Scotty

Edging closer Billy McKay rescued a point for Inverness with a late header to edge us closer to the top six finish that has eluded us for a few years now. John Baird scored his fourth goal in the last eight matches to set the ball rolling as Dundee looked to claw back the points towards safety, but neither club could fashion out a winner and the draw was seen as a fair result overall. Gary Warren came close with a header cleared off the line and Andy Shinnie smacked the bar but there was little hope of another four goals coming our way as we stutter towards the split. A couple of early pitch inspections were required before this game got the go-ahead, and the reason for that became apparent as the game progressed, the pitch being very heavy and cutting up quickly. Richie Foran started on the bench as did Nick Ross. Graeme Shinnie was pushed further forward with Charlie Taylor at full back in his first start. Dundee, buoyed by their win over St Mirren in midweek had left our Nemesis Colin Nish on the bench with former Raith Rovers striker John Baird the man on form up front. Inverness started brightest and Shinnie and Doran set up McKay, but the cross was just too high for the wee man and his header went wide. On form John Baird raised the Dundee expectations with an excellent twenty yard strike as he cracked the ball past Esson on the end of a slick four man move, Ryan Conroy being the final provider. This goal perked Dundee up and Nicky Riley fired a shot narrowly over from twenty yards. Centre back come goal scorer Gary Warren almost equalised but his header was desperately cleared off the line twice as the Dee's defence scrambled the ball to safety, ooooohhh. Birmingham target (allegedly) Andy Shinnie was out of luck as he saw his dipping shot from distance beat Rab Douglas but cannon back off the crossbar, great effort from him though. Inverness were having the better of the first half in every way apart from the scoreline and frustration was beginning to show on and off the park. The visitors dugout felt the wrath of Terry as he Butchered the perspex cover after another move stuttered to a halt around the half hour, his displeasure available for all to see. That was a warning for his own players that the half time chat was going to be colourful. Baird almost scored his second of the day, but Esson blocked his point-blank effort although I'm not sure he knew much about it after Riley had swung in a strikers dream cross. Dundee were dangerous on the counter seemingly able to cut open the Inverness defence at times, but it was the visitors who were creating and controlling most of the play without troubling Douglas, and this was riling Terry. Half Time 1-0 Whatever Butcher said at half time, it never worked unless he asked them to let Dundee control the pace. Riley was once more causing us problems with his pace and trickery and Doran was trying his best at the other end. Billy McKay caused some panic in the Dundee defence but he was crowded out and the ball was eventually gouged clear by a mortified defence. Esson had to be at his best to tip an Iain Davidson back head flick over the bar from a Conroy corner, and at the opposite end, Owain Tudur-Jones bobbled a ball towards Douglas but he might have got a fingertip to it and it went round the post. However, the goal was coming and when Jones hit a ball long, Foran gathered it and fed Graeme Shinnie who flighted a ball to the far post where Billy McKay made ground to nod past a helpless Douglas. Good build up, good goal. Both sides tried to win the game in the last ten minutes but there was no further scoring and a point each was a fair result. Full Time 1-1 This was never going to be the same outcome as the previous two fixtures this season. Both sides will see this as a couple of points dropped rather than a point gained. Probably the result that neither wanted, but for us it's a point closer to the top six finish, but we do seem to be doing this the hard way recently. Good to see Billy McKay scoring again and he will be crucial in our run in to the split. David Raven is leading the way in the MotM votes for this one, and Ross Draper gets some good reviews online for his endeavour. 9th Mar 2013 Scottish Premier League Dens Park, Dundee Dundee 1 - J Baird 13 TEAM: Douglas, Irvine, Toshney, Grassi, Easton, Riley, Davidson, McAlister, Conroy, Harkins, Finnigan (85), Baird SUBS: A Baird, Benedictus, Gallagher, McBride, Nish, Stewart Booked: Easton, Davidson Sent Off: none Inverness C.T. 1 - McKay 83 TEAM: Esson, Raven, G Shinnie, Warren, Meekings,Jones, Doran, (Foran 72), Draper, McKay, A. Shinnie, Taylor, (Ross 58) SUBS: Reguero, Polworth, Gibbons, Devine, Sutherland Booked: G Shinnie, Foran Sent Off: none Referee Craig Thomson Attendance 4114

El Floppo Not quite El Kessocko, more like El Floppo as both sides bludgeoned out a pretty drab no scoring draw. One man did his best to keep the score level and that was the clown that officiated this encounter. A painted face and a pair of oversize shoes were all that was missing from referee Steve McLean as he went about his routine, culminating in the moment he brought the house down with his antics. Not giving a penalty was hilarious. But he topped that by booking the spreadeagled Graham Shinnie to the delight of the watching throng. Graham now misses the next derby in a fortnight at Inverness. As expected, Richie Foran made the starting eleven with Nick Ross dropping to the bench and Gary Warren returned at centre back, partnered by Josh Meekings with Devine dropping out. For County, Michael Fraser was a late replacement for Mark Brown in goals. A packed Global Energy Stadium and a perfect day for football saw the game kick off with the fans in fine fettle and singing voices well lubricated in the pre-match boozers, the Mallard being well full before the Steve McLean show started. To be honest, I don't have a lot to tell you about. We seemed to play the better quality football, but once more the cutting edge was blunt, County quite content to hit on the counter, a style which suits them down to a tee. Villain of the piece Ian Vigurs was first to threaten, taking on Raven but Gary Warren intervened as he tried to shoot. Josh Meekings charged down a Paul Lawson shot with County claiming for hand ball, nothing doing. Billy McKay was inches away from connecting with a Richie Foran cross as Inverness looked the more likely to make the breakthrough, but defences were on top. David Raven came to the rescue as he headed a thumping netbound shot from Oikonomou away to safety and Inverness responded when Ross Draper saw his effort cleared off the line. Enter the clown as he rightly booked Ian Vigurs for unceremoniously upending Raven, then he also booked Raven for being fouled; what the! This sparked a bit of posturing on the touchline, get back in yer box Derek, as Terry and Derek exchanged niceties, 1-0 to Terry. Half Time 0-0 The second forty five was similar to the first, once more few clear chances. Andy Shinnie tried his best with a mazy run at the County defence but his lack of pace saw him run out of legs as Munro mopped up the attack and at the other end Kovacevic nearly did a 'Gasgoine' as he flicked the ball up and over Shinnie, but his shot just missed Esson's right hand post. Good effort by the full back though. His next effort was wide of the mark as County began to assert themselves more but the Inverness defence held firm and the game had nil nil written all over it long before the end. Hilarity erupted when Oikonomou felled Graham Shinnie as he burst into the box with the punch line following thereafter; a booking for the prostrate Shinnie, my sides were sore laughing .........NOT! Tudur-Jones thought he was Messi as he skirted round the County defence. It turned out he was messy as his attempted curler went high and wide, as did Brittain's effort late in the game. Full Time 0-0 So, much ado about nothing really. The game itself was a bit disappointing although at 0-0 it had enough to keep you interested. That's five blank sheets County have had in a row during their now 10 match unbeaten run. Steve McLean saw to it that they kept their run going but in all honesty both sides could have played for a week and not scored. Let's hope the game in Inverness has some added value to it. tm4tj MotM:- Another tough call on this, but it has to go to either Garry Warren or Josh Meekings who were rock solid at the back. Andy Shinnie showed again he is peerless in terms of quality, just an extra half a yard would see him and us benefit. So, on his return to action it has to be oooooh, Gary Warren. All to do again on the 16th, and the Highlands are still ours until then, and County remain in our shadow, just. You can hear the seethe already. 2nd Mar 2013 Scottish Premier League Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall Ross County 0 - TEAM: Fraser, Kovacevic, Ikonomou, Boyd, Munro, Sproule (Wohlfarth 88), Brittain, Lawson, Quinn, Vigurs, Morrow (Glen 66) SUBS: McCarthy, Hainault, Cooper, MacPhee, Ross Booked: Vigurs (30) Sent Off: none Inverness C.T. 0 - TEAM: Esson, Raven, G Shinnie, Warren, Meekings, Doran (Ross 57), Draper, Tudur Jones, Foran (Taylor 64), A Shinnie, McKay SUBS: Reguero, Sutherland, Polworth, Pepper, Devine Booked: Raven (30), G.Shinnie (79) Sent Off: none Referee Steven McLean Attendance 5959

Zero No goals at the Caledonian Stadium as Inverness and United cancelled each other out on a brisk February night. Andy Shinnie had the best opportunity to break the deadlock in the second half but he headed straight at the keeper when either side of him would have seen a goal, but it was not to be as Inverness dropped to third with Motherwell beating Celtic to jump into second spot. It's oh so tight as the league reaches the tickly spot. Couldn't manage another four goals tonight and the commentators curse struck as we had to settle for a no scoring draw in the end. Richie Foran recovered sufficiently to make the bench and Josh Meekings replaced the suspended Gary Warren, partnering Daniel Devine at the rear. Ryan Esson continued in goal with Reguero as standby. United set out their stall with an attack minded side, probably just as well for them as their defending has been suspect at times. Michael Gardyne getting a start with Stuart Armstrong on the bench. Inverness started brightest and pegged United back in the early stages looking for the breakthrough. For all his height, Owain Tudur-Jones should be an ideal target at set pieces, alas, heading is not his strong point and he wasted a good opportunity meekly heading a Doran corner wide of the keepers left hand post. United responded and Jon Daly did likewise at the other end as headers seemed to be the preferred method of attack, Billy McKay nodding one direct at Cierzniak from a great position as the play opened out. Neither side were able to get a foothold in the match as the play went from end to end and defences were mainly on top, but contract boy Andy Shinnie came closest, forcing Cierzniak into a diving save just before half time as he wheeled on the edge of the box and fired a shot low towards the goal, but the keeper was equal to it. Half Time 1-1 The second period continued in the same theme and I've seen worse nil nil games. Aaron Doran was teasing and probing at one end and Gary Mackay-Stevens was doing the same at the other end, but poor final balls and good defending thwarted most moves. Around the hour mark, the cumbersome Jon Daly passed up the Arabs best chance so far, heading over from six yards. He should have made the keeper work.. United were becoming more prominent and they seemed to gain the upper hand possession wise, but clear chances were at a premium as the play went from end to end. Esson saved a shot from substitute Armstrong to keep the score blank and the United goalie did likewise from the classy Andy Shinnie, who was at full stretch to turn a ball goalwards. Armstrong blazed a loose ball high over the bar at the other end when he should have done better with the defence struggling to cover him. It was Shinnie that should have broken the deadlock after some neat play when he strode onto an outswinging cross from Doran, but his diving header was straight down the keepers throat and the chance was wasted. With twelve minutes remaining, Ryan Esson earned his corn when he grappled with a deflected Rankin shot from close range and eventually pounced on the ball before it squirmed over the line. Close call! The long awaited return of Richie Foran was a welcome sight with ten minutes left on the clock and he looked eager to get involved, and he livened the last few minutes up, but it was United who pressed at the death for the goal which would steal the points, but it never came. Full Time 0-0 A draw was just about right although Inverness did create the better openings, but some woeful shooting and heading kept the score blank. The only winners from this game were Motherwell who jumped above Inverness into second place after beating Celtic 2-1. So, it's onward to Dingwall for what has now become a very meaningful game given County's recent surge of form and Inverness' apparent reluctance to kill off games. Interesting weekend ahead. tm4tj MotM:- goes to the quality player that is Andy Shinnie. Not able to get on the scoresheet last night, but his close control was a joy to behold. Danny Devine was solid at the back as was Josh Meekings and Nick Ross had one of his best games as well, so onwards to Dingwall and it's all to play for. 27th Feb 2013 Scottish Premier League Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness C.T. 0 - TEAM: Esson, Raven, G Shinnie, Devine, Meekings, Doran, Draper, Tudur-Jones, Ross (Sutherland 80), A Shinnie, McKay (Foran 80) SUBS: Reguero, Laing, Polworth, Pepper, Taylor Booked: Meekings (16) Sent Off: none Dundee Utd 0 - TEAM: Cierzniak, Watson, Douglas, Dillon, McLean, Gardyne, Flood, Rankin, Mackay-Steven, Daly, Russell (Armstrong 38) SUBS: Banks, Ryan, Millar, Dow, Thomson, Souttar Booked: Flood (68) Sent Off: none Referee Brian Colvin Attendance 3413