tm4tj

Polis on the offensive Just like buses. None for ages then four come along at once. Yes, it's the fourth Highland Derby of the season at Dingwall if they can get the water off the pitch. ***GAME OFF*** But, be aware everybody, the Northern Constabulary are on the look out for offensive behaviour from either sets of fans and some common phrases from previous fixtures will be deemed offensive and you could find yourselves missing out on the action and handing over your hard earned all for the sake of a few choice words.........PC gone mad methinks. See official spiel @ http://ictfc.com/new...ict-2nd-january Inverness will first foot the global Energy Stadium on the 2nd of January for the first game of 2013, a 3:05pm kick off, and if it's half as good as our last visit it will be a cracker of a game. The three previous meetings this season have seen Inverness come out on top, but they have all been close games which could have gone either way with both sides having periods of ascendency during the ninety minutes. The first encounter at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium saw the hosts eventually overcome County when Aaron Doran fired home a spectacular clincher to seal all three points. Ross Draper and Andrew Shinnie putting the hosts in control before the break, but County came back strongly in the second period when Vigurs scored early and pressed for an equaliser before Doran ended the scoring. Then came the cup games, and what drama they produced. An incredible 3-3 game at Dingwall ended with Butcher punching the air, and Adam's almost punching himself after a hectic finale saw the game levelled, won and drawn in dramatic fashion. The replay was less hectic, but it was a nervy Inverness that saw off another County fightback and eventually earn the trip to Kilmarnock in the next round, Billy McKay doing the needful either side of a superb Ian Vigurs counter. The one thing you can be sure of, the game will not lack a bit of passion or drama and on the tight Dingwall park then this will be another one not for the faint hearted. All this, of course, will be subject to the weather being lenient enough after County's last fixture against Hearts on Saturday was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. Nothing new at Dingwall then, their pitch has a history of call off's and with the weather since last Saturday, don't hold your breath. ***Latest Team News*** Nick Ross managed a few minutes at Perth after his lengthy lay off, but Chris Hogg and Simon King remain long term victims. Mathew Cooper will continue to fill Josh Meekings central defensive role should Josh fail to pass a fitness test on his groin. Foran and Andy Shinnie were subbed at Perth but should be fit for this game. Aaron Doran was apparently suffering from manflu at Perth, that could explain his reluctance to take on a defender, so hopefully he will pull through. Terry Butcher expects another "blood and snotters" encounter with "last man standing" the winner. Ross County news is harder to assemble as Derek Adams keeps it close to his chest. Stuart Kettlewell is still out and Adams has released fringe players Russell Duncan, John Bateson, Kurtis Byrne and Keeper Joe Malin, looking to free up some cash for incoming players in the January sales. Steven Craig has now become a permanent fixture at Partick Thistle after signing on at Firhill for the rest of the season. Young Alex Cooper has featured recently and looks set to continue. tm4tj Prediction:- I expect no quarter to be given or asked for and we will probably have to endure another second half onslaught. We will do well to remain unbeaten over County this season but I will go for a 1-1 draw. :ictscarf: Happy New Year from all at CTO

Thick and Fast No, not Ben Johnson, but the games are coming in rapid succession just now so I will be brief and to the point. It's Boxing day, you have had your fill of turkey and mulled wine, the presents are all opened and you need some fresh air. What better way to exercise your lungs than get down to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium and watch the SPL's most entertaining team. No, not St Mirren, I'm talking about something that is right under our very own noses, the famous ICT, top scorers and leakiest defence; now surely that is a recipe for a goalless draw if ever I wrote one. Last Saturday saw a paltry crowd of only 3003 brave the elements to watch another five goals. For heavens sake, surely they deserve better than that, so get off your arses and get down to the dump and see for yourself..........you know it makes sense. Xmas presents for all at Inverness with the breaking news that Josh Meekings and Graeme Shinnie have both signed two year contract extensions taking them up to May 2015. Meekings has revelled in his central defence role after an early season injury to Simon King and Graeme Shinnie has made the left back position his own after Kenny Gillet moved on in the summer. Terry Butcher is quoted as saying "this is a fantastic Christmas present for the club and supporters" and he is hopeful that more will follow. Inverness eventually overcame a spritely Dundee last time out by the same scoreline they produced at Dens Park, this one more convincing after the Dens Parkers tried to play their way out of trouble, unlike teams like Hamilton who would defend in depth and bore the pants off you. He does score when he wants, it's now official, and he also scores anyway he likes, standing up, volleying, heading, lying down, it's all the same to Billy, he just can't stop scoring. That's eighteen goals for the season and seven games in a row including that hat-trick against the Arabs. Confidence is the key, he is like a new player this season after struggling with injuries last year, but there's no stopping him at the moment. St Mirren pulled off an excellent win on Friday night defeating Motherwell 2-1 in Paisley, Stephen Thompson's first half double being enough to see the Buddies oust Motherwell, a side we have struggled to cope with this season. That was their fifth SPL win this year and it lifted them above County at the tail end of the league, a nice wee Christmas present for the Paisley faithful. However, their away form shows only one win in nine games with five defeats. On the plus side for them, they have only conceded eleven goals on the road, but conversely only scored six. ***Latest Team News*** We have never had it so good on the injury front, although that will be little consolation to long term sufferers Chris Hogg and Simon King. Josh Meekings went off against Dundee but should recover and a clean bill of health is predicted otherwise. Danny Lennon will be without Jim Goodwin and Marc McAusland, both suspended. Kenny McLean, Gary Teale and Paul Dummett are all doubts picking up knocks against Motherwell. Gary Teale also suffered with a tightening of the abductors, although he is expected to be fit and even better news for Buddies fans is that the talented Paul McGowan could be included in the squad. He has been out since September when he injured his shoulder but is raring to go now according to gaffer Lennon. tm4tj Prediction:- As the season progresses, it gets more difficult to predict these so called easier games as the teams in trouble tend to raise their game as the stakes get higher. As these games are not played on paper, this will be another potential banana skin with the Buddies out to get a run going to ease away from danger, but we have become better at holding on to advantages and our scoring streak has become the norm. I don't see this game as being any different although if the Mirren dig in we may have to be patient, but with McKay in our side, as Ellie Goulding said to me the other day, anything could happen. I'll go for a tense 2-1 home win. ICT v HEARTS TICKETS (Easter Road) Tickets for the Scottish Communities League Cup Semi-final on Saturday 26th January at Easter Road, Edinburgh will go on sale as follows: Prority Group Sales from 9:00am on Monday 7th January. (Shareholders, Season Ticket Holders, Caley Jags Together and Centenary Club members) General Sales from 9:00am on Thursday 10th January. Tickets are priced at £15 adults and £5 for Under 16s. :ictscarf:

Team 12 v Team 3 Team 12 up here this week in the second part of the Dundee double header after last weeks incredible visit to Tannadice that ended four goals each. With St Mirren defeating Motherwell last night, the opportunity arises for Inverness to regain second spot, but it won't be easy. It was a stunning match last weekend, United racing into a three goal lead within eight minutes only for Billy McKay to peg them back to three all, big Garry Warren almost won it for us before a dubious penalty scored by Jon Daly made it 4-4 to draw an unbelievable game to a close. I don't expect anything to be easy this weekend either as Dundee start the battle to avoid the drop, having drawn with Ross County in the Highlands the previous week. We routed Dundee earlier in the season at Dens Park, but the score possibly flattered us somewhat as Dundee came back strongly before we eased away from them to win comfortably in the end. Early goals from McKay and Warren set Inverness up for a win, however, who else but Colin Nish pulled one back and Dundee came close to levelling the game before a late flurry saw Andy Shinnie and that chap McKay score again to take the wind out of the Dundee sails. That fellow McKay seems to be a bit of a goal scorer, it's almost as if he scores when he wants. He notched his twelfth league goal of the season at Tannadice and his sixteenth overall this term. It was also his sixth game on the trot, not bad for a wee loon written off by most after an injury plagued season last year and low on confidence.. He has won over the Inverness doubters with some vital goals this season and his confidence is now soaring, and that seems to be the difference since last year. His recent run of one, two and three goals per game sounds like a man on form, who would bet against him adding to that total this weekend, but I'm sure Dundee will have done their homework and Billy will be a well marked man now. Dundee have their own small bundle of joy in the shape of troublesome winger Nicky Riley who is looking better and better as the league develops. He gave us a torrid time in October, always willing to take on his defender and his trickery can produce chances for others, namely Colin 'Nemesis' Nish. ***Latest Team News*** Terry Butcher is hopeful that Santa will bring the signing of contracts to more of his key players with Meekings, the Shinnies and Billy Mckay the wanted men, although they are certainly putting themselves in the shop windows with impressive displays so far. Unlike last season, Inverness have another clean bill of health apart from King and Hogg. Dundee's Mark Stewart has returned to full training, but striker Steven Milne misses another game with a stomach injury. Carl Finnigan, Stephen O'Donnell, Mark Kerr, Brian Easton, Jamie McCluskey and Davide Grassi are all out. tm4tj Prediction:- We are back to being big favourites to win this one, but we are not as potent when we are expected to coast to victory and as Dundee showed last weekend the battle is well and truly on. It would not surprise me in the least if we are held to a draw, it would disappoint me though, but we are capable of destroying teams on our day. Let's hope we can continue our points gathering form and take this into the new year. :ictscarf: