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Mid Table Ton of Trouble: It's the struggle for mid table supremacy once more as Morton head North where they will fancy their chances against a team they have already beaten home and away this season. Saturday at 3:00pm is the scheduled start for this one with George Oakley likely to be in the Morton line-up. Until fairly recently, we had only ever lost once at home to Morton. How times change, and not for the better. The 4-0 thrashing at Cappielow was one of the low points of this season so far and a sign that all was not right behind closed doors. Add that to the 1-0 loss at the Caledonian Stadium and it's easy to believe that the downward spiral is incoming. Thankfully, we have perked up a bit since 2023 arrived but we are far from the finished article yet.

Outcome in the balance: Queens had new signing Euan Henderson starting in Murray's absence. And that may yet be their downfall. The rules clearly state that a player has to be signed before the date of the original tie. That was 21st of January. Henderson was only signed on the 27th of January and came on as a sub against Dundee in the Championship the following day. In all honesty Queens Park deserved to go through but as they say, thems the rules. Maybe the Spiders will be caught in their own web of deceit. We should find out on Friday who will face Livingston. Either way it's a bloody mess.

Billy Dodds has seen Nathan Shaw, Sean Welsh and Zak Delaney, return in recent weeks. However we have lost Max Ram for around a month. Scott Allardice and Cammy Harper returned to the squad at Raith Rovers on Saturday with Allardice getting nearly half an hour and Harper made his 100th appearance in a final  ten minute cameo at the end. Austin Samuels still nowhere to be seen as the plot thickens.

The last time Raith Rovers beat us at Stark's Park, it was jumpers for goalposts, three corners a penalty, Donview and Mantis had cranial hair and Groovejet by Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor topped the charts. Well, are we still waiting? Yes we are and here's why.

Jamie Gullan saw an early header come off the crossbar as the hosts bossed the early pace of the game. Lewis Vaughan opened the scoring on the half hour after a period of home pressure when the ball fell to him outside the box after a succession of corners and he shot low beyond Ridgers. Inverness would need to up their game if they wanted to preserve that record. Jay Henderson levelled the game shortly after the break scoring from a tight angle. Unfortunately for Inverness Aidan Connolly restored their advantage with an hour gone. Scott Allardice returned to action after months out and after a couple of near things for Raith, Billy Mckay popped up to level the game once more seven minutes from the end with a header from a Sean Welsh free kick. That's how it ended and the wait goes on for Raith Rovers fans.

It seems like forever since Raith Rovers beat Inverness in a League Game. In fact the reality is almost longer than the legend. This Saturday Rovers get another chance to see if they can win all three points as we head to Stark's Park in a Championship encounter that is scheduled for a 3:00pm kick-off. We have an incredible near 23 year record to uphold. Can we continue or will depleted squads eventually take their toll? We missed out because of the weather last week in the Scottish Cup but Raith moved into the next round after beating Linlithgow Rose. in midweek. Mid table supremacy or staying clear of the relegation scrap is up for grabs: Bring it on!

Spiders draw a blank: League Leaders Queens Park came North in fine form to face Inverness who had also started the new year well. Simon Murray had scored four in his last game against Cove; that's 18 for the season, and Billy Mckay had put three past them the week before. Who would come out on top today? All will be revealed at ten to five. A great afternoon for a game of football saw an even first quarter with half chances at both ends. Calum Ferrie denied Billy Mckay with a great save from a close range header as the hosts forced the pace of the game. Aaron Doran lashed a great opportunity to score on the half hour just wide of the target. Ridgers saved at the back post ten minutes before the break as the visitors began to show more intent. As half time approached the game was now more even. H/T 0-0. Ten minutes after the restart Danny Devine blocked Simon Murray and at the other end Ferrie saved well from Billy Mckay, he would save from Mckay again ten minutes later. Plenty of effort and plenty of half chances, but with 18 goals between them over the last two games, alas this one ends goalless.

Spiders are coming: High Scoring League Leaders Queens Park come North on Saturday looking to keep ahead of the chasing pack as they face a recently revitalised Caley Thistle in an eagerly awaited cinch Championship encounter. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00pm. We can look forward to this one with a bit more optimism after two high scoring wins since the turn of the year has breathed some new life into the struggling Caley Jags and their ailing fans. However this is a different beast we face after the relatively easy time we had against Cove and Arbroath. Queens themselves are scoring for fun and will be a massive test for us to see if we have really turned the corner or are we still a long way short of the finished article.

Smokies Smoked: Both clubs had big wins in the first games of 2023 and it was Inverness that continued in style with a 4-1 win at Gayfield. Billy Mckay, who scored a hat-trick last week, opened the scoring at the back post in the ninth minute but Ben El-Mhanni levelled fifteen minutes later when he slotted into the bottom corner. Jay Henderson put us ahead just before the break as he lifted a shot high into the net from inside the box. Twenty minutes into the second half Dan Mackay shot into the bottom corner to double our advantage. Substitute Lewis Nicolson concluded the scoring in the 86th minute with a header from sub Steven Boyd's cross. Great win on the road for the Caley Jags that moves us into sixth place in the table, eleven points behind table toppers Queens Park who we face next week. Great start to 2023 for the Caley Jags with two big wins on the bounce.

Gayfield test: Inverness and Arbroath started 2023 with a bang, something's got to give as the New Year big hitters collide at Gayfield on Saturday. Both sides had been struggling to build anything before Xmas but found their goal scoring boots in the New Year games. Inverness put six past Cove Rangers and Arbroath had a stunning 4-2 win at League leaders Dundee. Plenty of changes at Arbroath for Inverness to contend with, however Dick and Dom are still going strong at the helm.

Happy New Year: Inverness began 2023 with a crushing win against Cove. Two from Billy Mckay and one from Danny Devine countered the opening goal from Jack Sanders. Two quickfire own goals within five minutes of the restart put the hosts 5-1 ahead. Mckay notched his hat-trick from close range as we ran away with the game. Big win to start the year, just what we needed.

Xmas Grinch's: Inverness went to Glasgow for their pre-Xmas fare looking for three points for their Xmas stocking. In the end we were stuffed like Turkeys and got our chestnuts roasted. We looked like Turkeys in the first half as Partick knocked in two simple goals through Brian Graham and Kyle Turner. Meanwhile Inverness were at sixes and sevens as they tried to stem the flow without success whilst failing to make an attacking contribution to the game. After the interval McKinnon and Muirhead added early goals like the Grinch to completely ruin Xmas for the Highland folk. Doran nicked a consolation but Mullen added a fifth immediately. To add insult to injury, Duffy was red carded, probably too embarrassed to wait until the end. A few more should have walked with him. Embarrassing stuff from Inverness.

Firhill for Chills: It's not a TV spectacular for us on Friday night as we venture down to the big smoke after the freeze to take on Partick Thistle at Firhill. All Championship games this week are to be played on Friday evening at 7:45pm with our game at Firhill your preferred Xmas viewing if you stream it from Partick TV, or maybe not given our TV horror earlier in the season when Partick romped home 4-1. We had last weekend off after New Douglas park was deemed unplayable whilst Partick beat Ayr 3-2 to re-ignite their failing season. Partick are fifth on 27 points and we slipped to seventh on 23 points with Raith jumping above us after drawing with Arbroath.

BIG BOYS TURN: After the Challenging Cup last week where the young Inverness team gave Accies a good game, it's the turn of the big boys this weekend, weather permitting, to see if they can end our poor run and take some much needed points back North before we slip too far off the pace. This game is scheduled for Saturday 17th December at 3:00pm at New Douglas Park or if you prefer the sponsors name of 'The Fountain of Youth'. It was certainly very apt last week as our u18 players performed very well and Accies played their part ending the game with ten of their Academy players on the park. So well done all round, the future is bright, the future is Youth.

Kidz Kup: By all accounts, a young Inverness XI will travel to Hamilton to play Accies in the SPFL Trust Trophy amid a controversial decision by the Caley Jags to try and rest players as an unprecedented injury crisis ravages the club. The game is scheduled for a 3:00pm start on Saturday. Here's the Official Statement from the club. Despite this, the Supporters Club are still running a bus to Hamilton at 10:00am to get behind whoever will be taking to the field in the name of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Match tickets are priced at an amazing Xmas special of £3:00. Ryan Esson will be in charge of the young team as far as I know. Good luck guys.

Dundee came North as one of the form teams in the championship over the last half dozen games. Naughty boy Paul McGowan was not in the squad. Inverness were still without 75% of their first picks but Daniel Mackay made his comeback last week and Ryan Barrett made his debut against Stirling in the Cup. Paul McMullan opened the scoring midway through the first half after cutting in from the left before curling past Cammy Mackay. Almost a second as the ball deflected onto the bar before Mackay picked up the rebound after the half hour. George Oakley missed what appeared to be a sitter from eight yards as half time approached as Aaron Doran swung in an inviting cross. With no further scoring in the second half, Dundee took the three points and Inverness remain in sixth place, but starting to slip off the pace.

Dundee Challenge: Dundee are the visitors this week as we get back to League duty after the third round of the Scottish Cup was played out last weekend. Dundee are one of the form teams in the Championship at the moment as they pick up a bit of form after a sticky patch. The game should be kicking off at 3:00pm on Saturday. Both teams advanced into the fourth round of the Scottish Cup last weekend. Inverness edging past Stirling Albion by the odd goal in five and Dundee dumping Airdrie with four goals in extra-time for a 6-2 win.

Banana Skin Avoided: A potential banana skin encounter was made all the more plausible given the 2015 Scottish Cup winners permanent injury crisis. Stirling Albion are on a roll at the top end of League Two whilst we are struggling to get players on the park recently. With that in mind we made a late swoop into the transfer market to snap up right back Ryan Barrett on a short term loan until January. He was thrust into the squad for this Scottish Cup game having been training with the squad this week. Dale Carrick scored a first half brace with Wallace Duffy and Max Ram replying for Inverness who only woke up after the opening goal. After the break Aaron Doran restored the hosts lead and we held on to go into the draw for the fourth round. Not pretty, but we got there.

Entry Level Three: Is this by perchance a wee window of opportunity to rest some battle scarred and weary legs as we start our participation in this season's Scottish Cup in the third round. Forget Qatar, forget the World Cup, forget about winning the Scottish Cup. It's more important for us to buy some time in the injury shop and make sure we have enough able bodies ready for action when we resume our Championship challenge at home to Dundee next week. Even that will be too soon for most, but at this stage of our season, it's a more important game than the Stirling Albion one, no disrespect to them. Anyway, we need to get the right balance and try to remain competitive whilst resting some important players. We already know a bit about the Bino's as they performed well against us in last season's League Cup game, winning the penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw. Kick-Off is on Saturday at 3:00pm.

Shaw shank redemption: Nathan Shaw earned Inverness an unlikely point as he scored his second of the game with three minutes left. That levelled the score after Dipo Akinyemi had put leaders Ayr United ahead with his 14th goal of the season less than ten minutes from the end. Shaw had given the hosts an early lead which they held until the 66th minute when Mark McKenzie bundled into the net from close range. This was a better point for Inverness who still had nine players missing although Danny Devine came into the back four before going off after being injured with fifteen minutes remaining.

More punishment: Drat, there's no International Break for us as we just have to get on with the humiliation. A once proud club where energy and passion were part of the furniture has been reduced to playing second fiddle to Queens Park, Arbroath, Morton and Hamilton in recent weeks. What's next? Raith Rovers might beat us one day. That's maybe stretching the imagination a bit too far, but that's the direction we are heading. Injuries injuries blah de blah. Lack of quality and tactical nous might be closer to the truth. Anyway, it's getting to be a chore now almost making Xmas shopping seem more palatable. Almost I said. League leaders Ayr United visit the Caledonian Stadium looking to take advantage of our demise. It shouldn't be too difficult, everyone else has done so. However, we cling to eternal hope and unfounded optimism that one day something will change. That seems a long way off at the moment given our predicament. Saturday at 3:00pm is the scheduled kick off time. 

Dumped in Ochilview: We ended up with the short straw, a 5:30pm kick-off at Ochilview Park to face Queens Park. Ayr United, Dundee and Morton had already won prior to kick off and we needed the three points to stay in touch, so did Queens Park. The visitors opened the scoring after twenty minutes when Billy Mckay scored into the bottom corner. Charlie Fox headed the Spiders level five minutes after the interval from a corner. Patrick Jarrett hit the post and Aaron Doran volleyed just over from a Nathan Shaw cross as Inverness ventured forward. Queens took the lead through Simon Murray at the back post with around twenty minutes left. and that was the end of the scoring, but not the pressure on the weary Inverness defence.  Queens Park thoroughly deserved the points in another poor performance from the Caley Jags. The stats have apparently revealed that we had less than 20% of the possession. That's incredible given we were playing Queens Park, not Real Madrid.

Defensive Lapse Proves Costly: Inverness dropped to fifth in the table after a defensive lapse cost them all three points. Bottom club Arbroath had their task made easier with Dodds dropping Mark Ridgers to the bench. In a first half of few chances McKenna hit the post with a curling effort for the visitors with the keeper stranded. Doran curled a similar effort just over with Gaston stranded as Inverness grew into the game before the interval. Despite some home pressure, the final pass was always a touch too many and it was goalless at the break. Nathan Shaw opened the scoring after he met a flick on at the back post. Having worked hard to get ahead we gifted Arbroath a leveller after a wayward defensive header left Kieran Shanks through on goal to drill past a helpless Mackay. Gaston pulled off some tremendous saves from Harper, Duffy and Mckay and Arbroath finished with a wee flourish, but we held on for a point.

Bottoms Up: After the Morton madness, it's bottom club Arbroath's turn to benefit from our problems. As if injuries were not bad enough, we appear to have a conflict at the club known as Ridgers Rift and the possibility that could add another name to the missing list. It is however mildly reassuring to note that the Smokies have injury problems of their own plus the manager player conflict known in this case as the Nick Low Law. This game is on Saturday afternoon with a scheduled kick-off time of 3:00pm at the Caledonian Stadium where we will find out if the power of management trumps fan power.

Morton Madness: An injury hit Inverness side went to Cappielow with expectations low and they didn't disappoint.  Muirhead opened the scoring against the run of play in the fifth minute after Ridgers allowed a shot to go through him. A second soon followed after a soft penalty award when Ambrose went to ground in the box. Gillespie scoring from the rebounded penalty. Worse was to follow when David Carson inexplicably headed a corner behind Ridgers under no pressure. Blues added a fourth with twenty minutes left despite Inverness dominating the ball.

Many older fans will remember/recognise the name of John Sutherland. Sadly, the former ICT stadium manager and security chief has passed away at the age of 71yrs earlier this week.