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Sorry about the late post but been working flat out. Luckily I was in Perth on Wednesday and Thursday so a nervous journey along the A90 turned in to the best away day I've had since the 3-0 at Dingwall last season. The fans were fantastic from well before kick off, probably the most vocal and supportive other than the cup semis and finals, even giving Foran support when he came out. Even before Mckay's early goal, he was unlucky a charge down just went wide, and to get a quick second was brilliant. The team then kept their composure, created a number of decent chances, and kept possession better than in recent times. For my money, the best 90 minute performance I have witnessed this season. Esson was steady, Mckay did well at right back, with Raven very good at left back, also adding cover to Warren and Laing at times. Warren and Laing bossed central defence. In midfield, Vigurs was immense, perhaps a bit lucky to just be booked, but had composure, urgency and passion. Draper was back to his old self. Tansey was up for it. Polworth had some good moments, whilst also covering Raven regularly. Fisher worked hard and took his goal well, but was out on his feet by the time he was subbed. Mckay took his goal well, pressed the Dundee defence and was probably also tiring when subbed. I thought Anier worked hard and put himself about, but he is not Mckay class, whilst McNaughton and McCart were put on to ensure we kept out Dundee late on. The players were all up for it, the crowd was fantastic. We need the same team and a large noisy support tomorrow. It's still a long shot, but at least we have a chance, however remote. Its my wife's birthday tomorrow and I was originally not going. She is now having lunch with her sister and I am now going. Wednesday was a great night, can we do the impossible? I don't know, but I will be backing the guys 100% regardless of what happens. If it does not go our way tomorrow, let's give the players a long standing ovation at the end. If many leave, they leave us memories of several seasons none of us dared dream about. Two finals, one cup win, three top six finishes, a trip to Europe. They deserve our appreciation! Come on Caley Thistle!!

To clarify, Dundee Utd's £1.5m loss was for 15/16, their relegation season. I suspect we will have made a loss of around £0.5m this season. That number is somewhat plucked from the air but we all know that to break even we need a high league position, cup runs, player windfalls etc and we've had none of those things this season. The only saving grace is that we must have saved a fortune in win bonuses!

Well done to all the fans who made the effort to attend this match. You gave the team fantastic backing and helped them get over the line with a fine win. Same again for Saturday everyone.

I agree with you on that one!

Don't worry Kenny we will hopefully be doing the same again in a week or two

Struggled with this one as no-one really had a bad game, except the inept Anier. A bonus 5 points to #caleyaway - what a great atmosphere created! Still canna talk the day....

The least we can ask is if we do go down, we go down fighting and showing what we are made of. C'mon the boys, C'mon Dundee.

Aye, tough game whoever got through. Up to us or Accies to get there now. First leg will be 7:45pm at Tannadice on Thursday 25th May. Final return leg Sunday 28th May at 3:00pm. Hopefully in Inverness.

So it's DUFC who await tomorrow's showdown. Let's just hope that it is that are lucky enough to have a crack at them.

I have had the feeling over the years that there are many ICT supporters who work abroad, down south and offshore. The cup final was a case in point, the two girls next to me had travelled from Toronto and Paris both born in Inverness clearly they wouldn't be regular attendees. I also feel the club has lost something from the days when you could stand on the terracing exchange banter with your fellow supporters, stand next to people you liked and didn't have officials telling you to sit down which I hate due to dodgy hips especially in winter. From a squad perspective we have also lost some of our Scottishness (if that's a word) if our national team is to improve we need more Scottish players playing in the league, I also think it creates more of a bond with the support especially with local boys, it still grieves me seeing Christie a Celtic employee playing well and scoring regularly for Aberdeen, he is the kind of star that can inspire and be a role model to young lads trying to succeed in the professional game, nowadays anyone showing any talent is gone far too quickly and the support is denied the pleasure of watching them play for our team, I find it infuriating. Money runs the game at all levels nowadays and we are pretty low in that pecking order. Speaking of money, the Chairman of StJ is on the radio just now apparently they charge £16 for an adult plus two under 12's seems pretty good.

First, let's see what sort of a crowd we really get. There is a lot of interest and I'm makinf full use of the good deals available for ST holders and children under 16. But, there won't be many from Motherwell and I'd be surprised if we get 4000. Your question, however, is a good one. I think it comes down to the meaning of the word "support". ICT's hard-core, through thick and thin, support is about 2k. Then there's the occasional supporter who can't be at every game, but goes when they can - these people are equally entitled to the term supporter. Then there's the fairly large band of armchair "followers", who might say they are fans if asked, but only go to big games (OF, cup finals and final day show-downs). They go for the drama and the glory, but don't invest as much emotion as true supporters. We'll get about 500 - 1000 of these tomorrow, mostly going on the freebees. They would also go to the play off, if we're lucky enough to make it. Converting this group into supporters that invest cash and emotion into the club is proving exceptionally difficult!

in a game where the starting 11 were easily at 7+ he was a 4. the point of a substitution is to provide fresh legs when replacing like for like. he didnt apply himself in the same was as fisher had, as billy mc had, even Polly and Vigz appeared to be working harder than him. He never once jumped to try and win a header. not making any generalisations about his play, but on wednesday night, he was awful.

You weren't at Dundee were you?

Brilliant performance. Brilliant support. Brilliant David Raven.

BUMP!!! Best post of the night.

As said above by Caley Stan, easily our best performance of the season. Changing things again was interesting and Richie went for a 4-4-2 with a narrow midfield, which we've done before but without much success. This time though, it worked a treat. Keeping the game narrow, compacting the midfield allowed us to dominate with the ball as we had lots of options to keep possession and get the ball up to the strikers and without the ball, as we had players to assert pressure on Dundee. Collectively the midfield were all excellent, working hard and using the ball well when they had it. Vigurs was the standout though, an immense performance in the anchor role. He maintained possession and broke forward when he had to, probably the best game he's had since signing for us. Laing and Warren also had good games, dealing with everything that Dundee could give us - not a lot but we've not exactly been freezing teams out this season. Mckay had a great game up front and Fisher took his goal well - Fisher works hard though and is a target for crosses, which gives us another option. The one downside is that Dundee were dire and I could easily see Hamilton turning them over on Saturday. Hopefully Vincent and Ross knock their pans in trying to get the win for us.

I can foresee Nick, with Dundee down to 9 men, scoring an injury time equaliser, to send Hamilton down, as we will pump Motherwell. Groundhog day or what?

By some distance, that was the best performance i've seen from us this season. In attempting to fit our best midfielders into the team, Richie's wound up chopping and changing the shape all season but he might finally have landed on a formation that gets the best out of them. Vigurs sat behind Tansey and Draper and was the heart of some excellent passing moves - his ball through for Fisher's goal was delightful. Polworth isn't a natural wide player, but he put in a hell of a shift and is obviously more reliable defensively than Cole or Mulraney. Same team on Saturday, surely.

Cracking goal. But not for the first time, a simple header missed the target. Head shaped like a new pound coin!

that is class. Wonder where we would be if he had not been frozen out most of the season. Maybe he'll save us, just to add to the irony.

Ffs ICT! Why do you do this to us? Another false dawn? More hope in vain? Can we actually do this....?! hell yes! that 1st half was classy, sexy football! More of that on Saturday please!! COME ON THE CALEY THISTLE!! Eh?!

The singing was absolutely brilliant tonight ... and what a team performance ... gritty, professional, beautiful passing at times ... Why only now?

Great first half with chances at both ends. Second half we were just trying to keep it tight, and when we got a chance to attack we would just hold the ball up rather than try to play someone in. It worked, so we can't complain. Has to be said though that Dundee showed no urgency, it showed that they are safe. So the game just fizzled out, which suited us fine.

Jack Ross? Although I don't think he'd be interested now that we'll be in the same division! Things could've been so different if he'd been approached months ago

Nipple tassels are on order for Dougal's on board entertainment.

You'll be staying on the bus during the game as well by the looks of things?

Going by the outside picture looks like you might have some tough competition, frilly apron or not Renegade!

Just received a never before seen photo of the new ICT supporters bus! Can't wait to hop on this on Wednesday night!

Richie should off done this when he appointed his assistant in the summer. Rice wasnt and still isnt the man for the job.

Getting pretty miffed with the Anier abuse on this board. The guy hasn't set the heather alight, but he's by no means the awful player some fellow posters are making him out to be. Against Hamilton I thought he was one of the best players on the park. His work rate, defensive covering, supporting runs, strong hold up play under pressure and beautifully weighted through balls to our front men all went completely unnoticed by the mouth breathers who immediately screeched "Get him off!!!" any time he had a bad touch. His goals to game tally is poor, and he isn't a natural striker IMO - but to say he has no footballing ability is absolute nonsense. I honestly believe half the people who attend football matches and post on forums have never played the game before, even at pub level.

BUMP!