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And despite the defeat, up a place this weekend and above County!

Been going to the odd Caley game for a while now since moving up here. Never posted on here before, but after tonight's game I feel very mixed - positive that we could have won the match against a very good Rangers side, but frustrated that the reasons I think we didn't may not be addressed. in summary, we looked good early on because we passed out from the back, kept the ball and forced gaps to appear. Rangers had quality players and they reacted by seriously upping their game; we did well to go in at half time only 0-1 down, and that is no discredit to Caley, more a credit to Rangers. I understand why we started hoofing it at that stage - to clear imminent danger. Butt he second half was much more equal. Yet we continued to hoof it - not from imminent danger, but just in general. WHY? We could easily have drawn or even won this match if we had not seemingly changed our approach simply because Rangers went through the gears for a while. A quick summary of the squad we have for me highlights some small changes I think could really make the difference. Goalkeeper; Fon Williams has really come on leaps and bounds, and at his confident best his reactions are top notch. Needs to work a bit on distribution, but he is not alone in that. Defence: In Tremarco, Warren and McKay we have 3 defenders who are easily capable of doing what we need them to do, but please, stop the hopeless hoofing when there is not an imminent threat. They're all capable enough on the ball. Raven looks as though his best days are behind him unfortunately. Midfield: Tansey leads the troops well, if I have any criticism it is that he tries for glory a little too much - no denying though that when he does it gets the crowd going, and that can't be so bad. Draper alongside him is a perfect complement, when we play them together. Forwards / Wingers: Mulraney can be frightening with his pace, but the end product is almost invariably lacking. Again, it may help if the ball was not hoofed at his head so often. Great to see Doran getting back to his best. Like Doran, Vigurs and King both have their moments - we have to accept that comes with the territory. My main frustration is with arguably the most talented player; Liam Polworth is capable of magic, sees things others do not and finds space where there is none. BUT, the work rate is seriously lacking. Loses the ball and doesn't help get it back, doesn't press, makes only aesthetic attempts to stop crosses. If he scored 40 goals a season, fine. But as it is, we play with 10 men without the ball in return for a few bits of magic once in a while. It WILL cost us if it hasn't already. Not good enough and such a waste of talent. Strikers: I like Doumbouya. Reminds me of Ofere in that he can frustrate the life out of you as a supporter, but would you want to be marking him? Of course you wouldn't. I'd stick with him. Unlike Ofere, seems to have a reasonable work ethic too. I love Ross Draper, but not as a striker, and certainly not as a partner to Doumbuoya. He has fantastic qualities that we need, but I've seen ships turn faster than Draper in the final third. If we are going to play somebody off Doumbuoya, you need pace there. Either the wingers need to run past him or you need to play him with a pacey partner. I think Alex Fisher still needs time to be ready for that, but I would imagine the likes of Vigurs could cause some real damage some days with a bit more freedom to push on. Draper back in midfield alongside Tansey would be one step towards making me feel a lot easier about giving it to them.

Overall the league's newcomers were worthy winners and looked to be a pretty decent side. They kept possession well and were always looking to break forward quickly. But we played well too, Defensively we were pretty solid and if truth be told, we created the better chances and created enough to have won the game. Mulraney and Doran both provided a real threat when they came on and will surely get more game time soon. We will certainly play worse this season and win. The difference was in the finishing. Gilt edged chances were missed by our two strikers at either end of the game that you would expect a street league striker to bury. We had other chances but Foderingham was never seriously troubled. At the other end, Fon Williams was called into action a few times from less good chances and Miller's goal was a finish of real quality. It is always disappointing to lose but I hope those "occasional" supporters who helped to get the crowd over 7000 will have enjoyed the game and will come back again. Despite the disappointment of losing it was a thoroughly enjoyable game and a world away from the sterile negative football of last season. It was good to see a sizeable number of fans standing to applaud the team off the field at the end.despite having lost. That didn't happen last season.

When Dundee come visiting no one harps on about them overspending and paying off something like 5% of their debt to keep the club going. I don't think going bust for Rangers was plan A. I feel their hand was kind of forced. Tax evasion, blame the accountant and don't bother replying if you own an ISA it's just another tax dodge, money in a pension tax dodge, inheritance estate deferred tax dodge. Entertaining clients tax dodge. Old club new club whatever, would be good to keep their fans quiet tonight. Can we get back to the football. Hows the ticket sales going?

Morton @ 4.33 - ta

FON WILLIAMS 7/10 – No chance with the goal but look assured and kept us in it, although he did not really have that much to do. RAVEN 6/10 – Worried when I heard of his inclusion but he was more like the Raven of old. WARREN 6/10 – Worries me with his undisciplined impetuousness at times. Warriors do not put themselves at risk and do not take one for the team when there is cover. McKAY 5/10 – Lucky not to be dismissed. Went for balls that were never his. Clearly a better full back. TREMARCO 7/10 – Continues to be solid and consistent. Never given a chance of being an attacking option. POLWORTH 6/10 – I simply cannot believe that he is being played wide right. Drifted inside most of the night and was culpable at not giving Raven cover on quite a few occasions. TANSEY 5/10 – Scored him lower as he feckin annoys me. It was probably a 6 ½ out of 10 but why did he keep his best display of the season to the Showroom game. VIGURS 5/10 – Almost the same comment as Tansey. Appeared to make more effort tonight than he has done for weeks. KING 5/10 – Followed up from a disappointing game at Hamilton to another. Clearly right footed and not looking comfortable wide left. DRAPER 8/10 – My MOM for again filling in so many positions in one night – even taking over the main striker role in the second half. He showed his frustration by dropping too deep at times. DOUMBOUYA 3/10 – Thought that he was shocking even giving him a let off for the glaring 3rd minute miss. Simply does not appear to be Premiership quality. No real pace, won little in the air and allowed himself to be bullied. MULRANEY / DORAN 6/10 each – Have clearly staked the claims to start next game. FISHER 4/10 – Missed another chance at glory. My preference to start as he is more mobile, pacier and better in the air – What the feck more does he need !!