Omicron 1-0 Football

Game off due to outbreak of covid

Read Club Statement here

You might as well have the Preview anyway, it's no use to anyone now 

Omicron has appeared just in time to ruin Xmas, well, to be more precise, Boxing day. New restrictions will be in place for all games from Boxing Day, so be sure to check the Match Info from your club as a 500 crowd limit will be imposed on outdoor events. Unfortunately, what that means is that NO away fans will be permitted in to the Stadium. Omicron or not, how appropriate is it that we should play against the team that has Brian Graham plying his trade for them on Boxing Day. Yes, Partick Thistle are the opponents on the day when traditionally, gifts are given to the poor during the season of goodwill to all men, apart from Brian Graham. You can catch the action at 3:00pm on Sunday or watch the live stream from ICTV for £15. We passed on the opportunity to consolidate our position at the top of the table last weekend which has baffled many after the thrashing dished out to Morton the previous week. Accies threw a spanner in the works winning at the Caledonian Stadium last week which resulted in part time Arbroath hitting the top of the table on goal difference half way through the season. You've got to doff your cap to the main man with the bunnet who has done a tremendous job at Gayfield. 

Nonetheless, Merry Xmas from the CTO editorial team 

Other Championship games on Boxing Day

Ayr Utd v Rovers

Dunfermline v Arbroath FC

Accies v Killie

Morton v Queens

Last Time out

We went down 2-1 at home to Accies after surrendering a lead given to us through Cameron Harper in the 65th minute. That was his second goal for the club, his first in the Championship. Two goals in the space of three minutes from David Moyo and Andy Winter turned the game on it's head as Accies responded when we regressed. As we passed up chances to score it was deja vu from the first encounter this season, but they had eleven on the park this time. Disappointing result and we need to be more clinical around the box. Strange thing to have to say given the way we dealt with Morton, but an all too familiar scenario this season.

Partick did us all a favour at the weekend when a late goal in the fog at Firhill saw them beat 10 man Raith Rovers and put themselves back in contention only three points off the pace. Kyle Turner scored the winner in the 96th minute with Raith playing out the final half hour without the red carded Cristophe Berra.

First encounter this season ended at 3-1 to the Caley Jags after Partick had dominated the opening 45. Here's our summary from that game: After a difficult first half, Inverness ran out comfortable winners against Partick Thistle in a second half goal blitz. The visitors dominated the first forty-five and Scott Tiffoney drilled the opener out of nothing as the defence backed off. Manny Duku was denied by a combination of keeper and post but it was Partick that should have scored a second, however Mark Ridgers did well to deny Brian Graham. Harsh talking at the break saw Inverness come out for the second half with the bit between the teeth and Kirk Broadfoot was the unlikely hero as his twenty yard shot evaded the outstretched fingertips of the keeper to level the score. Shane Sutherland did well to drill in the second from an angle after the keeper fluffed his lines allowing Shane to slot in from twenty yards. The third was a peach as Duku stepped over the ball and Aaron Doran fired high into the net for a brilliant goal and game over. That's five wins out of five and the run goes on...
Perennial cheat Brian Graham seemed to be involved in an off the ball altercation which left David Carson enraged. He was removed from the park by McCall immediately after. It's about time this thug in a football strip was taken to task.

Latest Team News

Billy Dodds has been without Sean Welsh for a couple of weeks and Aaron Doran limped off last week against Accies. Otherwise, we should have a fairly full squad to choose from unless we have had any more mystery training injuries to contend with.

Loosely connected to three of the teams mentioned in this preview, I see that Dougie Imrie has been appointed as the new Morton manager. The former Accies, Inverness and Morton player has a tough job on his hands there but good luck to him in that role.

Ian McCall