Table Toppers

League leaders Kilmarnock looked determined to spoil the game as a spectacle and it was a first half of few chances. Mckay having a shot blocked for a corner by Hemming and Ridgers denying McKenzie. However, chances were at a premium and the half ended goalless. The goal that settled the game was a stunning strike from captain Sean Welsh and no more than Inverness deserved with Killie void of attacking intent. This result put Inverness back on top of the table for now. 

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Neither club are on the best run of form at the moment but nonetheless they are still in the congested top five in the Championship, with Killie just one point ahead of the Caley Jags at the head of the table. Could Inverness hit the top tonight or will Killie stamp their authority on the race for promotion. All to play for at the Caledonian Stadium in a Friday night TV spectacular.

Inverness would wear black armbands as a tribute to assistant coach Barry Wilson's mum, Jessie, who sadly passed away this week. Oh how she would have loved to have seen how this match would play out and a goal fit to grace a tribute to a wonderful lady. RIP Jessie and heartfelt condolences to Bobby, Barry and family from the Caley Jags Family 

Both sides were at or very near to full strength with Billy Mckay and Shane Sutherland up top for Inverness and Kilmarnock had Liam Polworth in midfield for them with Chris Burke and Ollie Shaw in attack.

A cagey opening quarter saw Inverness take the game to the visitors without being able to create anything of note, that was until the 14th minute when Roddy MacGregor fed Billy Mckay through on the inside left position, but his shot was blocked by the legs of Zach Hemming at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.

McKenzie brought out a good save from Mark Ridgers as his low curling shot was heading to the bottom corner as it skidded off the wet surface, the ball going behind for a corner.

Inverness almost took the lead just before the half hour after Sean Welsh was blocked and the ball fell nicely for Sutherland. Unfortunately he placed his curled effort just off target and it hit the stanchion of the netting. Ten minutes before the break Aaron Doran found himself in space after cutting in from the left but he fired high and wide. Five minutes before the break and Doran never learned from his previous abysmal effort and he fired another effort well over the bar from thirty yards.

Right on the break, Burke fired across the goal from the edge of the box and just wide to bring a dour first half to a close. That would have been an injustice on Inverness who had dominated the first forty-five.

Half Time: 0-0

A livelier start to the second half saw Hemming tip away a deep cross and when Killie broke forward Ridgers had to gather a low shot from Lyons.

A mix up in the Inverness box allowed Ollie Shaw a free hit but he sliced it wide from ten yards. Not quite the melee from the Morton game, but still something we need to cut out.

Almost out of nothing, Inverness took the lead with a stunning strike into the top corner. Allardice did well to keep the ball and when Welsh got it outside the box he sidestepped a challenge before rifling the ball into the roof of the net from twenty-five yards. What a strike, and on the telly too!

Almost a second minutes later but Tom Walsh scuffed his shot from twelve yards and Hemming made the save at full stretch, and with ten minutes left Robbie Deas fired a powerful shot just over from twenty-five yards.

Full Time: 1-0

Inverness saw out the game with little fuss and kept Killie penned in their own half at the final whistle. This result puts Inverness back on the top of the table, maybe just for one day, but it was a thoroughly deserved win and the second win over Killie this season.

There's him... Sean Welsh. Centre Back on Tuesday night against Raith Rovers in the Challenge Cup, Striker on Friday night in the top of the table clash with Kilmarnock and scoring a stunning winner from twenty-five yards into the top corner. That was his 13th goal for the Caley Jags. No doubt he will be back to being just another midfielder when we travel to Cappielow in midweek for a Scottish Cup replay against Morton, but what a guy. 

Here's our Bio for Sean: Sean started his career at Hibs and excelled in the U19 team, captaining them to a league and cup double in 2008/09 and being awarded the League Player of the Season that year but a series of injuries including a double leg-break limited his first team chances. He went on loan to Stenhousemuir and then Stirling Albion in the 2010/11 season but agreed a one year deal extension with Hibs in the interim. In July 2011 he was injured in a training session after being punched by a team-mate and required surgery to repair a broken cheekbone  He made a further 8 appearances on the subs bench but did not feature on the park. A loan spell at Partick followed in early 2012 and when he was released from his contract at the end of the season he signed a two year deal with Partick.

Welsh was an integral part of the 2012/13 First division championship winning side and was handed the Partick captaincy for their return to the Premiership ahead of the 2013/14 season. Once again injury hampered his season (knee) and he was limited to only 3 appearances. In 2015/16 and 2016/17 he had a total of 64 appearances scoring 6 goals. He left Partick when his contract expired. Sean was out of the game for almost 8 months before signing on a short-term deal with Falkirk during the 2017/18 season. At the end of the season he left Falkirk and signed for Caley Thistle. He scored his first goal for the club, a 48th minute penalty against Alloa in a League match at the Caledonian Stadium on August 25th 2018.

Rrripper.......Booooom!

Doddsy Delight

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