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For me, the difference last night was that, for the first 25 minutes at least, we went for the jugular. Incisive, direct movement, straight at goal. None of the dithering about outside the box which I have complained about in the past, passing sideways to each other because everyone was too scared to have a go. Instead it was straight through - run at the defence and cause them problems. Probably the best game I have seen Sutherland play. I thought Walsh was immense too - not just his two goals, but he always seemed to be in there, usually in the middle and not on a wing, trying to create and cause trouble. I'm pleased for him, because at the very start of the season he and Carson were a great partnership down the right-hand side, but then Walsh seemed to lose his way. Take the same attitude into the next couple of games, and we'll be fine.

117 tickets sold so £1,170 raised, which I guess is many times more than it would have raised in an auction, so great idea to raffle it and a great gesture from Paul Cherry to do this.

Best first 45 minutes I have enjoyed for sometime. It just shows you what the team can do when they pass the ball quickly and at pace, instead of just pumping it forwards. 4 good goals and some really strong performances. Walsh had his best game this season, it's what he's capable of, so let's hope he takes that form into the playoffs. Sutherland ran and fought for every ball, and has had an excellent season, he has exceeded my expectations. Carson is a beast of a player, he's the kind of player I would want in my team, fearless in the tackle, good on the ball, and gives everything for the team. And I was really impressed with Hyde, it's the first time I have really seen him play, and I think he is definitely one for the future. He gave a short wayward pass to Carson early on, and Carson let him know about it, but after that, he grew into the game, has good feet, and was strong in the tackle and shielding the ball. The second half was just seeing the game out, and when you consider we ended up with seven midfielders on the pitch at the end, we got through the match relatively unscathed, apart from Duffy, who I hope isn't too badly injured. So, if we can get our passing game ready for the playoffs, I look forward to the next part of our season.

I think Joe Hardy’s goal last night was the first of his senior career, at the age of 23. Hopefully the floodgates open and he gets a few more when coming off the bench in the play offs.

Great performance and good use of the squad by Dodds. As some have said I was also really impressed by Lewis Hyde. The fact that it seems he can play various positions is also a bonus when we have a smallish squad.

I thought Shane was immense tonight and his goal was a cracker. Can see why he is the players player of the year.

Picking this thread up but focussing on his football after his recent performances and him winning the Players’ Player of the Season Award last night. He seems to have gone from strength to strength in the wide right role. His effort can never be faulted and he seldom gives possession away. Looking at the BBC stats, which exclude Challenge Cup games, he is our highest scorer (11) and has had the most assists (6). I know Mckay’s 5 Challenge Cup goals mean he is our overall top scorer, but Sutherland has played a part in 17 goals this season. He got some criticism during our bad run, but has come through that strongly and, in my opinion, his contribution is under rated by many fans. I’m not sure when his contract expires (was the extension he signed just for this season?). If he is out of contract this summer, I hope we are speaking to him about an extension.

He was always odds-on to win!

Good way to close out the normal season before the play-offs with nearly all the objects achieved with Walsh getting on the scoresheet twice along with Sutherland, MacGregor getting a good performance in, good game time for Harper, bonuses in Hyde, Hardy scoring!, no bookings and injuries bar Duffy, let's hope that is not serious. For a brief while with Raith winning and Partick losing heavily I was checking routes to Kirkcaldy! Let's take one play-off game at a time and see how far we can get..... I think we have enough in each area of the pitch to have some confidence

Well said Shane

The point I was making was that as this was not a dead rubber from Hamilton's perspective, we had a responsibility to field a competitive side. Earlier in this thread you disagreed with me stating "Our only obligation is to field a team and fulfil the fixture." I'm glad to say the manager selected a highly competitive team and ignored your advice and that of others who would have had us fielding a team of youth and squad players. Funnily enough, on the other thread you congratulate the manager on getting his team selection spot on! Also contrary to your post, Hamilton were clearly very concerned to try and get something out of the game and maintain the gap over Morton. They fielded a strong side and were out to win it. Unfortunately for them, we also took the game very seriously, were clinical and blew them away in the first half hour. To give Hamilton their due, they never gave up and in the second half worked very hard right to the end to get something out of the game. They won several corners, had a goal disallowed and we needed some pretty last ditch defending to keep them out.

It is with heartbreak and sorrow that I must announce the passing of well-known ICT supporter, my great friend for many years, and the best man at my wedding Stewart Anderson. Stewart, his brother Ross, another friend Calum, and I sat directly above the tunnel from the second season of ICT at the Caledonian Stadium and even if you didn’t know him, you likely knew of him or encountered him. It will always be an unforgettable sight to have seen the big man in full swing shouting “encouragement” to opposition players, managers, and referees! Those tickets changed hands over the years as paths crossed and uncrossed or personal circumstances changed, but always within people who were a part of that group with Stewart at or near the centre. The banter and ‘encouragement’ on a Saturday afternoon were all just football. Away from the stadium, Stewart was the proverbial gentle giant, a 6’5” teddy bear dedicated to family and friends who was also hardworking and conscientious. He would never knowingly do you any wrong and would give you the shirt off his back to help you if needed. I had the privilege to know Stewart for nearly 30 years. It started through football but transcended into far more areas of our lives. Stewart became a close friend before I moved to Canada, and when I did, he was the best man at my wedding, his dad Blair was our piper, and his mum Mary and brother Allan were also in attendance. He gave a speech at the reception that made even the ministers blush (we had two ministers – a husband and wife team from Nova Scotia who were very broad minded). I think I still have the handcuffs and blow-up sheep somewhere! Over the years we had some memorable times in Scotland at ICT games both home and away, starting or ending in either the Caley Inn or the Innes Bar. He came to Toronto a couple of times after the wedding and we had a fun time travelling through the Rockies from Vancouver to Edmonton, then to Calgary and back to Toronto. Another time he came to Toronto then with us to Cuba where he celebrated mine and my wife’s 5th anniversary in style, looking and feeling equally happy as he relaxed with a Pina Colada and a Cuban cigar at the beach in Varadero or sipping a Mojito in Hemingway’s bar in Havana. He also came with me to a couple of Toronto FC games that year and managed to get an entire pub singing “Bridge and Castle”! (see video). He made friends here in Toronto who still ask for him after all this time. Friends who I will now have to break this tragic news to and who will feel the pain like everyone else. Stewart was a bit of a technophobe, who just about managed to work his way around Facebook, so you won’t find him as a previous poster on the site. However, you will find many on here who knew the big man, respected, and loved him, and will miss him dearly. I am seldom lost for words, and even though I have a thousand stories I could relay about fun and crazy times with the big man, I am honestly and truly at a loss for more to say right now other than that I am thinking of his parents Blair and Mary and his siblings Blair, Ross, and Alan. I offer them my sincere and heartfelt condolences which I know will barely make any dent in their loss, but hopefully at some point, they can take comfort in knowing that my feelings are reciprocated across thousands of people whose lives Stewart has touched over the years whether from his travels, work, family, or football and every one of us sings the same song about his warmth and generosity. To Stewart, what else can I say but ‘Jeezo Big Man - Rest in Peace. I love you. I cherish all the happy memories we had together. I even cherish the times we disagreed. It made our friendship stronger, and you truly were the best man, not just my best man. You were one of a kind and I will miss you dearly. I and many others in several countries will raise a ‘peedy’ to your memory and look back on your life with great pride to have known you and been a part of it. Rest in Peace my friend. //Scott.

The draw has been made, and I guess the unhappy faces appearing next to my ticket numbers means I didn’t win! Hope someone here was successful.

Thanks Shane.

All well deserved

It is. He played one cup tie for Liverpool but got injured after joining Accrington last summer so never played for them before joining us on loan. He is a lively player and hopefully the goal will be the first of many. He even won a couple of headers last night despite being probably the smallest player on the park.

how many names are you using Shane?

I bet !

Indeed. 19 points from our first 7 games. 21 points from our next 21 games (including 6 in 11 at the height of the slump). 19 points from our last 8 games. Had we turned 4 of the draws into wins we’d have pipped Killie on goal difference. All irrelevant now, as we have our most important games in recent years to prepare for.

You have just offended half the population of Nairn

You were right to ask the question but fortunately our form has picked up at the right time. Who knows if we will get through the play offs but at least we have given ourselves a chance. Partick seem to have gone off the rails, but we cannot assume we will beat them. If we do, by the time we play Arbroath their players will be well rested so we will be underdogs despite our record against them this season. I’m cautiously hopeful but prepared for disappointment.

Sometimes someone just needs to admit when their wrong and that day is today for my good self The run up until the Arbroath win was pretty worrying at the time but by god these lads have stepped up ever since and I for one am glad as I did doubt them after that tough loss at Firhill. Note for next season: Never doubt the players attitude or desire to play for this club and don't question managers positions too early See, I can have a laugh and joke at my own expense lol.

Well deserved awards to all three, and a very nice touch to have the award to the disabled young fan too. I got two out of three, with McAlear and his goal, but I went for Sutherland. Carson is a fans’ favourite so no arguments from me, particularly given the issues he has had to deal with this season. It is always interesting who the players vote for and it tells us a lot about how important Sutherland is for us.

Can't argue with that. Revealing to see how highly the players rate Shane.

Well done and congratulations to all. Well deserved accolades.

It appears that Hamilton were not quite as concerned about maintaining the gap over Morton as you were.

I admit that I was dubious when I saw the relatively unchanged starting line up but, as it turned out, we got the job done in the first half hour enabling us to coast and use our full compliment of substitutes for the remaining 2 thirds of the game. I have often been critical of the manager's team selection tactics and substitutions, or absence of them, this season. However, this evening he got all three spot on allowing us to progress to the play offs full of momentum and confidence having ended our non winning record against Accies in the most emphatic manner without busting a gut in the process. It won't be easy but this is our best prospect of promotion since relegation and we have put ourselves in a strong position to grasp it. Come on the Caley Jags !

At last night’s game, his scarf was laid across his seat. A very poignant moment for all involved. Thank You ICT for winning on his behalf!

You can bet we are.

A very enjoyable Friday evening. What a first half: we looked like scoring whenever we went forward and all the goals were good. It is good to see Walsh on the scoresheet as that’s been missing from his game this season, and Hardy needed a goal. The second half was just about seeing the game out without causing issues for the play offs. I hope Duffy is not badly injured. Who’d have expected us to play the last half hour with Welsh and Hyde at centre half. MacGregor was in control in midfield whilst our movement in the middle and up front was excellent. The stand out for me was Hyde. He slotted into midfield as though he had been playing in the team all season. He reminded me of Carson, being tenacious but able to pick out a pass. It is really encouraging that we have more young players who should become first team regulars. I hope we are all as happy next Friday at full time.

Suppose if knowing big kirk is in the toilet watching over is something you'd like then I suppose the club has to cater for all kinds,but I was thinking a bit more along the photos, autographs and general bit of banter with the families and some kids who might enjoy the chance to be around their idols. But each to their own.