Sneckboy

Good to see the highlights of their game last night - must offer some encouragement. The boy Budescu certainly likes to try a pop at goal from distance - Although the 'keeper should have dealt with it!

It seems Yogi's keen to have another look at the Belgian player who appeared against Nairn. I was looking at the rules for the Development League, and clubs are permitted to field trialists in those. (a maximum of 2 in a game)

Apparently, this score equalled Astra's worst ever home score-line. It seems they also lost 5-1 at home to Rapid Bucharest in 1999, if this translation is correct! The Astra lost for the second time in history the 4 goals at home, after the defeat of May 26, 1999, when defeated Rapid 5-1.

Stuart Golabek has resigned as assistant manager at Brora Rangers. It had been rumoured that he'd followed Kirkwood out-of-the-door, but it's now been confirmed.

That's known as Muphry's Law!!

I guess the harsh truth is that even ordinary teams can be made to look 'solid and organised at the back' - if they're allowed to. Astra have failed to win either of their opening two league games (both at home) and conceded 7 goals to the largely unheralded, Concordia Chiajna and Targu Mures. We need to stop giving them so much respect and have a real go at their clearly, dodgy defence. Unfortunately, we appear to be quite impotent as a goal-scoring unit at present - but we have lost our top two marksmen from last season in Billy Mckay and Marley Watkins...plus Eddie Ofere. Our top scorer from last season, still at the club, is Greg Tansey, but 4 of his 7 goals came from the penalty spot.

Final score: FC Astra 1-5 Targu Mures

Romanian Liga 1 - FC Astra Giurgiu 1-5 Targu Mures Europa League Q2 - 2nd leg - FC Astra Giurgiu v Inverness CT (Thursday 23rd July) Europa League Q3 - 1st leg - West Ham United v Inverness CT (Thursday 30th July) - provisional Premiership - Inverness CT v Motherwell (Saturday 1st August - 3pm) Europa League Q3 - 2nd leg - Inverness CT v West Ham United (Thursday 6th August) - provisional

9 of the 11 that started against us started this game. Budescu netted Astra's goal tonight.

I hope I'm allowed to post this link as it's clearly not my work - and are posted on Flickr, courtesy of the 'A Gurn from Nurn' website. So I will credit them for these excellent HQ photos from yesterday's game. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gurnnurn/sets/72157655631654020

Romanian Liga 1 - FC Astra Giurgiu v Targu Mures (Sunday 19th July) Europa League Q2 - 2nd leg - FC Astra Giurgiu v Inverness CT (Thursday 23rd July) Europa League Q3 - 1st leg - West Ham United v Inverness CT (Thursday 30th July) - provisional Premiership - Inverness CT v Motherwell (Saturday 1st August - 3pm) Europa League Q3 - 2nd leg - Inverness CT v West Ham United (Thursday 6th August) - provisional

I have got absolutely no idea! Will be interesting to see what line-up is played. It's our final friendly and it was supposed to be predominantly first-team/trialists, but as you say, with the Wick game now off, it's difficult to know what sort of team we'll field! It'll likely be a mix of first-team and Development players. No doubt there'll be a considerable flurry of substitutions too!

Wick Academy P-P Inverness CT U20s Nairn County v Inverness CT (Saturday 18th July - 3pm) Romanian Liga 1 - FC Astra Giurgiu v Targu Mures (Sunday 19th July) Europa League Q2 - 2nd leg - FC Astra Giurgiu v Inverness CT (Thursday 23rd July) Europa League Q3 - 1st leg - West Ham United v Inverness CT (Thursday 30th July) - provisional Premiership - Inverness CT v Motherwell (Saturday 1st August - 3pm) Europa League Q3 - 2nd leg - Inverness CT v West Ham United (Thursday 6th August) - provisional

Today's game at Wick has been cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch at Harmsworth Park. Source: Wick's website and Twitter account.

That's ironic! Due to bowling, you'll miss the game at the 'Bowlin' ground! (as it tends to be pronounced for some reason)

History is probably not on our side to overturn this - but it CAN be done, as Scottish clubs have done it in the recent past! Scottish clubs have lost at home in the first leg of a European tie 46 times before. And subsequently been eliminated on 44 occasions! The two clubs who've shown it can be done are Celtic and Motherwell both in 2009/10. (both also trailing by 0-1 from the home leg). Motherwell 0-1 Llanelli Llanelli 0-3 Motherwell Celtic 0-1 Dynamo Moscow Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Celtic

Yeah, I actually forgot about them, in my excitement!

Wick Academy v Inverness CT U20s (Saturday 18th July - 2pm) Nairn County v Inverness CT (Saturday 18th July - 3pm) Romanian Liga 1 - FC Astra Giurgiu v Targu Mures (Sunday 19th July) Europa League Q2 - 2nd leg - FC Astra Giurgiu v Inverness CT (Thursday 23rd July) Europa League Q3 - 1st leg - West Ham United v Inverness CT (Thursday 30th July) - provisional Premiership - Inverness CT v Motherwell (Saturday 1st August - 3pm) Europa League Q3 - 2nd leg - Inverness CT v West Ham United (Thursday 6th August) - provisional

6 August. Not sure if that's right, Gavroche. We were drawn away for the first-leg, so it would be London a-week-on-Thursday (30th July), with West Ham coming to Inverness on August 6th.

WEST HAM UNITED!!! Edit: ...or Birkirkara! First-leg in London. West Ham fans hoping we can 'turn the tie around' - interesting early reactions on one of their websites!

Huge fight lined-up for Cornish on the 12th September. He's fighting Anthony Joshua at the O2 arena in London. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/33559163 The BBC link states the 21st September, but I'm sure they've transposed the numbers, as that's a Monday. (12th is a Saturday). 'BoxRec' website has it as 12th. Anyway, the contest is for the Commonwealth Heavyweight title - a belt no Scotsman has ever held in its 123 year history! But Joshua has had an explosive professional career after leaving the amateur ranks on a high with a London Olympics gold medal. And he's won all his fights by knockout. Cornish has also won all his Pro fights, so shouldn't be outclassed. Go Gary!

Adding Brian Rice & Owain Fon Williams. Signed until the end of next season (2016-17): • Gary Warren • Richie Foran • Greg Tansey • Josh Meekings Signed until the end of this season (2015-16): • John Hughes - Manager • Brian Rice - Assistant Manager • Dean Brill • Aaron Doran • Danny Williams • Ryan Esson • Ryan Christie • Carl Tremarco • Ross Draper • James Vincent • David Raven • Daniel Devine • Ali Sutherland • Liam Polworth • Lewis Horner • Calum Ferguson • Cammy Mackay • Nat Wedderburn • Jason Roberts • Dani Lopez • Owain Fon Williams ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Development Squad players available for this season (2015-16): • Calum Howarth • Jason Brown • Jaime Wilson • Kane Hull • Struan McArthur • Blair MacLennan • Chris Brown • Stephen Rennie • Chris Blackett • Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper) • Alasdair Stark • Andrew Macrae

Great call!! Yes, Brora's official Twitter has confirmed that Richard Brittain has been appointed as manager! (player-manager)

Downinthedumps noted on the Astra match thread that UEFA have allocated the 'groupings' for today's Qualifying Round 3 (Q3) draw... Could all be academic if we don't overturn the first-leg deficit, but nevertheless, will be exciting to see who we could be facing! There are 6 teams we can face: West Ham United (England) or Birkirkara (Malta) Atromitos (Greece) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Slovan Liberec (Czech Republic) Standard Liege (Belgium) Appollon Limassol (Cyprus) or Trakai (Lithuania)

Yeah, I'd agree with that - the squad's starting to take shape in terms of quality and numbers... An attacker and a left-sided defender would be ideal, although the latter 'don't grow on trees'! Richie Foran is almost like a new signing too, after his lengthy absence. And I can see young Jason Brown featuring on the bench a lot this season and perhaps getting his first-team debut at some stage, perhaps in the League Cup.