More misery for home fans

Killie piled on the agony for the long suffering home fans after emphatically trouncing Inverness in the Highland capital.  Bryson, Kelly and Hamill put the game beyond Butchers strugglers, with Foran briefly giving the homesters some false hope.  Ross Tokely was one of the few players to emerge from this game with his CV intact as an Eremenko inspired Kilmarnock taught Inverness a harsh lesson.  Killie looked sharper to the ball while Inverness laboured over every task and but for a bright opening quarter the Ayrshire men had all the answers to the few questions that Inverness asked.

Another home game, another defeat.  It is now getting monotonous.  A Hayesless Caley Jags look as though they have been found out in the top half of the league.  Maybe it's not for us, but since hitting fourth spot in the league we look like a rabbit caught in the headlights.  We have become a victim of our own success, the much publicised away form is being ruined by the equally publicised home form.  We can't buy a home win just now and our thin squad looks increasingly fragile as the January sales window looms. 

Let's not take away all that the club has achieved so far, but the signs are ominous that our squad is starting to creak a little.  Only a few weeks ago we had our first hat-trick in SPL games, now Adam Rooney has hit a lean patch and without his Irish supplier Jonny Hayes being fit, he appears to be isolated at times and is struggling to recreate the early season promise he displayed.  The third piece of the Irish jigsaw, Richie Foran also looks to be suffering from the onus of the captains armband.  A player who was giving 110% last season has not been firing on all cylinders this season and he looks as though he is carrying an injury.  Time will tell if our fortunes will change for the better, but at this moment we need to regroup and get back to basics.

davie will maybe put a more positive spin on the game with his match report, we certainly need some cheering up.

Results and games come and go, but this one threw up a fundamental question; who was it that gave Mixu Paatelainen a black eye? The bear was in good form on the touchline, responding to his team’s dismissal of Caley Thistle. There were voices of dissention around the place, and more than one who was angered by this defeat, but the overwhelming feeling was that we were beaten by a better footballing side on the night. Maybe we are finding a level after a long period of overachievement, and as fans we have been getting a bit spoiled. First Half A free kick and a corner in the first couple of minutes after some good pressing play hinted that Caley Thistle were up for this one. Both chances came to naught, but chances they were and a statement of intent was required after Sunday. Kilmarnock were passing the ball well, Eremenko and Taouil showing promise but in ten minutes a Rooney shot brought the first save from Cammy Bell. This seemed to rouse Kilmarnock, who played with a lot more intent thereafter. Munro was booked for a challenge on Taouil that looked innocuous, and Shinnie followed him into Collum’s book for telling him that. The free kick in 18 minutes, taken by Eremenko, was delivered superbly to Esson’s top left corner and was saved just as superbly. 1-0 in the battle of Scotland’s third best keepers. The Killie midfield was bossing the game by this time, Cox and Duncan finding it difficult to build any rhythm, Bryson was looking more impressive and on loan Ben Gordon at centre back was building play well from Caley’s inability to link midfield and forwards. In truth something had to give, especially as Ross Tokely could form a brick wall for only so long. In 25 minutes, so long arrived in the shape of Bryson who scored from close range. Russell Duncan was booked in 30 odd minutes, leaving half our defence walking a tightrope. Further chances came and went for both sides, but 0-1 at the break seemed a fair reflection of play.

Half time Inverness CT 0 Kilmarnock 1

No changes were apparent at half time, and after a brief spell of Killie pressure, Inverness began to assert themselves into the best period of the match. The passing was crisper and there was more direction to the play. Good chances fell to Rooney and Duff from a free kick, there was a feeling that it was now or never for ICT in terms of reclaiming the match, but the final ball, the incisive pass was lacking on too many occasions. When Kelly scored with a header from a lovely ball from Taouil in 67 minutes, it felt all over. The sucker punch delivered, the game would be played out. Inverness are better than that, and certainly fight harder than that, and the response within 3 minutes was heartening. Foran cottoned on to a ball on the left side of the penalty area and pinged a ball under Bell from a tight angle, which might have deflected off a defender on the way. 1-2 and game on? As someone once said, I can stand the despair, it’s the hope that I can’t handle and on 77 minutes the despair set in. Bryson sallied into the box and was upended by Esson. A penalty was always going to be awarded by the somewhat eccentric Willie Collum, but Bryson was doing a fair impression of taking off from Prestwick long before he was touched. As is now almost normal, Esson saved the penalty from Hamill low down to his right but the parry was picked up by Hamill and duly dispatched. 1-3 and Kilmarnock were away down the A9 with all 3 points. Eric Odhiambo left the field after 79 minutes to be replaced by Shane Sutherland. The few boo’s that he got leaving the pitch were curious and unmerited. The lad had done the best he could. Foran was next to be subbed, and Gil Blumenshtein showed enough in his cameo appearance to merit serious consideration for Sunday. A couple of deft touches and drives were suggestive of a good working understanding with Nick Ross. Hope reared her head again in 84 minutes when a quite brilliant stop from Bell prevented Rooney from making it 2-3.

Full Time Inverness CT 1 Kilmarnock 3

We were beaten by a better side. Eremenko lit the game up in the same way that one M. Niculae used to do occasionally in terms of vision and technical ability. Kharkov must be good if they can afford to loan him out. MotM has to be Ross Tokely, as much for manfully trying to protect young Shinnie as anything else. He was a pillar again. Special mention has to go to the Killie fans who made it up a long way at this time of year and still found the energy to sing themselves hoarse, fair play to you. Let’s hope for a better result for Inverness to start 2011; a happy new year to each and every one at CTO and at Caley Thistle. Lang may yer lums reek.