Robert

Mix of youth and experience. Good also that Harper is back in the squad.

All the loans were just until January. Harkness was on the bench for the home game with Raith and on Saturday at Dunfermline.

Toddy took a knock on Saturday so may not be risked even if fully fit. I’d be cautious about throwing all of Nicolson, Fyffe, Hyde and Harkness in. Maybe start one and use the others off the bench if things are going well. We are without Mckay and Carson due to suspension, and some of the recent regulars may be in need of a breather with the important league games to come. On balance, I’d go with: MacKay Duffy Devine Deas McHattie Allardice Hyde MacGregor Keatings Storey Sutherland If Keatings is not ready, I’d move MacGregor to that role and start Mackay. As Gringo says, it will be interesting to see how many changes we make. The league has to be our priority but we can’t afford to slip up and risk damaging confidence for Saturday.

According to the P&J, he is 17 and has only played once for Rangers Colts: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/inverness-caledonian-thistle/2992282/caley-thistle-sign-rangers-winger-aaron-lyall-on-loan-until-end-of-the-season/amp/ Not sure how much we can expect of him as a result but he does give us another option at a time we are lacking pacy wide players, most likely off the bench judging by this: https://ictfc.com/aaron-lyall-signs-for-ictfc-on-loan Does it mean we are unlikely to see much, or anything, if Doran or McDonald in the remaining weeks of the season

Dundee and Dunfermline play each other next Saturday, with Raith Rovers playing Dunfermline the following midweek. Saturday’s game is an evening kick off so if, and as always with us it is a big iff, we beat Arbroath we will be ahead of Dundee before that game starts. However, we’ve not won three consecutive league games this season....

Two I noted for Saturday Boden for Torquay and Austin for East Fife.

Interesting words from McCann, particularly about Duffy needing a rest. Be interesting to see if Carson continues at right back in the next league game or whether Duffy comes back in. With Carson’s energy, could he do well in the right hand position of the three behind the striker? https://ictfc.com/match-reaction-neil-mccann-dafc-0-1-ictfc

Our run in, with the points from the same game earlier in the season: Arbroath H: 3 Morton A: 1 Queen of the South A: 3 Dundee H: 1 Hearts A: 0 Ayr H: 1 That was 9 points from 6 games, better than our average from the 21 games to date. Other than Hearts, they are all games we can win if we maintain our recent level of performance. The next three games may be the key if we are to finish in the top 4. We need to target 9 points, 7 as a minimum. Surprisingly, our home form is second worst in the league, better only than Alloa, with 12 points from 10 games. Away from home we have the third best record with 15 points from 11 games, admittedly helped by the 6 points this week. Arbroath have the second worst away record so hopefully their record doesn’t improve next Saturday.

What a difference in the last 3 games. We have outplayed the teams in 2nd and 3rd, kept 3 clean sheets, taken 7 points out of 9 (and it could have been 9), moved from 9th to 5th and are in touching distance of the right play offs. It is noticeable we have changed back to our normal formation and are no longer trying to play it out from the back all the time. Through this, we have been missing up to 6 players and playing with no natural full backs. Ridgers has not been overly challenged in these games. Carson and Deas have been revelations at full back. The much maligned Mckay and Devine have been strong at the back. Welsh is back to how we know he can play, with Allardice a good foil for him. Sutherland has slotted into the “Keatings role”, with Toddy always a menace to defences. Playing wide, Mackay and MacGregor are getting valuable game time and are both getting plenty chances on goal. As they gain experience, their finishing will improve. Tuesday is a chance to give players a break. I would assume Cammy MacKay, Duffy, McHattie and Storey will all start, and if any of our injured players are close to fitness, they may be ready for game time. It will be good if some of Fyffe, Nicolson, Hyde and Harkness get some game time too. Hopefully we have turned the corner, can forget about relegation worries and focus on getting into the promotion play offs. A shout out to Carson in particular for scoring his first goal for us, and what a goal it was!

Credit the team. Deserved win and a great goal, then we closed the game out well. We are now 5th, 3 points off 2nd. Three clean sheets in a row against two of the top four. A good time to be back on form!

Fon Williams man of the match: an indication of how the game has gone, particularly second half. 1 minute plus stoppage time....

McHattie on for Mackay.

Tense 5 minutes ahead!

Carson! 1-0!’ Great ball by Allardice. Carson cut inside and finished very well.

Great Welsh free kick saved in top corner. Penalty claim for hand ball turned down. We’ve switched Mackay and MacGregor since Toddy went off.

Carson booked. Very harsh. He didn’t retreat fast enough after a soft foul was awarded against him. McCann booked for his protests.

Another good save by Ridgers. Two of our players left it for each other creating the chance. All of a sudden we are struggling to keep the ball.

Decent save by Ridgers. Dunfermline have got back in this after us starting the half very well.

Toddy getting treatment. Replaced by Storey.

Another Mackay effort saved. He headed it but a shot may have been on and more effective.

Just over from Toddy with Fon Williams beaten. It followed neat build up. We’ve started this half well but need a goal.

MacGregor very close with a 20 yard effort. Again set up by Deas.

Another chance of Mackay after Deas pinched the ball and played it forward. After a good run, he got the shot all wrong.

After a slow start, we grew into the first half. We’ve probably had the best chances and have coped reasonably well with Dunfermline so a draw fair at this stage. As Satan has said, we need to be sharper but at least we are competing and making chances. Welsh has had a couple of efforts from distance as well as the efforts by Mackay and MacGregor. I hope we don’t rue the missed chances by full time.

Dunfermline goal disallowed for offside after they cut us open. Then immediately a chance for MacGregor but he couldn’t get power on the shot. Pretty open and even just now.