ALSY

FT 1-1. Very predictable. So predictable, in fact, that it's just got me 50 points in the prediction league. Would rather have had the home win, mind.

Hayes off injured - very bad news. McBain on. Dundee, Raith and Partick all leading now - we'll lose a bit more ground if this stays the same. Feck - as I type, Rooney misses when through on goal - Alex will have something to say about that. And Wood scores for County...

**** off. "Shocker for Inverness... the whole defence switched off" Straight back into attack, hopefully. Same subs as Tuesday - Sanchez and Rooney on, Foran and Imrie off. Maybe Sanchez can make the difference again.

According Robbo, we're looking content to sit back and hit on the break. Is this wise? With Hayes and Imrie up front we do have the pace to counter-attack well, but I don't like the thought of Bulvitis, Tokely and Golly having to absorb too much pressure for the whole of the second half.

Make that **** poor HOME form. Really hope the support is right behind all the players when they come out for the second half: the team looked right up for it at the start of the second half against Raith and more of the same today, with Dunfermline's confidence lowered, could make it safe early on.

Agree pretty much with everything Yngwie has said. Sanchez did make a difference when he came on: when he's up for it, he looks our most genuinely creative player, making space and seeing passes that others don't. On that form he's got to start, but I don't know whether it should be off a main striker, or whether Butcher should risk playing him in midfield. Certainly in the first half we were crying out for someone in midfield to put his foot on the ball and dictate play properly: Cox and Duncan worked hard but it all looked very hurried. I worry, though, that playing deeper Sanchez would get bullied off the ball. A word of caution for the weekend: the poor standard of our football in the first half last night looked to be down to a collective lack of confidence. Individually all the players fought for every ball, but whenever an ICT player was in possession he seemed desperate to get rid of it, while no-one else seemed to be shouting or making decent runs; hence the return of the punt. Raith, by contrast, seemed far more confident and their off-the-ball running led to much slicker and more dangerous build-up play. Butcher obviously did his job at half time, as the players came out looking far more confident, with Imrie, Hayes and Duncan looking to get on the ball and Tokely and Proctor both coming forward far more effectively. It took a couple of good substititions, but we got our reward for this eventually. However, if we want to build on this win, the home support MUST get behind the team on Saturday, even if individuals make mistakes: we're far more likely to win with a team that makes the odd error but keeps fighting than with players who start hiding because they are scared of the reaction if they make a mistake or something doesn't come off.

I'll be there. Kirkcaldy's a good day out.

The 208 isn't much to look at, but it's right beside the ground and bound to be absolutely heaving with supporters from both sides before and after. I remember it being great crack after the final we won in 2003. Shame I'm working the following day this time.

Eagle's been on the left in all the games I've seen him in this season, with Hayes on the right, apart from brief switches during the games. Has that not been the case at home games too? You're right, though, he's been decent today. It was nice to see him going straight back into attack again after the goal - looked like he took a real lift from it.

Nice to get a wee bit of luck for a change. Poor game though - no fluency from either side. I've got about a 20 second lag between the Alba streaming and the Sportsound commentary, mind you, which isn't making it any better.

I seem to remember Leeds Utd wanted to take Tokely on trial a long time back - think it was in '97, the season we won the third, when Tokely had not long broken into the team. Leeds were still doing pretty well then.

Fair dos... and I mentioned other posters who had said similar things because I didn't want you to think it was a personal attack. I just think the boycott route can only be detrimental to the club. I do think the stewarding can be very petty over people standing up, especially as it's rarely enforced among away supporters, but as far as the "gypsy" stuff is concerned, the club has to abide by anything that could be construed as racially offensive, even though I don't believe there is any racist intent behind the way the term is used at ICT-County matches.

Or people that maybe didn't realise what the reality of being back in the first was likely to be and are looking for a way out? There have been a few posters on different threads alluding to "the final straw" and "not going back"...

I think he does. I've been at five games this season and in all of them (except, perhaps, Morton) there have been long periods where the opposing side had the upper hand and periods where we have played nice, controlled pressing football. You'd maybe expect this pattern against Dundee, but against Airdrie? We were the same at the start of last season under Brewster though, before the rot really set in, and during the mini-revival under Butcher, and those were quite different starting line-ups. I can't really put my finger on why it is, except for the obvious, that the players in each case haven't been quite good enough to take control of and kill off games.

It's going to be interesting to read the reports of those who were there - how awful was the first half, how much, if any, encouragement we can draw from the second, and to what extent were selection and tactics the problem.

And County 2-0 down. Richard Gordon just said QoS were 4-2 up on us - please tell me he meant on Dunfermline, not that Partick had got a fourth.

Ya dancer. Sounds like we're going for it - Rooney, Foran and Sanchez all on. Ten minutes to complete the comeback...

County a goal down too. Good luck comes in threes - quick second goal and we might have a chance.

Glad to hear that, although I'd hoped Andy might start to show his County form in this division. Blackie booked for Hearts :(

Just woke up from a wee post-prandial to this. Gawdalmighty. TBH - I cant see what other team he could have started with - Personally I would have played McBain and cant understand why he isnt even on the bench - BUT all the chopping and changing doesnt help - we should have been settled by now :( Agree absolutely about McBain - we could really do with a bit of experience and a cooler head. It's fair enough to blood youngsters who we hope may be good enough to be the future of the team, but it seems unwise to start with two players with virtually no experience when so many of the first team are unexperienced in this division already. I'd also have persevered with Sanchez - he was a bit off the boil against Airdrie, but goals against Dundee, Partick and Morton merit him a start IMO. No chance of saving this now - hopefully it's a bad day rather than the start of a downward spiral, but the poor performances are now outnumbering the acceptable ones this season. I don't see the point in getting into a "Butcher out" campaign just yet though, although I know there are those who disagree.

I'm quite surprised by your pessimism, D. I've always kind of envisaged us as a club that would spend periods in Div 1 and periods in the SPL, much like several other similarly-sized clubs, and I assumed the club was prepared for such a scenario - perhaps the reason I'm not too bothered by our current position. You're obviously closer to the club than I am and have a better understanding of its finances - are ICT doing anything unsustainable that, say, St Johnstone (probably the nearest thing to our equivalent in terms of support and expectations) didn't do when they were in the first division for several seasons?

This seems a bit unfair. For one thing, he was one of our better players on Tuesday. For another, he's barely been given a chance this season. I'd certainly start Duncan tomorrow, in place of Stratford. I don't buy this stuff about him not being good enough - he's been a pretty regular starter in our SPL team for the last five seasons; a team that, lest we forget, has one of the best records against the old firm in Scotland over the past few years, regardless of our failings against other sides. That experience could be invaluable for us this season.

Duncan deserves his chance after tonight. Left midfield is still a problem, and McBain should be given an opportunity to stake his claim. Sanchez and Foran didn't click against Airdrie but did well enough against Partick and Morton to get another chance. However, I'd put Barrowman on early if the front pairing isn't working on Saturday. So: Esson Tokely Bulivitis Munro Golabek Hayes Duncan Cox Mcbain Sanchez Foran

Eventually that became a very entertaining game. Over the whole 2 hours, the result was probably just about fair, but based on our performance in the last hour, we can feel a little unlucky not to have taken it to penalties. I understand why Butcher decided to use tonight to make a few changes, but I can't say I understand the line up he elected to play. Lionel was wide left, with Cox initially starting as a second striker behind Foran and Stratford and Duncan in the middle of midfield. Lionel, I'm sorry to report, still looked lacking in confidence and didn't really put in any effective balls, while Cox looked lost until he moved further back into midfield, after which he had an excellent game. Our distribution was terrible for most of the first half, and we didn't get Hayes into the game at all. If it wasn't for the fact that Motherwell didn't really get started until about half an hour in, we could have taken a real kicking. As it was, they scored in their first period of real pressure, after Esson had saved us twice in quick succession. The Foran incident looked right on the edge of the box, but I'd have to see it again to know if it should have been a penalty. Granty did heroically to set up a chance for Duncan, and Russell did well to create space for himself, but unfortunately dragged it wide. That was about it for us in the first half. We were brighter in the second half because Hayes got far better service and started running at the Motherwell defence. For out goal, he swung in a wicked free kick from the right and Barrowman was first to it with a solid header. Proctor got sent off very soon after, absolutely correctly, for a second booking. It was his own fault - he lost the player he was marking and lunged in trying to track back. Ironically, we had our best period of the game after we went down to ten men. Duncan moved to right back and Cox anchored the midfield. Hayes chased the ball relentlessly and Foran and Barrowman both worked well trying to create space up front and hold the ball up. The last ten minutes were really exciting, with Motherwell pressing for an equaliser, plenty of last ditch defending from us and a few dangerous-looking breaks. Extra time was more of the same - end to end, quite entertaining, both teams looking like they could score. I didn't see Motherwell's second very clearly, but Hammell hit it from left hand corner of the box and it looked like it took an unlucky deflection off Bulivitis. Our second equaliser was a looping header from Munro, from a corner as far as I remember. It was great - one of those goals that you watch all the way and it seems to go in in slow motion. Motherwell won it 3 minutes from time with a lovely shot on the turn. There were plenty of positives to take from tonight - tremendous team spirit in the second half and extra time, and good performances from Foran, Duncan, and yet again, Hayes and Munro, who have been far and away our outstanding performers this season. Barrowman worked hard and looked lively when he came on, and Cox played well once restored to his natural position. However, there are still a few concerns. Stratford regained his place and was again one of our least effective players - why not give Barrowman or Rooney a chance up front and play Cox alongside Duncan in the middle? Similarly, why play a player lacking in confidence out of position (Lionel) when there is an experienced and reliable left midfielder (McBain) available and also deserving of a chance this season? Maybe after tonight, Butcher is thinking along the same lines - will be interested to see who he starts with on Saturday.

Should make it unless anything unforeseen comes up at work.