Scotty

Calamity Smith is now player of the year at ICT It was off to Fife tonight for what promised to be a gritty rather than pretty encounter between Caley Thistle and Dunfermline. The game was live on SKY and the sparse crowd, huddled into a single stand perhaps was an indicator of this. Caley Thistle made three changes to the team that took full points at Fir Park on the weekend with Ross Tokely coming back into the side after injury replacing the suspended Kenny Gillet. Jonny Tuffey took his customary spot in goals for a cup game and Richie Foran was also back in the lineup with Nick Ross dropping to the bench. TM4TJ provides this report ..... Calamity Smith is now player of the year at ICT To further echo what Scotty has indicated in his preamble, Jonny Tuffey kept his Scottish Cup number one spot at the expense of regular keeper Ryan Esson, despite being the villain of the piece in the original game and Ross Tokely came into the back four to replace the suspended Kenny Gillet, with Richie Foran adding a bit of steel to the midfield. Nick Ross had dropped to the bench to accommodate the captain. Neither side made any impression on the defences in the first quarter of an hour apart from Barrowman who forced Tuffey into a diving save early on as he went one-on-one with the keeper. That apart, the game resumed where the first one finished. A towsey affair with both sides guilty, but if anything Inverness were looking slightly slicker than the Pars. Misplaced passes were the order of the day as play became even more disjointed but Andy Kirk had the next strike on target after 22 minutes as he fired one straight at Tuffey, and he made a routine save. This roused Inverness and after some neat possession play a Tansey effort from inside the box was stifled and Smith collected the loose ball easily. Defences were still well on top and with half an hour gone it was difficult to see past penalties deciding the outcome of this one. Surely there was better to come? Cardle was upended by Ross Tokely on the edge of the box offering the Pars a chance to shoot from around 25 yards. Martin Hardie lifted the ball over the wall electing to go for placement rather than power but Tuffey was alert and plucked the ball comfortably away from the top corner. Inverness were finding it difficult to get past the Dunfermline defence and you had to feel sorry for the watching Neil Lennon who would learn little from the poor quality on show from both sides. Oh what a shame! Martin Hardie received a booking for tugging back Tansey, who took the free kick himself and fired it high and not so handsome. Like the first game, the ball was taking a battering. However, embarrassment for the visitors as Cardle chased down a ball wide left, skipped round Foran and swung a cross to the back post where who else but Andy Barrowman climbed all over Shinnie and headed the ball down and into the net from two yards. Pffft Inverness were now stung into action and forced their first corner and kept possession around the Dunfermline box but to no avail. Little was seen of Inverness as an attacking force in the last third of the park especially the enigmatic Jonny Hayes who had disappointed up to this point. Just on half time, Foran won a free kick 22 yards out but Piermayr's shot from the lay off was deflected into the arms of Smith with all the sting taken off the ball. I fear for the players as Butcher must be fuming at that first half performance. Half Time 1-0. The interval break saw the result of Butcher's pep talk; Andrew Shinnie replacing Lee Cox and he almost made an instant impact as he sliced a twenty yard effort wide from a good position centre of goal. Better would come as the game wore on. Piermayr still has not learnt the art of throw-ins taking an eternity to take a simple shy........ Andrew Shinnie broke on the left and he released McKay, but his angled drive was palmed without discomfort by Smith. The encouraging thing for Inverness was that the introduction of Andrew Shinnie was having an effect. Lord almighty! Lightning does strike twice. Blunder keeper Chris Smith get's tangled with Rutkiewitz and the result of that is an extremely embarrassed but grateful Jonny Hayes who scores a replica of his goal in the first game .......unbelievable. It looks as though Ian Turner will have little opposition to him getting the number one shirt. Tade did well as he turned the defenders inside out on the left wing but as he bore down on goal Dunfermline scrambled the ball out for a corner with two men in blue waiting for a lay off. Tade was now beginning to stretch the Pars defence and he flashed a ball into the box from the opposite wing but it was hooked clear. The game was now opening out. One hour gone and Inverness were starting to turn the screw with the home defence getting more desperate. Scorer Barrowman was replaced by a mini nemesis, Liam Buchanan after 65 minutes, but it was the visitors who were playing any football on show. Chris Smith received a sarcastic cheer when he picked up a headed back pass; phew. Buchanan broke on the right and drilled a low shot at Tuffey which he dealt with easily as the game entered the 70th minute. Strangely enough, Richie Foran and Jonny Hayes fell out and both were booked by Euan Norris with fifteen minutes to go and extra time looming. I wonder if they were fighting over the captain's armband. Back to the football and some tidy interplay saw Andrew Shinnie sting the fingers of Chris Smith who turned his ferocious left footer over the bar for a corner. Dunfermline had weathered the storm though and were now crossing the half way line and forced their second corner as Mason tested Tuffey, but it was wasted. Golobart produced one of his trademark arse clenching errors but Tuffey saved his blushes with an excellent block as the game swung from end to end now. Hayes fired a free kick into the box and Chris Smith punched clear but took a knock in the process and after some confusion, play resumed with a goal kick to the Pars.............I think. Golobart was pushing his luck now but got away with it, almost, although from the following play the Pars hooked a shot just wide. The Pars were now believing in themselves and forced another corner as Thompson was thwarted on the edge of the box by a crunching Golobart redemption tackle. Oh lordy! Nick Ross enters the arena as the ineffective Billy McKay is subbed with five minutes of regulation time left, but it's Dunfermline who now look the most likely to snatch a winner and Kirk is just short of reaching a ball into the box as three minutes of injury time is announced. More distress for Butcher as Golobart takes a sore one and turns his ankle and is stretchered off in agony after an ill timed challenge from Willis.(wotchu doin boy!) David Proctor replaced the young Spaniard as the ninety minutes came and went and more injury time beckoned. With the last kick of the ninety, Hayes floats a ball into the box but there is nobody near it and it's extra-time and all to play for . Ninety Minutes 1-1. Another thirty minutes of football before penalties can be considered and Inverness start on the ascendency and no sooner had they taken the initiative when Tade out wide right fed Andrew Shinnie, and as he turned inside the right hand side of the box he lashed a sublime curling strike behind Smith who played no part in the goal this time. Tremendous goal eclipsing Tade's effort at the weekend. A routine save by Tuffey from Buchanan after Shinnie is upended at the other end, but no free kick, and Ryan Thompson gets the break of the ball in the box but the defenders block well, it's all happening now. Hayes sprinted forward with the ball to ease the pressure from the Inverness defence but his pass is too heavy for Tade who had made a great run into space. Martin Hardie is trying the refs patience as he upends Hayes right on the break. Extra Time Half Time 1-2 Inverness start the fourth period with the same vigour and Hayes darts forward but the final ball to Shinnie is cut out. Piermayr was booked, probably for his rubbish throws........only kidding, and Tade once more turns the defender, but is baulked as he tries to sprint through. Goal number three for Inverness and it's another cracker. Tade forces the error from a high ball and Nick Ross does brilliantly to keep it in play and pick out Tansey on the edge of the box who promtly guides the ball expertly behind an exposed Smith. Dunfermline are not finished though and Tuffey has to save again as the Pars look to get a quick reply, but it's Inverness who have the extra class and look likely to add to their lead to the delight of the 54 Inverness fans who made the journey; big respect. Fair play to Dunfermline as they went straight up the park after Tade almost scored number four and Tuffey had to stop another Buchanan shot with three minutes left. Jonny Hayes was now tormenting Dunfermline and they knew it. He was upended at every opportunity and the game was now beyond Dunfermline as the referee ended the contest with Inverness making the accountant happy. Extra Time Full Time 1-3 This was the result that Inverness were looking for. Not just to get into the next round of the cup, but to send out an SPL warning to Dunfermline that the first division is not for the Highlanders. It was a game that was disappointing until the second half was lit up with a goal fit to win the cup final itself. Shinnie curling a beaut into the rigging before anyone knew what was happening; stunning goal and worth the wait. After that it looked a long way back for the Pars and the third goal stroked in with applomb by Tansey was the icing on the cake. Chris Smith will no doubt be the scapegoat and he was culpable in both games, but Dunfermline's issues lie deeper than that and they look like a team destined for the next division down unless they come up with something special in the transfer window. Motm for me was the half time substitute Andrew Shinnie, who has quite frankly been a revelation since he came here and despite a slow start is now a fans favourite. His goal tonight woud be fit to lift any cup and exudes quality. Golobart has been a standout recently and it was disappointing to see him stretchered off after making a superb defensive recovery but then taking a whack on the legs which turned his ankle. It looked nasty for him and something that Butcher will not enjoy as we have been thin on the ground for central defenders all season due to injuries, suspensions and departures. On the bright side, Steve Williams will be chomping at the bit to get a start and he is a big lad, so all is not doom and gloom in the back four, but we don't have our troubles to seek. So as far as the cup is concerned, we now have a home tie against Celtic in February...............sounds good to me. This report comes to you courtesy of online streaming.......... No match highlights found 18th Jan 2012 Scottish Cup Rd 4 (replay) East End Park, Dunfermline Dunfermline 1 - Barrowman (40) /media/images/club_badges/dunfermline.png TEAM: Smith, Dowie, Rutkiewicz (Potter 74), Keddie, Boyle, Cardle, Thomson, Hardie, Graham (Willis 62), Kirk, Barrowman (Buchanan 66) SUBS: Goodfellow, Mason Booked: Hardie (38), Graham (57), Dowie (80) Sent Off: none Inverness CT 3 - Hayes (54), A.Shinnie (93), Tansey (110) /media/images/club_badges/inverness.png TEAM: Tuffey, Piermayr, Tokely, Golobart (Proctor 90), G.Shinnie, Cox (A.Shinnie 46), Hayes, Tansey, Foran, Tade, McKay (Ross 86) SUBS: Esson, Meekings Booked: Foran (74), Hayes (74), Piermayr (108) Sent Off: none Referee Euan Norris Attendance 1594

On the opening day... Motherwell handed us our first defeat of the season, and although we have had a few more since then, there were a few other firsts in this game too ..... In the absence of Richie Foran and vice-captain Ross Tokely, Jonny Hayes captained his first SPL match, Steve Williams made his first appearance for the club as a late sub, Gregory Tade got back to first spot in the ICT scoring tables with the winning goal in this game, our first win in the last 9 attempts at Fir Park, and the best 'first' of all .... Ryan Esson achieved his first clean sheet of the season. A final 'first' that deserves mention, especially after recent discussions on the message boards about referees, is that this was the first time this season, in any competition, where there were no bookings in an ICT match. There have been a few occasions where ICT players were booked, but no opposition players, and a single match where ICT had no bookings but the opposition did ( -V- Hibs way back in July 11), but this is the first cardless game ... so fair play to Bobby Madden, a ref who is not scared to dish them out (35 cards in 15 games) Clean sheets help fans sleep better. A first clean sheet of the season has eased the restless nights of the Caley Thistle support after Motherwell drew a blank against Inverness at Fir Park to ease the Highlanders further away from bottom club Dunfermline. It may not have been a pretty sight, but it was certainly very welcome as a tremendous strike from Gregory Tade was all that separated the sides in a tense encounter where neither side were able to fashion too many clear cut chances as Motherwell showed why they have only scored seven goals at home this season with a languid display in the final third of the park. This was a fantastic response by Gregory to social networking harrassment that tried to make life difficult for him the previous week, as he put that behind him and showed magnificent ability and power to lash a ferocious shot into the roof of the net from twenty two yards to silence the home fans and send the small but battle hardened band of followers into raptures. Capital Caley was on hand to witness the days events and he recounts his day out for your pleasure........... Well oh well oh well! Well oh well oh well! It’s been a long time coming but we finally kept a clean sheet. This victory has taken us 8 points clear of Dunfermline. If we can get past them in the cup, and with the potential financial rewards at stake, this could turn out go be a great season! We’ve now gone over 1 month unbeaten and there looks like real team spirit and unity within the squad. Our defensive performance was first class on Saturday. Nothing could get past Roman in the gloamin. Gillet played a blinder and when we attacked, we really had Well on the ropes. My day started badly when I was short changed by the ticket man at Central Station, losing a fiver. This will seriously eat in to my 10p bowling budget. The Fir Park Social Club was quite quiet for a change before the game – Dewsbury Dude couldn’t make the trip this time. The bar was filled with other Caley Away regulars such as Govan Jaggy, Immortal Howden Ender, Alternative Maryhill, martinskye, Red Card Gringo Jnr, CaleyD, BA, Snow and a few others. On approach to the stadium, we were informed that we were behind the goal for this one. Usually we grace the side of the main stand, but in order to get behind the goals we had to walk about a mile to get there. It was good to get the extra miles in for my Highland March training. We started strongly and pushed towards Motherwells goal. We were playing good football but struggling to find that final lethal touch in front of goal. Billy McKay worked his socks off throughout and nearly put Caley Thistle ahead on the 29th minute. His low angled shot just went wide after Gregory Tade played the ball through to him. Motherwell went on the counter attack and Thomas Piermayr did well to block an Omar Daly shot from close range. We were edging towards an opener towards the end of the first half. A Tade shot and then a Tansey chance were both saved by Darren Randolph. But, just before half time, there was a scramble in front of Ryan Essons goal mouth and Tom Hateleys corner looked to be heading straight into the goal, but Esson managed to punch the ball clear. Other than this moment, we were pretty much on top of the game in the first half. We started the second half similar to the first half. We continued to press the Motherwell defense, who made it difficult for our attackers at times. Tade nearly opened the scoring soon after the break but his shot was blocked by Randolph. Tade then put us 1-0 up on the 67th minute. He collected the ball from far out, ran at the Well defence, opening up a gap and firing into the top corner from 22 yards out. A cracking strike that will be a contender for goal of the month. His celebratory dances are starting to be very common now! Towards the end, Butcher changed tactics to try and secure the win. Off came Nick Ross for new singing Steve Williams. Then McKay came off for Proctor. The tactics in the last few minutes were straight out of a Craig Levein manual – effectively a formation of ‘10’. It worked, and we defended solidly. With every clearance you could feel the desire for the clean sheet. Motherwell never really troubled us though and we were worthy of the win. A fine performance all round. The Caley Thistle fans walked down to the pitch side at full time for some high fives with Tade. I thought Esson was going to throw his gloves into the crowd, he was that happy. We marched back to the Social Club to the tunes of Caley Away With Terry and Mo! 2012 has started considerably better than 2011. Things can only get better. No highlights found