Robert

Another big day tomorrow. With Partick playing Ayr, we could find ourselves in the play off places if we win, or only out of them on goal difference. A win for Dundee against Morton would be good too. We can’t be complacent about it as Cove got a point last week and at some point their bad run must end: just not tomorrow, please.

The club’s report: https://ictfc.com/match-report-ictfc-2-0-arbroath-11-04-2023

Belatedly, Dale Gillespie for Brora on Saturday. On Tuesday, Kai Kennedy got two for Falkirk and Toddy scored for Dunfermline.

This link is now on the club website: https://ictfc.com/ticket-info-cove-rangers-a-15-04-2023

I just hope Duffy is fit by the semi as we need him at right back. If he’s not fit, Hyde will probably get the nod in his place.

We started very fast but after 10 minutes the first half turned into a typical Arbroath “run the clock down” show. How grown men get hurt so easily is beyond me. A great goal to start the second, with Henderson putting it on a plate for Shaw. Then a deserved second when the ref actually gave us a decision. Allardice had a good finish from the spot. I need to see the red again as my first reaction was it was harsh. Time will tell. After then we defended ok and broke the game up to see it through for a deserved win. 15 points out of 18 but we need to keep the run going. Samuels’ right leg was heavily strapped when he came out at full time to join the applause. With Henderson suspended, we could do with him for Saturday.

Looking ahead to Tuesday, Arbroath are unbeaten in 7 league games, although they’ve only won 2 of those. We need to approach the game positively and get at them for the full 90 minutes.

Good to see Ryan Christie named as Man of the May h for Bournemouth by the BBC player eater today. George Oakley sent off for Morton.

I agree about Shaw who is benefitting from game time and is much more confident, but Henderson has been a positive spark since his loan spell started. What happened to Shaw after his goal: a nose bleed that then happened again before half time? He was also a long time after the others coming out for the second half and had clearly been getting some attention from the ref before they both appeared.

I counted 8 but it was as though the wall had decided they wouldn’t budge and the ref just moved them an inch! That apart I thought the ref did ok, letting a few things go that would have been a card with other refs.

A few weeks ago we were nervous about getting dragged into the relegation battle. We are now officially safe!

Was told today that Carson is suspended for the semi as he has picked up three bookings in the cup. Do any of our stats experts know if that is right and if we are going to be short of anyone else?

Pretty comfortable afternoon with the game going flat after Shaw’s goal and Raith rarely challenging. Both goals were well taken and Doran should have added a third. We didn’t create much else. The play offs are now within our own hands given we have Ayr at home on the last day of the season. We are quietly on a good run, with three league wins in a row and four in the last five in the league. We need to keep this run going, with the next three games against the bottom three. We must target 9 points. A pleasant afternoon sitting in the sun! Well done boys! Keep it up!

Agreed. We still have a chance but can’t afford to slip up in the run in. 4-0 approaching full time.

2-0 midway through the second half. This game is doing us no favours. We need to win tomorrow and hope Ayr either lose or draw so we start to close the gap on them.

Partick 1 up after 50 minutes.

0-0 at half time in a poor game. Only two attempts in the half.

We need a win to stay in play off contention. Our record against Raith is very good, but that makes us vulnerable as it must end some time: it must not be Saturday! Ayr are playing Morton, so at least one of the teams we are trying to catch will drop points. We have a big fortnight with 5 of our last 6 league games: Raith on Saturday at home. Arbroath at home on Tuesday. Cove away next Saturday. Hamilton away the following Tuesday. Dundee at home in a fortnight. We are on a decent run but need to keep it going. I’d target 13 points out of 15.

That’s a basic function that every business should diligently ensure they keep up to date. Trademarks should be seen as important assets that are key to any company. What else could we have been careless about over the years? Meanwhile Rossvale have issued this statement: https://rossvalefcacademy.co.uk/club-statement/ Anyone with any local knowledge who can explain what it all means? It says that the team that plays in the West of Scotland League separated from the club called Rossvale and is changing its name to Caledonian Thistle FC. If it had been announced on 1 April I’d have thought it was an April Fool.

Harry Hennem for Clach tonight.

West of Scotland League Rossvale are changing their name to Caledonian Thistle FC! Surely that can’t be allowed? https://twitter.com/RossvaleJFC?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1643696637817020424|twgr^e0523534796c41cb6820c29d50b726f9a6a4b9fe|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fitbanorth.com%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D2t%3D8814start%3D20

Raith losing to Hamilton is a result that has gone our way tonight. But we need to win against them on Saturday.

The club’s report: https://ictfc.com/match-report-greenock-morton-1-2-ictfc-01-04-2023

I agree. Good finish by Allardice. Hard to see exactly what happened at the penalty (watching it on a phone). We seemed to ride our luck a bit before Carson’s winner.

I agree but think the team we need to have in our sights is Ayr. They’ve only taken 7 points out of 21 so have slipped back from Queens Park and Dundee. Morton are also on a bad run with 3 points out of 15. I think it is between Ayr, Morton, Raith and us for fourth, so next Saturday’s game against Raith is a must win (they will probably overtake us on Tuesday) as is our game in hand the following Tuesday against Arbroath. If we can pull that off we will be very much in the mix. As always with us, it is a very big if!! Well done to the guys for getting the result yesterday.