Here it is, the eagerly awaited tm4tj report on todays game.........
ICT 4 - 1 ABERDEEN
Bayne first half hat-trick eases ICT to a win over a mostly inexperienced Dons team :clapping03:
ICT.....team.....Dons
Zibi...................Soutar
Gillespie............McVitie
Duff...................D Smith
Watt.................Duff
Kerr..................Skinner
Bazza................Crawford
Hart...................Pawlett
Vigurs................Jonathon Smith
Patti...................McGuire
Bayne.................Aluko
Wyness..............S Smith
Looked like a 4-4-2 set up.
Cold breezy afternoon watched by around 200 spectators. ICT were first to show with Barry shooting wide after a couple of minutes. Patti next to try his luck with 20 yarder but Soutar well placed to pluck it out of the air. Around the nine minute mark, ball broke to Hart after good challenge in middle of park Vigurs played it forward to Hart, he did well to get a great cross in from the right and left Bayners with a simple header from six yards. Minute later, Hart curling free kick fractionally too high for the strikers to get on the end of. Dons reply was a shot over after Kerr lost out to Aluko on the left edge of the box. Next to try his luck was Denzil from six yards with a header from Wilsons cross, but Soutar pulls off diving save to his left. After 25 minutes a stinging shot from Hart after Bazza and Wyness combined to lay the ball off, Richie hitting a ferocious shot from over twentyfive yards but Soutar warmed his palms on that one and the ball was cleared. ICT well on top and no surprise when Bazza shot was parried to his left by the keeper but Bayne reacted slickly to hook the ball low into the net from an acute angle. McGuire replied for Dons, shooting just over with long range curling effort. Just around the half hour, Wyness knocked home number three after Hart had made a great surge down the right to catch a through ball, turning his cross perfectly into the box for Denzil to score. Patti seemed to be taking things casually, literally, as he even managed to pass the ball accurately from a horizontal position, whilst lying nonchalantly on his side but still winning the ball and laying it off. Next goal just before half time saw Patti slalom his way across the face of the Dons defence as he cut in from the left edge of the box, he evaded three defenders and just when he was about to pull the trigger the last defender edged the ball away from him, Bayners stole in and from around the penalty spot drilled the ball low past Soutar.
Colin Williamson replaced Duff at half time, as the breeze stiffened, Zibi first in my notebook when he badly sliced a clearance high and wide. Wyness first to threaten after good through ball but Soutar beat his shot away, Dons broke upfield only for them to chip a shot over from a tight angle on the left. Next up a bit of one man head tennis saw Bayne drop the ball for Hart but his awkward volley flew wide. Dons free kick made Zibi work as he comfortably held the shot low to his left. Bazza then slipped Denzil through but he missed low to keepers right as he narrowed the angle. Goal for Aberdeen as Aluko used his pace wide left and squeezed a cross in where it was turned home by sub Ross, Zibi maybe looked suspect misjudging the pace of Aluko as he came out to the edge of the box but Aluko stabbed the ball round him and sprinted clear. Bayne then did a spot of wrestling when he inexplicably hauled down the Dons defender after he held off a Bayne challenge, something he would have been booked for in an SPL game. Wyness volleyed wide as ICT pressed forward. TV save from Soutar as Patti flicked Bazza's free kick goalward, diving full length high to his left. Game had opened out and Zibi saved easily from a narrow angle as Dons broke upfield. Repairs were required after Hart and Soutar clashed going for a through ball, both returned to the fray after treatment. As the wind got colder and spots of rain fell, the game petered out, Patti and Wyness both spurning half chances by shooting over, Patti after good link play down the right.
Bayne did exceptionally well in the first half, he certainly had the Midas touch, he tried all sorts today, I think he must have been practising on the play station before he came out, he even tried Tennis and Wrestling. Led the line brilliantly and the ball stuck to him, like sh*** to a blanket. He grabs the headlines but personally, I thought Richie Hart put a lot of effort into this game and set up plenty opportunities for others, made lung bursting runs and fizzed a couple of shots goalwards, that is why he is todays tm4tj Man of the Match.
Comfortable win as the scoreline suggests, if we had taken our chances in the second half it could well have been six or seven, but we did what we had to do and restricted Dons to half chances, Zibi being for the large part untroubled. Good display by Dale Gillespie playing in Rossco's spot, Duff and Kerr also looked the part as did Watt, who does like to play the ball out of defence, but he was not really under too much pressure. Bazza always available, Patti and Vigurs backing up and tracking back well and Denzil easing his way past defenders and not wasting many balls, just what we expect from him. Colin Williamson slotted in well when he came on.
Usual suspects in attendance, some lasting longer than others, plenty coughing and sniffing as the influenza strikes again. Right, I am fed up typing now, off to warm my hands on a cup of tea.
