2025 AD
Inverness have a big cushion over the automatic relegation spot at the moment as we approach the final Admin Derby of the Season from Hell. At the moment we have an eighteen point advantage over bottom club Dumbarton. However, let's not lose site of the fact that the Sons have a superior goals for total than us. We are the third poorest goals for side in League1. On the plus side, we have the third best defensive record in the league. Dumbarton gave Arbroath a hard time in their re-arranged fixture in midweek before going down 2-1. If you haven't seen the opening goal from the Sons' Michael Ruth yet, take a look at his free kick. Boom! What a stunning strike, and in off the bar! Beware the angry Son. The downside of their battling performance in midweek was that the game was played in a monsoon on a ploughed field. I hope the pitch recovers in time for this weekend. We had our own stunning goal last week when a Savage diagonal > Devine volley > and Bray diving header bulleted into the net to earn us a valuable point in a lack lustre display against Montrose.
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Update from the Supporters Trust Meeting
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| 2025 |
| Mar 8th | League (League 1) | ? | A | ? | |
| Jan 4th | League (League 1) | 2 - 0 | H | 1,894 |
| 2024 |
| Oct 26th | League (League 1) | 1 - 3 | A | 872 | |
| Aug 3rd | League (League 1) | 1 - 1 | H | 1,439 |
| 2023 |
| Jul 18th | League Cup | 1 - 2 A | 594 |
| 2018 |
| Apr 18th | League | 1 - 0 | A | 392 | |
| Apr 14th | League | 5 - 1 | H | 2,355 | |
| Mar 24th | Challenge Cup (Final) | 1 - 0 | N | 4,602 |
| 2017 |
| Dec 16th | League | 1 - 0 | H | 2,103 | |
| Sep 23rd | League | 1 - 2 | A | 594 |
Prior to 2017 we only met twice, in 2002 and 2007 with Inverness winning both League Cup encounters. 2002 was our first meeting and who else but Dennis Wyness and Paul Ritchie were the scorers in a 2-0 win at the Caledonian Stadium.
The first ever meeting of these clubs and it was a one sided affair in front of 667 fans. Despite Dumbarton's lofty position at the top of Division 2 they were outclassed by Caley Thistle. In 12 minutes Stephen Grindlay blocked a Charlie Christie shot with his legs after the born-again striker took full advantage of a half chance in the box. Six minutes later Grindlay palmed away a 20 yard shot from Barry Robson. Christie limped off in 21 minutes and was replaced by Paul Ritchie. Two minutes later Dennis Wyness played a one-two with Russell Duncan then pulled his shot wide. The opener came just a minute after that when Robson found Wyness in the box and he scored from 10 yards after a neat 'Wyness Shuffle'. Four minutes into the second half Ross Tokely fired wide then Robson curled a shot over the bar. In 52 minutes Grindlay saved his side once more when he tipped over a Richie Hart drive. In a rare Dumbarton foray upfield a minute later Craig McEwan hit the side netting from 12 yards. Ritchie headed over then saw a shot cleared off the line by David Stewart before he scored with a blistering 16 yard drive in 71 minutes. Robson and Duncan came close towards the final whistle but the Dumbarton defence held out. 2-0 flattered Dumbarton and they had Grindlay to thank for keeping the score down.
INVERNESS CT The Season So Far
D L D D W D D D L / W L(11)D W W W L W L
W W L W W L W D ? /
Since Scott Kellacher was handed the reins in game 11, there has been a more positive approach to our matches which has resulted in improved performances and a more enjoyable matchday experience all round. Alas we were brought back to earth with a disappointing result in our last game of 2024, a crushing 1-4 defeat at home to Cove Rangers. We'll have to put that one down to a bad day at the office. However, we bounced back in our first game of the second half of the season in the six pointer against Dumbarton with a hard fought 2-0 win. That win over Dumbarton was a vital one and the introduction of Alfie Bavidge was a welcome one as he opened the scoring early in the first half. Charlie Gilmour slotted in the clincher in the second half to give us a cushion over the Sons and to narrow the gap on Annan to seven points. We took part in the only League1 game next weekend and came away from Annan with a resounding 3-0 win, Alfie Bavidge netting again with Keith Bray and then Billy Mckay from the spot. It was then on to Palmerston on the Tuesday night but in a five goal encounter we went down 3-2. Alfie Bavidge notched his third goal in three games and Keith Bray added a second but goals from Adam Brooks (2) and Jordan Allan kept the points in Dumfries. We bounced back with a resilient 1-2 win at Alloa in our third away game on the bounce, Dunfermline bound Keith Bray with his fourth of the season and Alfie Stewart. We got our revenge at home to QotS (1-0) with Alfie Bavidge scoring his fourth goal in five appearances. Alas it was a bridge too far at Arbroath last week and we went down losing three without reply. The Stenhousemuir fixture was postponed and is re-arranged for March 11th. We went to Kelty and came away with a narrow 1-0 win thanks to Alfie's 5th goal in 7 appearances. Montrose proved to be stubborn opponents and it took a superb diving header from Keith Bray to rescue a point in a rather turgid encounter after Sandilands had opened the scoring in the first half. Off to Dumbarton on Saturday and at home to Stenhousemuir on Tuesday night...
Latest Team News from within: Luis Longstaff was helped off the park last weekend against Montrose with a hamstring injury and will be going for a scan to assess the damage. It looks likely that he will miss out. Scott Kellacher is also wary of the pitch at Dumbarton and that might affect his selection and style.
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Michael Ruth's sublime free kick. Pick that one out...
Free-kick perfection
— SPFL (@spfl) March 5, 2025
@Dumbartonfc's Michael Ruth with one for the cameras pic.twitter.com/fm9hdfttS4
Last Six: D L L L L L
<<<This was their Starting XI v Arbroath.
Not great results for Dumbarton over the last half dozen games. February was a poor Month for the Son's. It all started innocuously with a home draw v Alloa (1-1). It was all downhill thereafer. Losses at Annan (2-1), a tough one to take at home to Montrose (2-3) and defeat at Cove (2-1) March has seen two home defeats by Stenhousemuir (1-3) and Tuesday night against League Leaders Arbroath (1-2). It's been a tough run for the Son's but don't be fooled, they won't go down without a fight and trounced us 3-1 the last time we were here in Scott Kellacher's first game in charge.
Top scorer is jointly held by Carlo Pignatiello and Michael Ruth with six goals each. Like us, the January sales were not really for Dumbarton: Loan in: Owen Hayward, goalkeeper (Falkirk); Milosz Sliwinski, goalkeeper (Queen's Park). Looks like they will be putting two in goals against us.
Son's fans can be seen watching a previous encounter perched precariously on the 'Rock' basking in the sunshine as the eagles kept their distance circling overhead.
The Sons moved away from Boghead in 2000 and Dumbarton Football Stadium, locally known as 'The Rock' was officially opened on 2nd December 2000, and they kicked off in style with a 3-0 win over Elgin City. It's an imposing landscape with the Rock and Dumbarton Castle next to the ground. It has a capacity of 2020 and it's had many names since it opened as the Strathclyde Homes Stadium and kept that title for eleven years. It's now tagged as the Marbill Coaches Stadium since last July.
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