It's time to unsqueak those bums.

Yes, it has come down to the last three games of the season for Inverness to try and secure SPL football for another season. It has been one to forget, and hopefully we can ensure safety tonight, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to next season.

We showed glimpses at Kilmarnock that we have the bottle for the battle and were unlucky for various reasons to leave empty handed. On the plus side, Billy McKay scored a couple of goals and but for the woodwork we would have scored six goals again. On the downside we are still scoring OG's and still conceding goals through our porous defence.

ajsict92 has been studying this one and his preview is ready for you to whet your appetite for tonights crucial encounter.

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Step up and show us what you’re made of!

Dunfermline visit TCS this evening, fresh from finally picking up 3 points at home after 10 months of failing. A record of form that is no doubt the main reason behind them being rooted to the bottom of the SPL for most of the season but following the victory over Aberdeen and a well earned point at St Mirren they have managed to pull themselves within 3 points of fellow sufferers, Hibernian. ICT will be coming into this game knowing they are only requiring a solitary point to mathematically be safe. They will also be looking for a first win in 5 games and the fans will be hoping to see a much improved display, the proper pessimistic’s would argue that even a point is beyond us with 3 games to go having been subjected to 3 home defeats on the bounce.

The defeat to Kilmarnock at the weekend wasn’t for the want of trying though. Many would have been left somewhat disgruntled after losing to Aberdeen on 2 own goals but the players appeared to dust themselves off and put on a display that was producing the goods up until Jonny Hayes was red carded for 2 bookable offences, our 7th red card of the season. It was disappointing to see the ten men fall short with the quality of Dean Shiels proving too hot to handle yet again but after just a flick through on the highlights it was clear that only the woodwork was what was really stopping us with eleven men. If the back four is tighter and Butcher can get the right message across to the boys then I see no reason as to why that performance cannot be emulated tonight.

This will be in total our 6th different fixture against Dunfermline this season. In the league it has seen both sides draw the 3 previous games in what have all been very tight and well contested games. The epic 3-3 draw back in August is probably the pick of the bunch and was the first fixture of the season between both sides which saw Kirk and Tansey getting doubles for both sides and Jonny Hayes notch is first goal of the season. It would have been ICT’s first win of the season had it not been for the spell binding right foot of Martin Hardie who curled in a 30 yard free kick in the last minute of stoppage time. The only time a win has been recorded between the sides was back in January in the Scottish cup replay with ICT taking Dunfermline to extra time and recording a 3-1 triumph with Andrew Shinnie curling in what was arguably our best goal of the season.

Terry Butcher was in the press this week calling for fans to turn up in numbers this week for the game and it would be great if his request is responded to as there is no strength like strength in numbers. It really is a case now of this young side showing that they can produce the goods when required. Both the players and the fans probably want to put behind them what has been a very disjointed and at times very disheartening season but it can’t be ignored that there is still a task very much at hand and that is survival. This team has been criticised on numerous occasions throughout the year for not getting results at important times but it really is time for that to change as the outcome if we continue on our little free fall is very unthinkable indeed.

With three games left there is still the chance to produce a strong finish to the season but only if we start by picking up a result tonight, so come on lads…show us what you’re made of.

ajsict92’s prediction:- Like every game we have had against the Pars this season I’m willing to bet this one like all the previous ones will be tight and given the circumstances a very tense affair. I know a point is all that is required and part of me wouldn’t mind if the players basically showed up parked the bus to play for a point but I also know that this team has a point to prove to the supporters and the only way they are going to do that is by winning. My dream would be for Gregory Tade to grab a last minute winner in front of the Pars fans who never tire of giving the big man abuse. However it goes I’m predicting a 2-1 win for ICT tonight.

On a serious note

Anyone who attended the Kilmarnock game would have been greatly shocked and deeply saddened at witnessing the sudden death of ICT supporter John McDonald who suffered a heart attack during the match. I’m led to believe the players are wearing black armbands tonight but I do hope there is also a minutes silence or applause before the match so that those who witnessed the tragedy on Saturday have a chance to pay their respects.

LATEST TEAM NEWS

Inverness have no fresh injury worries ahead of Dunfermline's visit. Jonny Hayes will have to sit this one out after his two yellow's last weekend, but the good news is that Andrew Shinnie could come into contention after breaking his foot in the cup win over the Pars back in January.

Dunfermline news, Jordan McMillan, Liam Buchanan and Austin McCann are looking for a start after missing the Aberdeen game. Martin Hardie and Steven McDougall missed training with a virus but both should be fit to join the squad where experience could prove vital