charlie Dewar's first goals for the club in senior football after 33 appearances. I beg to differ. He scored when we beat them 1-0 earlier in the season off an assist from Liam Sole...Well done Charlie.

Last Six League1: W L L D D W

Bookend wins v Peterhead (4-0) and Montrose (4-1), defeats v Queens (0-2) & Accies (1-0), draws v Stenny & Kelty.

A KDM Trophy defeat sandwiched in there 2-3 against Airdrie on 9th Dec.

Here's the FULL TABLE for a change>>>

Pos.		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
	ICTFC	20	13	3	4	34	12	22	37
👀	Stenny	21	10	7	4	28	16	12	37
	QueenS	21	10	4	7	30	26	4	34
	Alloa	21	9	6	6	27	14	13	33
5	P'Head	20	8	2	10	28	40	-12	26
6	E Fife	20	7	4	9	20	30	-10	25
7	Monty	20	7	3	10	23	35	-12	24
8	Accies	20	10	4	6	36	23	13	19 *
9	Cove	20	4	5	11	21	25	-4	17
	Kelty	21	3	4	14	20	46	-26	13

Montrose v Peterhead - Postponed 🌨️ ☔

Kelty v Stenhousemuir 📺 BBC Alba 17:30

It’s nice to have a home game again!

After 7 away games, I’m sure the players will be glad they’re not having to travel, and that helps them get a positive result against one of the teams we’ve struggled against previously.

The squad have all had game time recently so everyone should be raring to go.

Three points please.

Hard to call this one. Both teams with identical form, 2 wins, 2 defeats and 2 draws last 6 league games.

We beat EF on Tuesday who have the worst form in league over last 6 games 1 win, 5 defeats. No surprise winning there then.

Watched the highlights of Alloa v Montrose on YouTube. For their goals they passed the ball from back to front very quickly. Could that be their plan today, everyone retreat to halfway line when out of possession leaving us to pass the ball to death in our own half, a’la Spartans.

Now if we could pass it up the park quicker I would have more confidence in my 2-0 home win in the prediction league.

Surely we are walking out to this today...

ℹ️ Supporters are advised that, due to flooding yesterday afternoon, the main centre food kiosk on the west side of the stadium is closed for today’s match.
North Stand catering is still available from Kiosk 5 on the west side of the stadium and in the Main Stand North Concourse for today's match.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

I like that lineup.

Should be able to ship the ball quicker with Alfie Stewart in for Chalmers. He won't be shy to have a go and pace up front with Sole and Bavidge. Hope Zimba can stay on his feet better than he did at Bayview. Falls over too easy for my liking for such a big guy. Good bench as well.

Let's do this...

0-1. Dominating the stats as usual, but nothing to show for it, yet.

Must be so frustrating to watch this. Like the first half last Tuesday?

10 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

0-1. Dominating the stats as usual, but nothing to show for it, yet.

Some decent chances, MacIntyre loose headed clearance, he then went missing and lost his man for them to score.

Same old story it seems.

Similar to every defeat this season. Really frustrating

Liam Sole does tremendous to beat his man, we get a corner and Zimba heads home 👏

Free kick near the half way line launched high and meets Alonge who knocks it past the keeper on his first touch.

Must have had a great cuppa tea at half-time. Or does Kels do the hair dryer treatment?

Delighted with that result. At HT I think I’d have been tempted to take a draw if it was offered, but I underestimated our ability to break teams down and get goals.

Excellent result, Match stats indicate that we were 'all over them', but this time we matched the dominance with 3 good second half goals. Well done lads Keep it up for a few more weeks and we will all be celebrating.

38 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Must have had a great cuppa tea at half-time. Or does Kels do the hair dryer treatment?

Hope he has. He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to continue in the managers post with a continuation of the number of poor results incurred before the Methil victory.

Let’s hope the players take the hint that they have to deliver more results like today.

Looking more like three teams clearing away from the rest. Better IMO to have a challenge to keep the focus on what is needed in the remaining months ahead.

bc

Edited January 24Jan 24 by big cherly

Plenty of good performances today once we got back in the game.

Alfie Stewart pulling all the strings today, especially 2nd half.

If we are going up we need to seriously look into securing his services permanently.

Jags Raid the Wasps

The Caley Jags got back to winning ways in midweek in a gruelling tussle at the Bayview Gulags and were looking to consolidate their position at the head of the table today against an Alloa side that had other ideas. They would be hell bent on closing the gap at the top end of the table after their big win over Montrose in midweek. With Stenhousemuir playing in Kelty at 17:30, we will have to wait another couple of hours to see how todays results impact at the head of the table on matchday 22.

The two Alfie's were on from the start with MacLeod replacing Millen and MacIntyre and Alonge retaining their starting position with Chalmers and Robertson on the bench. Kieron Willox was also on the bench after impressing as a substitute in midweek. Alloa looked to be unchanged from midweek with Connor Sammon no doubt waiting to come on for the last half hour. Always a danger we need to put this to bed before the fightback begins.

Bit different this time as we had to come from behind to run out comfortable winners with second half strikes from Chanka Zimba x2 and Jordan Alonge. A result that consolidates our position at the top of the table for now.

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It had been a bright eenuff morning in the Sneck but by kick-off a chill wind was swirling around the stadium as the teams entered the field of play. A couple of minutes in and after Chanka Zimba had been fouled, Alfie Stewart's free kick bounced wide. Stewart fired wide of the target from inside the box and had efforts blocked after ten and fifteen minutes as his shoot on site policy manifested. No surprise that the hosts were dominating the early possession as that has been a familiar story. However the problem of breaching the defence remains an issue so far. First big action for a keeper came after Liam Sole's ball in the box allowed Jordan Alonge to have a pop but Liam MacFarlane was equal to it. Another Sole assist saw Alfie Bavidge fire over before, against the run of play, Stewart scored. Alas it was Lewis Stewart of Alloa who shot home from the right side of the box after some sloppy play at the back. Definitely has a familiar ring to it. Bavidge found the side netting after Zimba had been blocked following good pressure from the Caley Jags, looking to get on level terms before the interval. Alonge was denied again ten minutes before the break after good work by Danny Devine. Alloa ventured forward five minutes before the break with Adamson having an effort blocked and scorer Lewis Stewart going close to a second. Sadly, it's a familiar tale for Inverness as stats don't win matches.

HALF TIME: 0-1

A big second half needed and no changes during the interval as the game got underway, Kurtis Roberts first to have a go, shooting wide. Parity was restored eight minutes after the restart when Zimba headed high into the net assisted by the industrious Alfie Stewart. Zimba would be denied another twice soon after, McFarlane saving low down to deny the big striker on the second attempt. Inverness turned this game on it's head with twenty minutes remaining when Jordan Alonge drilled home with Stewart on the assist. Three minutes later Zimba added his second and a third for the Caley Jags from inside the box aided by Bavidge. With Inverness now in total control, the substitutions flowed from both sides and that broke up the play over the final twenty odd minutes. Spoony went close just after coming on but as it was, we saw out the game untroubled. Good win to keep us on top with Stenhousemuir v Kelty to come at half five.

Maybe stats do win games after all! 😂

FULL TIME: 1-1

 Great comeback win after the early set back against the run of play. We kept our heads down and deservedly ran out worthy winners when previously we might have come up against a brick wall and settled for less. Zimba with two goals and Alonge with the other after Lewis Stewart had given Alloa the lead in the 23rd minute.

Our own Stewart, Alfie, was a wee buzzbomb and instrumental in getting us back on track and this time, maybe the stats don't lie as we overwhelmed Alloa.

More match reaction to follow>>>

Interesting listening to the players in Bar 94 at full time.

Alfie Stewart said that Billy Mckay had been vocal at half time about wasteful set plays and that we were sitting deeper to try to combat Alloa having wind advantage.

Alfie Bavidge said that, even 1-0 down at the break, they knew we’d win the game and it was a question of how many we’d score.

Calum Macleod commented on how united the squad is.

It was great to hear three youngsters speaking so well.

Other than when we gifted Alloa the goal, with slack play by MacIntyre contributing to the goal, we were well on top and the scoreline didn’t flatter us.

I agree with the positive comments about Stewart, but Alonge also impressed me, whilst Zimba took his goals well.

Maybe some of us were less confident at half time than Bavidge was, but they got the job done well.

Now let’s get revenge on Stenhousemuir on Tuesday.

2 hours ago, big cherly said:

He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to continue in the managers post with a continuation of the number of poor results incurred before the Methil victory

bc

I take it you are casting a line hoping for bites 😂😂

The only time judgement should be passed is at the end of the season.

The Scottish Cup apart, we’d all have been delighted in July if we thought we’d be in this position now.

Yes, it’s not been perfect and there is always room for improvement, but we are winning games we would have drawn or lost not that long ago.

I’m happy to cut everyone some slack after a run of seven consecutive away games with, I’ve seen somewhere, 2080 miles travelled since we last played at home.

League table after the late game, still on top After not breaking Alloa down first half a far improved second half and three good goals.

Well done today to all the boys today for sticking at it. I would say two things. Firstly, technical brilliance from Alonge for his goal and Secondly wee bit hard on Macintyre for their goal.