Scotty

Despondent Dons better than dire Inverness. Nobody expected much to happen today given the form of the two teams on display and the poor crowd confirmed that the novelty of SPL football has worn pretty thin. Sadly, this game was further evidence, if it was needed that something is wrong with the game in Scotland. Aberdeen are a shadow of their former selves, a team who once had the audacity to challenge the Old Firm in the heady days of the Ferguson regime. Today they were the better of two poor teams on show, something akin to a Highland League, end of season reserve game in the bottom six of their league. Yes folks, apathy has set in and we are just going through the motions, and for us it seems to be slow motions. Dire stuff indeed! The game was won by Aberdeen in the second half, as once again the unfortunate Roman Golobart, sporting a new haircut resembling a toilet brush, scored for the visitors, and Kenny Gillet confirmed our status as utterly hapless when the ball rebounded off him for Aberdeen's second goal in the last minute to signal a mass exodus from the home fans as they witnessed another dreadfully inept performance. I have been spared the ignomy of reporting on this couldn't care less performance as ajsict92 will tell us how we went from hopeful's to hopeless in 45 minutes of less than rivetting drudgery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Show must go on......but definitely not this one. Two goals scored at home by ICT...but in a cruel twist they both went into our own net as the home slump suffered yet another personal low against an Aberdeen side that was looking to bounce back from their Scottish cup semi final defeat to Hibs last weekend. With Tansey, Tokely and Graeme Shinnie all suspended, change to the ICT starting eleven was inevitable, and it saw Steve Williams and Gregory Tade recalled and also a first start since August for Aaron Doran with ICT having both their main out and out wingers in Hayes and Doran back together in the side. Aberdeen had Jamie Langfield back in goals for the first time in almost a year. Langfield fully recovered following a brain seizure he had suffered. Despite the overnight downpour and rumours of a pitch inspection the game was played in beautiful sunshine with the pitch having held firm from the rain. It was ICT who seemed to begin the better. One or two neat little passes being exchanged here and there but little to trouble Langfield. You couldn't really disagree with those who described this fixture as "typical end of season" game. Aside from some money and those playing for new contracts there was little to gain from a win today. The first real chance of note fell to Gregory Tade who had a nice swerving shot parried down by Langfield but ICT did continue to press and almost snatched the lead when Jonny Hayes managed to cut inside and a get a low shot away which forced Langfield to make a smart save. Aaron Doran was the next player to test Langfield's gloves with a powerful strike that was rising and needed charging down from Langfield. Three attempts on target, but all too close to the keeper, however at this stage it did look promising. Aberdeen were struggling to get a foothold in the game and it was looking more likely that ICT were going to sneak the lead. Doran came even closer. Picked up the ball about 25 yards out and curled a lovely shot that went just over the bar. ICT did have the ball in the net from a corner, which was flicked on and saw Steve Williams swivel and dispatch a lovely volley into the net only to find the linesman had raised his flag for offside. With half time approaching Aberdeen began to find some openings. Josh Magennis, who was playing in an unfamiliar role at right back found himself on a rampant run towards the six yard box that required a wonderful last ditch tackle from Golobart to stop him in his path. Also just as half time was called Ryan Jack managed to evade Williams and release a low shot that had Tuffey rooted to the spot, but fortunately for him and every ICT supporter in the ground much relieved as it crept round the wrong side of the post. Half time ICT 0-0 Aberdeen Those that had headed off for a half time beverage, pie or loo break would have barely made it back to their seat in time to watch ICT fall behind in familiar circumstances. Magennis launched a long throw into the area and Golobart managed to divert his clearing header beyond Tuffey's reach and into the back of the net. A rather damning statistic for the young spaniard who has now made it a hat trick of own goals this season. It didn't seem to dampen the mood of the ICT faithful in the North stand as the Drums were taken out which was inevitably followed by the fans close by getting into full voice. However the support was beginning to wear thin as ICT's search for an equaliser became more and more difficult. The merrymakers were stopped in their tracks at one point when Gregory Tade was racing through on goal only to be bundled over at the edge of the box by Magennis who recieved a yellow card for his exploits. It was debatable that he could have walked as Tade did appear to have a chance to score but at the same time it appeared that Aberdeen had men covering so the referee probably made the correct call. With the free kick so close to the goal you would have expected Langfield to be tested but Williams curled his free kick high over the bar. Butcher introduced Shane Sutherland and Nick Ross into the action who replaced a less than effective Billy McKay and Gregory Tade, with Sutherland looking more effective than his predecessor in the centre forward role, especially competing in the air with Anderson and Reynolds but ICT were still struggling to break down Aberdeen in the final third with no one in the box for crosses from Hayes or Doran, the odd pass going wrong here, the odd through ball being overhit there. It was an ever familiar tale that was repeating itself and one that is becoming rather sickening the more it is seen. Aberdeen didn't offer much of a threat going forward but they had the luxury of knowing they didn't need to as they continued to soak up pressure. ICT's efforts were becoming more and more frantic. Inverness won another free kick in a dangerous area when Hayes was chopped down by Anderson and this time it was Doran who took it, his effort was decent with it just going narrowly wide. Not long afterwards he swung in a free kick that found Williams at the back post and despite not being closely marked his header floated high over. Shane Sutherland then had what was arguably chance of the game. With time running out he collected the ball, beat his man and unleashed a lovely strike which seemed destined for the top corner but unfortunately and some might say typically his effort was inches wide. As if the match couldn't have got much more painful, as you can guess...it did. In what was a rather mystifying decision, Jonny Hayes was subbed for David Proctor with injury time looming with Steve Williams being shifted up front in as a makeshift striker. Question marks have been raised throughout the season over Proctor's contributions to the team but he did little to silence those critics as within a minute of coming on he was outmuscled and outfought my Magennis who turned him and raced through on goal and despite Jonny Tuffey making a good save from a 1 on 1 the ball simply rebounded of Gillet and trickled into the net to guarantee where the points would finish up at full time. What followed was that automatic sound of emptying chairs as it became too difficult for many to bare and the chorus of merited boos as the full time whistle went. Full time - ICT 0-2 Aberdeen To summarise:- In all honesty I doubt there were many who looked forward to this game or the run in but that's no excuse. With ICT all but mathematically safe and Aberdeen's top six and cup aspirations out the window it's safe to say that both sides have definitely failed what they set out to achieve at the beginning of the campaign. However with both teams containing players that had futures to play for it was clear that very few players were taking that statement seriously. Josh Magennis is one who is in that boat at Pittodrie and for me he was one who seemed to be intent on impressing his boss, he may have been in an unfamiliar role at right back but his performance was good and his effort was first class as he seemed to make the right hand side his own for most of the game and though he wont get the second goal credited to his name he can be happy with his contribution. I didn't see that kind of effort or endeavour from any of our players today. I don't know what that is down to, but it is very worrying that despite losing they seemed to not really give a toss. They can tweet and broadcast what they want to try and convince people they will change but I'm sorry words mean nothing now, put your thoughts into practice boys, not words and buck up your ideas if you really take playing for this club seriously. ajsict92's MotM - I'm finding it very difficult to pick anyone to be perfectly honest but I'm going to give it to Shane Sutherland. He did more in the time he was on than McKay did in the entire season and he managed to create for himself ICT's best chance of the game where he was very unlucky not to score. He has been persistently used as a winger this season in a position that is definitely not his strongest. He is a centre forward and there were glimpses today that if he is played there more he could definitely get better. Thanks ajsict92, that's as positive as it gets for this week folks. Killie next week, anyone for 3-6? 21st April 2012 Scottish Premier League Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness C.T. 0 - /media/images/club_badges/inverness.png TEAM:Tuffey, Meekings, Williams, Golobart, Gillet, Tudur-Jones, Hayes (Proctor 88), Foran, Tade (Ross 64), McKay (Sutherland 62), Doran SUBS: Mathieson, Piermayr, Morrison, Winnall Booked: Foran (82) Sent Off: none Aberdeen 2 - Golobart (og.46), Gillet (og.89) /media/images/club_badges/aberdeen.png TEAM: Langfield, Reynolds, Considine, Arnason, Fallon (Smith 54), Fyvie, Magennis, Jack (Clark 78), Megginson (McArdle 70), Anderson, Rae SUBS: Rogers, Mawene, Fraser, Masson Booked: Jack (36), Considine (39), Magennis (61) Sent Off: none Referee S McLean Attendance 3487