Thick and Fast


No, not Ben Johnson, but the games are coming in rapid succession just now so I will be brief and to the point.

It's Boxing day, you have had your fill of turkey and mulled wine, the presents are all opened and you need some fresh air.  What better way to exercise your lungs than get down to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium and watch the SPL's most entertaining team.  No, not St Mirren, I'm talking about something that is right under our very own noses, the famous ICT, top scorers and leakiest defence; now surely that is a recipe for a goalless draw if ever I wrote one.  Last Saturday saw a paltry crowd of only 3003 brave the elements to watch another five goals. For heavens sake, surely they deserve better than that, so get off your arses and get down to the dump and see for yourself..........you know it makes sense.

Xmas presents for all at Inverness with the breaking news that Josh Meekings and Graeme Shinnie have both signed two year contract extensions taking them up to May 2015.  Meekings has revelled in his central defence role after an early season injury to Simon King and Graeme Shinnie has made the left back position his own after Kenny Gillet moved on in the summer.  Terry Butcher is quoted as saying "this is a fantastic Christmas present for the club and supporters" and he is hopeful that more will follow.

Inverness eventually overcame a spritely Dundee last time out by the same scoreline they produced at Dens Park, this one more convincing after the Dens Parkers tried to play their way out of trouble, unlike teams like Hamilton who would defend in depth and bore the pants off you. He does score when he wants, it's now official, and he also scores anyway he likes, standing up, volleying, heading, lying down, it's all the same to Billy, he just can't stop scoring.  That's eighteen goals for the season and seven games in a row including that hat-trick against the Arabs.  Confidence is the key, he is like a new player this season after struggling with injuries last year, but there's no stopping him at the moment.

St Mirren pulled off an excellent win on Friday night defeating Motherwell 2-1 in Paisley, Stephen Thompson's first half double being enough to see the Buddies oust Motherwell, a side we have struggled to cope with this season.  That was their fifth SPL win this year and it lifted them above County at the tail end of the league, a nice wee Christmas present for the Paisley faithful.  However, their away form shows only one win in nine games with five defeats.  On the plus side for them, they have only conceded eleven goals on the road, but conversely only scored six.

***Latest Team News***

We have never had it so good on the injury front, although that will be little consolation to long term sufferers Chris Hogg and Simon King.  Josh Meekings went off against Dundee but should recover and a clean bill of health is predicted otherwise.

Danny Lennon will be without Jim Goodwin and Marc McAusland, both suspended. Kenny McLean, Gary Teale and Paul Dummett are all doubts picking up knocks against Motherwell.  Gary Teale also suffered with a tightening of the abductors, although he is expected to be fit and even better news for Buddies fans is that the talented Paul McGowan could be included in the squad.  He has been out since September when he injured his shoulder but is raring to go now according to gaffer Lennon.

tm4tj Prediction:- As the season progresses, it gets more difficult to predict these so called easier games as the teams in trouble tend to raise their game as the stakes get higher.  As these games are not played on paper, this will be another potential banana skin with the Buddies out to get a run going to ease away from danger, but we have become better at holding on to advantages and our scoring streak has become the norm.  I don't see this game as being any different although if the Mirren dig in we may have to be patient, but with McKay in our side, as Ellie Goulding said to me the other day, anything could happen.  I'll go for a tense 2-1 home win.

ICT v HEARTS TICKETS (Easter Road)

Tickets for the Scottish Communities League Cup Semi-final on Saturday 26th January at Easter Road, Edinburgh will go on sale as follows:

 

• Prority Group Sales from 9:00am on Monday 7th January. (Shareholders, Season Ticket Holders, Caley Jags Together and Centenary Club members)

• General Sales from 9:00am on Thursday 10th January.

Tickets are priced at £15 adults and £5 for Under 16s.

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