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From the Inverness Courier Head coach Billy Dodds felt it wasn't fair to keep Cammy Mackay as first choice goalkeeper as Mark Ridgers returned to the starting line-up, "Mark has been a model professional, because he knew I wasn't happy.... I didn't think it was fair on Cameron Mackay to keep losing goals when we had young lads in the back, [Mark] came in and had some great saves, but it was his calming influence. I am lucky I have two good goalkeepers, but it was time to put in experience" Looks like the manager/player relationship has been put back on track, which is always a positive thing, especially in a small squad. 6-1 might be a fluke result or not, although it sounds like we deserved the win, but hopefully a turning point, the new guy Henderson on the wing sounds promising [I can't believe we also had Shaw and Harper out injured], if we can add to the squad again, and maybe see Samuels and Allardice back soon... anything could happen [although we will need to beat Queens Park twice I reckon to get a sniff of the top place, if we do go on a decent run] Anyway Happy New Year!

Gutted I missed today's game, no buses running so I couldn't make it but delighted to see the score, hopefully something to build on and results start to go out way

That was a result I didn't see coming and after going one down, even more so, but with a better performance, some strange play from their keeper and a couple of own goals, it turned out to be the most enjoyable game of the season so far. It could have been a lot different but for a couple of great saves by Ridgers and some sloppy finishing from Cove. It made a huge difference having Devine back in defence and the spine of the team was strong with Welsh Doran and Mckay all having good games. Henderson looks like a player who can beat folk and put in a cross. More absentees, No Harper or Shaw, are they added to the injury list? Let's hope we take the same drive and luck through to Arbroath next week.

My first game since before Covid. And what a game to return on! We made a decent start but you could see Cove coming back into it and the goal from a corner was looking inevitable as we looked so poor defending them. But I thought we always looked quite fluent going forward today and turned it around for 3-1 at HT. The second half was fun but I thought Billy Aaron were outstanding linking together and showing their quality and experience. The gap to Queens Park at the top is 10pts so not completely gone but hard but only 4pts back to the play offs. One win doesn’t mean it’s all rosey in the garden but still plenty to look forward too if this is a beginning of something.

Oh no he didn't!! ...seasonal response.

wow 1 win by a team we should be beating and we are now going to win the league ?

Me obviously

See here : Hat Tricks - CaleyThistleOnline

Good to see we are all happy now

A result and performance like the good old days..... Thought Dodds might have mentioned Ridgers as part of the experienced players key to the result....Duffy should be back this Saturday as hopefully will be Harper so potentially a slightly stronger squad for Arbroath although the younger lads were certainly very active and enthusiastic .

What was the nutter we had: something like AaronCoganShogun? Eh what??

The benchmark is not a relegation fodder Arbroath or even the QP team who may be top but realistically its Dundee, PT, Ayr that we need to be competing and beating and recent form shows we are well off the pace. Remember we still have the same team and line up that our manager said was ***** after the PT drubbing.

Well done to Billy Mckay: star man in the SPFL Team of the Week: https://twitter.com/spfl/status/1610320123595743232

Scotty beat me to it. Paul Ritchie is top treble hitter with 6 Dennis Wyness has 5 Iain Stewart has 4 Billy Mckay has 4

A Cove fan I know who was at the game said beforehand that McIntyre’s future depended on the game and the expectation was that Hartley would be back. Cove were poor, particularly in the second half, but our attitude was excellent. We had much more intent about making chances and trying to take them than I have seen in recent weeks. One game is not enough to judge on though. Saturday is another important one and we can take a better view after it.

If the club aims to be promoted, then we can't have a manager who has, for two seasons in a row, overseen substantial non-winning runs. It's as simple as that!

Harper and Shaw missed the Partick game last Friday too. Devine missed it too but thankfully was fit for today. The club’s report: https://ictfc.com/match-report-reaction-ictfc-6-1-cove-rangers-02-01-2023

Let's get real here, Dodds won't be sacked until his contract is up or we are in real danger of being relegated. Don't think relegation is likely at all. Injuries have impacted on our performances this season and nobody can seriously dispute that. However, Dodds needed to change tactics and set us up as being hard to beat with the players he had available. He didn't however, just like last season when we had our bad run and he kept on playing the same way even when obvious it wasn't working. He is either too stubborn to listen to criticism or just plain stupid tactically with my money on the latter. Promotion has probably gone this season again thanks to Dodd's ineptitude again so we need to change both him and the current coaching team as soon as is financially possible.

In the Prediction League, the Queens Park v Cove game next weekend has been reversed and is being played at Cove.

Just had a look, I think it was Billy at Elgin in the Challenge Cup in 2021. Last hattrick in the League seems to be Nathan Austin v Dumbarton almost 5 years ago.

Return of Ridgers and Devine making a big difference with their experience. Hopefully this is a corner turned. Regardless of other injuries a spine of Ridgers, Devine, Welsh and Mckay is very strong for the Championship. If they are fit there should be no excuses for seeing any more of the insipid performances we've seen recently.

That was an afternoon when everything went our way, against a pretty hapless Cove. That said 6 goals against any opponents is an achievement nowadays. Nice one, certainly cheered up a freezing afternoon.

Well where did that come from? Congrats to all and great for Billy to nab the hat-trick. Hopefully not a dead cat bounce as Arbroath will be well up for us next. Win that one and it’s quite a dramatic turnaround in fortune.

The jury is out for me. If we go on a run now we will all be delighted. If we don’t and revert to how we were in recent weeks, that’s a different story. Either way, I can’t see a change coming until the end of the season. And that’s not happy clapping, just realism. I will be continuing to give the players my support and I really liked their attitude today.

This quote sums todays game up for me - it wasn't the most skillful game and we were outclassed in the first half, but I loved the fact that the team were so keen to have a go at goal this week, rather than time wasting passing to others and giving our opponents time to get their defence organised. Take your chances when they come boys and all will be well. Could another reason for ICT's outstanding win today be the return to the stadium of Lional Nessie? Great to see him/her on such jolly form and they could be our lucky charm.

Dodds safe for another week, then. Should be an interesting game next week after an equally unbelievable win for Arbroath.

Cove competed for the first 30 minutes or so and then drifted out of the game after going behind. A good effort to come from behind with a helping hand from Cove on a few occasions the boy Henderson on loan put quite a few good crosses into the box and looks like he could be a good addition. A well earned 3 points much needed. Ridgers made a couple of excellent saves so good to see him getting warmed up

Have we turned a corner? We will know in a couple of weeks, but what I took from today was the positive attitude of the players who were really in the mood and clearly wanting it, playing for themselves, each other and for us fans. When Mckay hit the post very early on, it was our first sight of goal and in previous weeks we may have passed rather than having a shot. Ridgers’ complaints at the goal also exemplified the positivity. Cove got three corners in succession and we should have got fouls at the second and third, the goal coming from the third with Devine poleaxed on the ground. I was worried then, but we took control and deservedly got back in it. Two great free kicks from Welsh resulted in goals from Mckay and Devine, then a Cove handball let Mckay make it 3-1 before the break. Then Christmas arrived late with two own goals making it very comfortable. The first came from a positive Mackay run and it may have been going in anyway. The second was a comedy of errors. Mckay then got his hat trick to finish the scoring. We then finished with four youngsters on the park and were still outplaying Cove. As I said, the attitude impressed me most and hopefully that continues on Saturday and beyond. We thoroughly outplayed Cove and have set a standard we must maintain, although it must be said that Cove were very poor, particularly after the break. I’m no happy clapper, but let’s enjoy today and if we can put a run together we can get back in the mix at the top. It is Arbroath next and they turned Dundee over today, so we need to approach next week as we did today. Well done to all 16 who got game time today. I was impressed by Henderson who put a few good crosses in and has decent pace. We also defend much better when Devine plays. He was talking the defence through the whole game. And great to see Mckay get a hat trick.

I don't think anyone seen that scoreline coming. Hopefully it's a result to build on.

Incredible result given recent performances.

Likewise, I feared the worst when we went 1-0 down. But, well done to the team. Maybe this is just the shot in the arm that we've needed. Looking forward to comments from those at the game. Onwards and upwards!

Well done ICT and Billy Mackay for hat trick.I thought the worst when we went 1-0 down having missed three good chances early on.Fair play the boys dug deep and we went in at half time 3-1 up.Confidence returned and the boys showed what they can do.I thought new boy Jay Hendrson did well. Billy showed what he can still do.I think Cove keeper was suspect throughout.Their standout was Longstaff who caused us problems in the first half.All in all a great start to 2023

Just hope we can hang on . . . .

Oh yes you did!!!

I didn’t say that. I was merely pointing out that we have come from behind previously when the odds were against us. As I’ve said several times since full time, the jury is out for me. We will have a better feel for things after the Arbroath game and we then have Queens Park. The attitude of the players was very good yesterday and seeing the Courier piece about Ridgers is another hopeful sign. Time will tell!

When we pipped Dundee to win promotion last time, how far behind were we on 1 January? I respect your views, and those of others on here, but I just can’t see us making a change with the current financial and contractual situation. I will continue to give my support to all the players and, who knows, maybe we have turned a corner.

I believe Gary Farquhar is our new Kitman. One of the best midfield players in Scotland when at St Johnstone. Nice to see you back Gary.

When was our last hattrick?

Don't know if its true but somebody says a director had to set in and hel pay the wages. Anybody heard anything. I know things aren't great but thats scary if it true!

I've completely lost interest in the club sadly. I contemplated going today but that was after 6 pints, woke up and same as previous week's I can't be bothered. I've been a fan since 2005 and not bought a season ticket since 2018. From top to bottom the club is a shambles. I would honestly prefer the club to go part time and blood talented young players from the youth system.