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Desperate Stuff A dreadful game where we shared a goal apiece with almost relegated East Fife. We prevailed in the penalty shoot-out to earn the bonus point but the performance was not what was expected. I know I know it is usually a competition we use to fine tune our squad but we are a far cry from the finished article going by that performance. An absolutely honking performance mostly played at pre-season pace. The one bit of quality got us level in time added on, from a neat finish into the bottom corner by MacKinnon after good work down the left flank. Otherwise dreadful. Too many players looked as if they were still on a pre-season jolly with no apparent urgency on the job in hand. I've seen better stuff at the Hub over the last few weeks from under 12's. I don't know why I bother sometimes. Gaffney opened the scoring after the half hour in a dour uneventful game. It started with Scotlandesque defending and a poor choice of ball out of the box from Savage. Sole failed to control the ball. It was transferred forward with the Fife forward player looking yards offside and Myles Gaffney knocked in with nobody near him. Our attacking efforts were as insipid as the national team as well, however MacKinnon's goal in time added on was a good low curling effort from around 16 yards after two or three players were involved down the left side. Ross Munro made one good save in the penalty shoot-out as he saved the Fifers second spot kick. We put all five of ours away comfortably. Shinnie, Wotherspoon, Kargbo, Bates and Longstaff winning us the bonus point. In the other Group F fixture Linlithgow Rose pulled off a good win at Cappielow, defeating Morton 1-0 with a goal from Callum Rae early in the second half. We play the Rose next week at Prestonfield. We were not the only Championship side to struggle. As well as Morton going down, Dunfermline were pumped 3-0 at East Kilbride. Partick Thistle showed how it should be done by hammering Brechin City 6-0. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Date: 11/07/2026 Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: **** Referee: Sean Murdoch Inverness CT: 1 Manager: Scott Kellacher Lineup: Munro; Macleod, Devine, Savage, Boutin (Bates 71), Sole (Kargbo 62), Allan (Wotherspoon 62), Stewart, Shinnie, Duncan (MacKinnon 85) Bavidge (Longstaff 62) Subs (not used): Ross; Clark, Keogh, Chalmers, Scorers: MacKinnon (90+1) Booked: Boutin (59), Bates(90+4) Sent Off: none East Fife: 1 Manager: Dick Campbell Lineup: Gaston; Wilson, Bah, Easton, Peggie, Slattery, Millar, Milne, Newton (Trialist B 81), Gaffney (Skeen-Hamilton 64), Ross (Austin 85) Subs (not used): Rollo; Linton, Healy, Fairley Scorers: Gaffney (34) Booked: Ross (24), Gaffney (59), Bah (74), Wilson (86) Sent Off: none

League Cup - Season Opener The 2026/2027 competitive season kicks off with a home fixture in the Premier Sports Cup, group F. It's not an event we have put all our eggs in the one basket over the last few seasons but I'm sure we will give it a go. Group F consists of the Caley Jags along with Premiership St Johnstone, Championship Morton, League1 East Fife and Linlithgow Rose from the fifth tier in the Lowland League East. East Fife managed to avoid relegation from League1 last season including a hard fought 1-1 draw with the Caley Jags in the penultimate game of last season. Dick Campbell remains in charge. The loss of Michael Mackenna will be a blow to them but Mamadou Bah has signed a new deal at Bayview, as has David Wilson and Reis Peggie. The experienced Pat Slattery is also backalong with Liam Newton and Kieran Millar and in 38 year old Derek Gaston they have a vastly experienced man between the sticks. (see full list at foot of preview) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Match/Ticket/Bus/Info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***From the start of the 2026/27 season, the club will be operating a fully cashless/card only payment system at the Sarens PSG Stadium. This will apply to: All Kiosks The Ticket Window The Kingsmills Hospitality Bar Bar 94 Club Car Parks From this point forward, cash will no longer be accepted at any of these locations. The Club Shop will continue to accept £££cash£££ for a limited period following the start of the season. Thank you in advance for your co-operation. If you have any questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of the team, who will be happy to help. BAR 94Bar 94 will open at 1200, with last orders at 1430 (the bar must be fully vacated by 1445). The bar reopens at full time, when the Man of the Match presentation will take place. GETTING TO THE GAME Stagecoach Service Buses will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1245 and 1415. Buses return from the Stadium to the Bus Station 10 minutes after the full time whistle and at 1800. The bus fare is £2 single (contactless payments or cash accepted), and Over 60 / Disabled and Under 22 Concession passes are valid, giving free travel on the service to passholders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With this being our last squad out in our final pre-season fixture at Cove, I would imagine our Starting XI will come from these players. New signings for this season are Graeme Shinnie, Noa Boutin, Ryan Duncan, Morgan Bates and Hamzad Kargbo along with the Alfie Twins back on loan from Aberdeen. Offski went Chanka Zimba, Oscar MacIntyre, Jake Davidson, Ross Millen and Mitchell Robertson. What a bonus it was to have the likes of Liam Sole, Remi Savage, Paul Allan and Luis Longstaff staying on and these guys will be crucial to our success this season in what will be as always a very tough Championship. Please note, tickets will be available in the Main Stand only now. 🎟️ Adults: £15, Over 65: £10, 16 and Under: £6 - TICKETS HERE 🆕 Cashless/Card Only Stadium payment system 🚗 North and South Car Parks Open 🛍️ Club Shop & Reception open 10am - KO 🍺 Bar 94 open from 12pm 🚌 Stagecoach Service Buses will leave the Bus Station for the Stadium at 1245 and 1415. Buses return from the Stadium to the Bus Station 10 minutes after the full time whistle and at 1800. We had mixed success in our pre-season games: 23.06.2026/19:30, 3-1 Nairn County (A): Testimonial ⚽ Hamzad Kargbo (T20), Paul Allan, Luis Longstaff Nairn goal: Former Caley Jag Calum Mackay 27.06.2026/13:00, 3-1 Clachnacuddin (A): Friendly ⚽ Paul Allan, Dan Mackay (T14), Shae Keogh Clach Goal: Mikey Mackenzie Next game was also at Clach's ground, Grant Street, against Ross County due to more preparatory work being done at the Caledonian Stadium ahead of the new season. Least said about that one the better but we were thrashed 04.07.2026/13:00, - Ross County(@ Grant Street): 0-4 ⚽ County: Chin, Lindsay, Emslie & Phillips 07.07.2026/19:00, - Cove Rangers(A): Last pre-season game at Cove Rangers ended in a 1-4 win for the Caley Jags ⚽ Trialist (no 14 Dan Mackay), Ryan Duncan, Morgan Bates and Hamzad Kargbo gave us the win in our final pre-season match. Destiny Oladipo scored a solo goal foe Cove Rangers. East Fife managed to avoid relegation from League1 last season including a hard fought 1-1 draw with the Caley Jags in the penultimate game of last season. Dick Campbell remains in charge. The loss of Michael Mackenna will be a blow to them but Mamadou Bah has signed a new deal at Bayview, as has David Wilson and Reis Peggie. The experienced Pat Slattery is also backalong with Liam Newton and Kieran Millar and in 38 year old Derek Gaston they have a vastly experienced man between the sticks. Here is there end of season release regarding player contracts: Under Contract for the 2026/27 SeasonNathan Austin Jack Healy Adam Laaref Matty Rollo Cammie Ross (new signing) Returning to Parent Clubs Following Loan SpellsRuairidh Adams (Dundee United) Sam Culbert (Livingston) Myles Gaffney (Annan Athletic) Lewis Latona (Livingston) Freddie Rowe (Dunfermline Athletic) Leaving the Club Following the Expiry of Their ContractsOmar El Harek Dennis Halliday Robbie Hemfrey Joe Halsey Seff Kyam Connor McManus Gregor Nicol Destiny Oladipo Shea Scally Alan Trouten May 18th: Discussions remain ongoing with other members of last season’s squad, and further updates will be provided in due course.

We will add brief reports on here as and when we complete our pre-season fixtures. We started with a testimonial at Nairn and followed that with a friendly at Grant Street against Clach. 23.06.2026/19:30, 3-1 Nairn County (A): Testimonial ⚽ Hamzad Kargbo (T20), Paul Allan, Luis Longstaff Nairn goal: Former Caley Jag Calum Mackay 27.06.2026/13:00, 3-1 Clachnacuddin (A): Friendly ⚽ Paul Allan, Dan Mackay (T14), Shae Keogh Clach Goal: Mikey Mackenzie Next game is also at Clach's ground, Grant Street, against Ross County next Saturday due to more preparatory work being done at the Caledonian Stadium ahead of the new season. 04.07.2026/13:00, - Ross County(@ Grant Street): 0-4 ⚽ County: Chin, Lindsay, Emslie & Phillips 07.07.2026/19:00, - Cove Rangers(A): Last pre-season game at Cove Rangers ended in a 1-4 win for the Caley Jags Goals from Trialist (no 14 Dan Mackay), Ryan Duncan, Morgan Bates and Hamzad Kargbo give us the win in our final pre-season match. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TESTIMONIAL FOR DYLAN MACLEAN, CALLUM MACLEAN & KENNY McKENZIE T14 - Daniel Mackay. T15 - Joseph Edward Walters T20 - Hamzad Sayeed Kargbo 18' | 0-1 GOAL! T20 opens the scoring Clearance blocked and he scored with a near-post shot. 21' | 0-2 GOAL! Paul Allan scores after ball played through out wide which was cut back and slotted away. 34 | 0-2 Good move from Nairn County as Calum MacKay's effort comes off the post. 41’ | 1-2 Goal Nairn! Ball is won in the middle of the park by Kenny McKenzie and plays through Calum Mackay who puts it past the keeper. 45+| 1-2 Shae Keogh sees his effort held right on the stroke of half time HALF TIME: 1-2 ICTFC Subs at the break: Ross Munro, Luis Longstaff and Liam Sole on Logan Ross, Shae Keogh and T14 off 47' | 1-2 Good ball from Adam Mackinnon finds T20 in the box but his effort is just over. 53' | 1-2 ICTFC Sub: Morgan Bates on, T20 off 63' | 1-3 GOAL! Luis Longstaff's free-kick finds the bottom corner from the edge of the box. FULL TIME: 1-3 Looks like everybody got some game time. NAIRN: Dylan Maclean, Jamie Carnihan, Leo Walker, Callum Maclean, Fraser Dingwall, Millar Gamble, Calum Mackay, Tyler Eadie, Paul Brindle, Jonathan Bain, Kenny McKenzie SUBS: Kyle Jeffrey (GK), Kenny MacInnes, Angus Dey, Jake Thomson, Ben Barron, Ben Kelly, Adrian Voigt, Trialist SUBS MADE: Ben Barron --> Paul Brindle (46), Adrian Voigt --> Jonathan Bain (46), Jake Thomson --> Callum Maclean (60), Angus Dey --> Calum Mackay (74), Ben Kelly --> Jamie Carnihan (74), Trialist --> Tyler Eadie (74), Kyle Jeffrey --> Dylan Maclean (81) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friendlies (3): 27.06.2026/13:00, 3-1 Clachnacuddin (A): After the pyrotechnic display on Friars Bridge earlier in the day, this pre-season game got underway at Grant Street with Championship Caley Jags fielding a strong starting XI. Here's the highlights lifted from X 6' | 0-0 First real chance of the match as Graeme Shinnie sees his effort from range bounce just wide. At the other end, Craig Lawrie sees his effort from range go just wide. 12' | 0-1 GOAL! We take the lead! Paul Allan's free-kick is swung in and looks to have gone straight in! 26' | 0-1 Noa Boutin sees his effort held by Mark Ridgers. 30' | 0-1 Boutin picks out Adam Mackinnon in the box but his effort is over and behind. 36' | 0-1 Ross Munro called into action as he saves Jordan MacRae's initial effort and follow-up header. 40' | 0-1 Luis Longstaff sees his effort from just outside the box held by Mark Ridgers HALF TIME: 0-1 45' | 0-1 HT Subs for ICTFC: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 51' | 1-1 Goal. Mikey Mackenzie equalises for Clach 61' | 1-1 ICTFC Subs: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73' | 1-1 Sam Thompson and Shae Keogh on, Adam Mackinnon and Paul Allan off 75' | 1-1 Noa Boutin picks out Shae Keogh but his effort is turned just wide. 82'| 1-2 GOAL! Trialist (No 14) gives us the lead! They can't kid us. It's our very own Dan Mackay. 85' | 1-3 GOAL! Shae Keogh makes it 3-1! And that's how it finished... FULL TIME: 1-3 ICTFC Substitutions: 46: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 61: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73: Sam Thomson & Shae Keogh on, Adam MacKinnon & Paul Allan off Clach Starting XI Mark Ridgers Michael Finnis Harry Nicolson Ally Gillies Kuba Leszczynski Allan MacPhee Mikey Mackenzie Jordan Macrae Craig Lawrie Jacob Kerr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 04.07.2026/13:00, - Ross County (@ Grant Street): Not good reading, but here it is... This pre-season game was played at the neutral venue of Grant Street, Inverness as the Caledonian Stadium surface was still being treated ahead of new season. A minutes applause was held prior to Kick-Off as a mark of respect for former Caley Jags director David Cameron who passed away earlier this week. New signings Hamzad Kargbo & Ryan Duncan started in a reasonably strong line-up for the Caley Jags who still had T14 & T15 down as trialists but better known as Dan Mackay & T15 Noteworthy timeline events... 8' | Lindsay’s strike flies over the bar after nice work from Chin on the right wing. 10' | Chance for ICT from a free-kick but Akil Wright clears the danger. 29' | Emslie slices a strike wide as Graham collects the follow up, but Ross Munro collects his shot. 35' | Brian Graham has an effort cleared off the line after a great cross from Randall. 35' | GOALLLLLL COUNTY!! Richard Chin slams it home!! 40' | Chance for ICT but it is turned wide of the post after a good cut back. HALF TIME 0-1 Time to go home now... 47’ | 0-1 Good move from ICT as Adam Mackinnon sees his effort go over the bar and behind. 51' | GOAAAAAALLL COUNTY! Jamie Lindsay fires home on the volley! What a hit! 53' | GOOOOOAALLLLL COUNTY! Adam Emslie slips it home after some brilliant work down the right from, Richard Chin! An avalanche of substitutions around the hour mark slowed County down from scoring for a bit... 70’ | 0-3 Good ball from Luis Longstaff is headed over by Morgan Bates 76’ | 0-3 Luis Longstaff’s corner finds Shae Keogh in the box but his header is over the bar. 82’ | 0-3 Ross Munro produces a good save to keep out Kieran Phillips 86' | GOOOOOALLLL COUNTY! Keiran Phillips sprints through the defence and slots home! FULL TIME: 0-4 We were Gudgied, time to go and hide for a day or two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 07.07.2026/19:00, - Cove Rangers (A): 2 x Alfies starting Spoony & Chalmers turn up Last pre-season game at Cove Rangers ended in a 1-4 win for the Caley Jags Goals from Trialist (no 14 Dan Mackay), Ryan Duncan, Morgan Bates and Hamzad Kargbo give us the win in our final pre-season match. Highlights picked off X 10' | 0-1 GOAL! Trialist No 14 Dan Mackay gives us the lead! 20' | 0-1 Good save from Logan Ross as he tips Trialist (No 14) for Cove's effort 22' | 1-1 GOAL! Destiny Oladipo uses his power & strength to equalise! After a delightful touch on the halfway line, Destiny holds off numerous challengers as he burst towards the Inverness goal before chopping inside and striking low past Ross with the aid of a deflection. A brilliant solo goal from the big man! 27' | 1-1 Spoony's corner finds Devine in the box but his header is over. 30' | 1-1 Good pass from Alfie Stewart finds Alfie Bavidge but his effort is saved by Robbie Mutch. HALF TIME: 1-1 48' | 1-2 GOAL!! Great play from Ryan Duncan down the right as he drives into the box and fires it past Robbie Mutch. 55' | 1-2 Another great run from Oladipo shrugging off 3 players but his effort is saved by Logan Ross. 59' | 1-2 Joe Chalmers sees his effort from range saved by Robbie Mutch 64' | 1-3 GOAL! Morgan Bates heads in from close range! 72' | 1-3 Good ball in from Graeme Shinnie is headed over by Hamzad Kargbo 73’ | Chance for Cove to reduce the deficit. A slack pass from Ross falls kindly to Fraser, who drills a shot straight into the goalkeeper’s chest. The rebound drops to Stephen, who looks to place his effort into the corner, but Ross recovers brilliantly from his earlier mistake, producing an excellent save with his foot. 86' | 1-4 GOAL! Hamzad Kargbo heads in from close range as he finishes Liam Sole's cross! That ended the scoring with everyone getting a run out. FULL TIME: 1-4