Robert

Tomorrow is definitely a game we cannot afford to lose and also one we really need to win. We should be aiming for second, at worst, not fourth if we genuinely have promotion aspirations. Hopefully last week’s result has given the squad much needed confidence and they kick on from that. Our record against Raith over 90 minutes is excellent. Now is not the time to blow it. After tomorrow, 5 of our last 6 games are against the bottom 5 so we need momentum to build a (surprising given the last 3 months) challenge for as high a position as we can manage.

Roddy MacGregor is back training but it will be next week before he is able to train fully so he is a couple of weeks away from being able to play. Good news that we will have him for much of the run in.

Manny Duku can’t stop scoring! He got another one tonight. Also two for Robbie Thomson for Clach.

Congratulations to Sam Pearson who has been called up for the Wales Under 21 squad. Unfortunately it means he misses our game against Dunfermline on the 26th: https://ictfc.com/sam-pearson-called-up-for-wales-u21

Scotland are playing a friendly against Poland on 24 March, the day we should have been playing Ukraine and they would have been playing Russia. £10 from each ticket is being donated to UNICEF to help Ukraine.

Glad you enjoyed your trip north: you picked the right weekend!! Duffy has not really done anything wrong when he has featured, either at right back or centre half. With Broadfoot (presumably) bowing out in the summer, it makes sense to keep him on board, particularly if we may lose the likes of Deas. Devine also needs credit for his performances this season. He has really matured into a really good defender and talks the defence through games. Devine and Duffy could be a decent pairing for us next season.

Reflecting on this afternoon, it was good to see Walsh back for a spell and he looked up for it despite being overlooked in recent weeks. Duffy and Harper also played their part off the bench. Doran was harshly booked after being kicked whilst on the ground after a foul. It should have been a red card for the Arbroath player but the referee took the easy option as Doran understandably reacted. It was a good decision to sub him as he was clearly incensed by the way the Arbroath player had treated him. I was surprised Broadfoot was subbed. Had he taken a knock or was it because the Arbroath strikers had the beating of him? Duffy was faultless after he took over. Carson was needlessly booked for an unnecessary foul as we entered stoppage time. Hopefully it doesn’t result in a suspension in the run in. He did seem more like himself though. I was surprised MacKay started ahead of Ridgers again. Maybe Ridgers is not fully fit? I liked the look of Hardy. He made a nuisance of himself throughout his time on the pitch, whilst Mckay seemed much more like himself in today’s formation. Let’s just do less of the long high ball game, please. Anyway, good to have the win and maybe Dodds’ comments about a run will come to fruition. We need to kick on and show today was not a one off.

Today I’ve noted Tobi Sho-Silva for Carlisle, Col Donaldson for Dunfermline, he who cannot be named for Montrose (who also managed to get sent off), Nathan Austin for Kelty and Manny Duku for Havant and Waterlooville.

I really enjoyed that, and at last a Saturday feels like a Saturday should, after a great afternoon watching football: a good all round performance, a comfortable win and a morale boosting three points. My only complaint is that we still hoofed a lot of high balls forward, giving Mckay and Hardy little chance. I thought every player played their part, and we were certainly motivated and committed. We got a bit of luck when Arbroath hit the post but generally coped pretty well, with a lot of bodies put on the line to block efforts. Sutherland was the pick for me. His early goal settled us and his work rate was immense. The highlight was McAlear’s finish after some quick, excellent play. And a shout out for the singing section who were vocal throughout the game. One game does not forgive the last three months, but if we can maintain the level of performance and commitment, a play off spot should be ours. Well done!

Exactly. Hope rather than expectation for me today too!

Make that 990!!

Not a March fixture, but our game away to Queen of the South, postponed from 2 April due to the Challenge Cup Final, will take place on Tuesday 19 April.

Certainly not for Fort William. They are playing all their home matches at their opponents’ grounds, so last night lost their home match against Nairn at Station Park.

A hat trick in 7 minutes for Andy MacRae for Brora tonight. Dale Gillespie also scored with Andy MacAskill on the mark for Buckie.

Interesting! We are fourth in the table, have scored the fourth highest number of goals in the league, and conceded the fourth lowest number of goals in the league. The three teams above us are those who have scored more and conceded less. True, if we measure October to now it will be a much poorer picture.

We are now playing for fourth place, at best, given Patrick’s win tonight.

Ryan Christie for Bournemouth, Scott Boden for Borehamwood Wood and Nathan Austin for Kelty tonight. Graeme Shinnie scored for Wigan in the penalty shoot out in the EFL Trophy, but they lost out to Sutton United.

Our home game against Kilmarnock on 16 April has been moved to the evening Friday 15 and will be on tv. As a result, we only have two home Saturday afternoon games left this season, Arbroath on Saturday and Dunfermline on 26 March.

I was a bit premature with the post above, but now confirmed it is postponed and a statement is expected from FIFA later. Some of the Ukrainian squad have joined the defence of their country. If is horrific watching and hearing what is going on. I just hope and pray that a resolution is found quickly without further deaths, and which involves Putin being seen to have lost. It is hard to see that outcome any time soon sadly.

I hope Gardyne is not the Montrose cheerleader!!

Very well said Douglas and Scotty. Hopefully someone in the club actually reads this site and the posts on social media etc, and realises the way fans feel about the ongoing failure to communicate. If so, they need to be ensuring the Chairman, Board and CEO know the depth of feeling. Improving communication should be easy, it just needs them to focus on it, set a standard and stick to it. A monthly blog by the Chairman or CEO, augmented by helpful news in pre and post match interviews would make a major difference. If put in place quickly, it will help with season ticket sales for next season as some fans will be less cheesed off. I’m sure we’d all be (slightly) more forgiving of some of the poor performances if we were better informed about injuries, players suffering from Covid or isolating etc. It is time for the Chairman, Board and CEO to be visible and show the fans that they are leading the club. I’m sure they’ve done a lot of good in the last two years in keeping the club alive through Covid, but they need to be shouting about it. They say they want to increase our standing in the community. Without good communication, they will never achieve that.

Andy Shinnie scored for Livingston in their defeat to Celtic today. His second goal against Celtic this season.

Lewis Jamieson for Clyde and Rory McAllister for Cove today.

Meekings is only 29 so is ineligible for this given the rules.

Fair comment. I’d jumped to the conclusion that, if true, the club is in the wrong. Hopefully it is an unfounded rumour but if there is an issue that it gets sorted amicably and professionally by those involved.