Bank Holiday night out for the Caley Jags

Inverness return to the scene of the crime this Easter Monday to face St Johnstone.  It was the Saint's that ended Inverness' proud undefeated away record just after New Year with a late Collin Samuel goal ending the year long statistic.  Some revenge six weeks later saw Inverness triumph 2-0 in the Highlands.

No pressure on either club coming into this one as both sides are safe with Hamilton Accies looking likely to be plying their trade in the fizzy pop league next season.  That said, it may well open up the game as the shackles could be released allowing more free flowing football to be displayed by both clubs.

Well done to the McDiarmid Park management who are offering tickets for this Easter Eggstavaganza at the knockdown price of just £10 & £5, you can't get much better than that.  Remember, it's a 7:45pm kick off.

This is the first game after the split and Terry Butcher is looking to maintain Inverness' position as the best of the rest.  It has overall been a great season for the Caley Jags.  A storming start to the season saw Inverness reach the dizzy heights of fourth in the league and looking like mounting a strong challenge for third spot and a European place.  Unfortunately the wheels fell off when the winter months came along and the inevitable happened, we slipped slowly but surely out of the top six and into seventh place where we sit just now.  Some may see that as a failure, but all things considered, we would have bitten your hand off if we were offered seventh place at the start of the season.  No complaints from me, we have consolidated our place in the top flight after a hugely successful first division campaign and some outstanding displays were interspersed with some rather grim performances, notably stuffing Dundee United 0-4 and Hibs 4-2, however, the festive period undid a lot of the good work and three defeats in a week took the wind out of our sails.

The Perth Saints have had a spectacularly unspectacular season.  Plodding along merrily out of harms way but not threatening the top half, sort of slipping under the radar if you like.  A couple of months without a win has seen them struggle recently and maybe the result of the winter problems at McDairmid Park with postponements coming faster than Queen of the South v Ross County abandoned games.  But, they still had enough points on the board to keep their head above water and are only four points adrift of Inverness as we speak.  Dumped out of the Scottish Cup unceremoniously by a rampant Motherwell, Derek McInness will be looking to revitalise his flagging teams fortunes.  McInness is quite an appealing chap, in fact he is appealing against his four match ban received in the Tayside derby with United.  He was none to pleased with United's opener in the 2-0 defeat and his remonstrations did not go unnoticed.

Hibs failed to take advantage of us being idle this weekend and could only draw at Easter Road with second bottom St Mirren.  That keeps the Hibees one point below us, although we have two games in hand starting with tonights game in Perth.

At the top of the table, Rangers and Celtic played out a no scoring draw to share the points and Hearts threw away a three goal lead to draw with Motherwell.  The Old Firm result gives Celtic the edge in the race for the title, but could Inverness yet have a say in that as Celtic will be up here on the 4th of May, weather permitting.

Team News

Inverness will be without the suspended pair of Ross Tokely and Stuart Duff.  Tokely was sucked into a second yellow against Hearts and Duff is over the limit.  Proctor and Sanchez are long term casualties along with Graeme Shinnie, and Jonny Hayes will join them as he has had his operation on his troublesome ankle.  The early op will hopefully see Jonny ready for the new season, fingers crossed.

St Johnstone defenders Michael Duberry and Steven Anderson are both suspended, naughty boys, and Saints captain and former Chelsea player Jody Morris looks likely to be rested for the remainder of the season with a recurring back problem.  Medical specialist advice will determine whether Morris plays again this season or is rested for the new campaign.  Graham Gartland (groin) and Collin Samuel (hip) are doubtful, however Peter Macdonald and Arvydas Novikovas should return.

tm4tj Prediction

Despite an end of season feeling creeping in to most supporters heads, I think with the pressure off both sides an entertaining encounter is on the cards.  With players playing to keep contracts and win bonuses still to be collected this could turn out to be just what the doctor ordered.  There will be changes due to suspensions in both camps and maybe some youngsters will be blooded.  I am looking for Inverness to reverse the New Year result and sneak a 2-1 victory and maintain our seventh place in the league.

Take advantage of the price reduction at the gates and if you can't make it along the road to Perth, then find a pub with ESPN showing the game live.  Yes, we are on the telly, broadcasting from 7:30pm.

That's it, short and sweet with Easter looming.  Enjoy the game, and don't eat too many Easter Eggs, yum yum.

ps; if you pass a wee manny on a bike that will be our very own davie, keen as hell to get down to Perth to do the match report.  Well, the price of petrol is awful just now.  He will update us all in the match report if his wee leggies get him there in time for kick off, but just in case, he has a list of all the pubs with ESPN showing the game and a pocket full of change.

Bike on buddy.