Robert

Well, the fans weren’t complacent but perhaps the Management and squad were. Equally I can’t say I enjoyed last night’s game under floodlights. Reflecting on the game and the comments, I agree that Ridgers, Delaney and Boyd are those who get pass marks. Carson was the one trying to galvanise the team late on so deserves some credit too. I’ve been to every home game, league and cup, and in eight games we’ve beaten Albion Rovers, Cove and Partick. We’ve beaten Cove and Brechin on penalties after drawing in normal time. We’ve drawn with Queens Park. We’ve lost to Morton and Hamilton. I’d only consider the first half against Cove and the performance against Partick as being good performances. We seem to be doing best away from home so we need find a way of getting the same results at home, and if that means grinding out results at home, so be it. Hoofball, as described above, does not work for us. How are guys like Boyd and Doran going to win headers? We have decent players and need to play to their strengths. The injury list is bad but not an excuse and it does concern me that we are picking so many injuries up. I don’t know who will be fit for Saturday but if we don’t have Allardice or Welsh fit enough to be back, we need to move Carson in to midfield to beef things up. We are still in a good position in the league, but need to build on it and not slip back further.

Brad Mckay for Falkirk tonight.

That was poor and no complaints from me about the result. Yes the referee was poor and Hamilton managed to waste time and con the officials, but we only have ourselves to blame. Too often we played it long and the ball came straight back at us. Too often our passes were wayward. Hamilton passed and moved better, whilst we never looked like scoring. Ridgers kept it at 1-0 with a decent save whilst Hamilton missed at least one good chance. Why was Welsh on the bench and not used? The game was crying out for someone to take hold of the ball in midfield. He should have gone on at half time. Why did Mckay not start? When Shaw came on, why did we play him on the right and switch Boyd, probably our best hope on the night, to the left? Shaw is so left footed he needed to be on the left whilst Boyd was not as effective after he was switched. We ended up with a back 3 of Deas, Hyde and Delaney! We started the evening without Devine, Allardice, MacGregor, Samuels, Walsh and Sutherland. We then lost Duffy before the match even started. Ram got injured early on and again in the second half so it was no surprise he didn’t last the 90. Mackay got injured in an attack and had to be helped off the pitch. Welsh is clearly not fit enough yet given he wasn’t used. That gives us hope that we can return to form as players return, but is there something wrong behind the scenes that is resulting in us picking up so many injuries, or it is just an unlucky coincidence? Whatever, we need to get a grip before Saturday or Raith will never have a better opportunity to end their run of failing to beat us. The atmosphere was flat too for most of the game, with 20 or so Hamilton fans making more noise throughout the first hour or so than all the home fans. I could clearly hear many of the shouts on the pitch. I can’t see any positive things to take from tonight’s performance.

Strachan on for the injured Ram.

Gone 3 at the back as we desperately try to salvage something.

Ram back on but Shaw replacing Mackay who pulled up injured in an attack. We’ve shown plenty effort but don’t look like getting back in it.

Mckay on for Doran. Not sure how long Ram will last as off for treatment.

If he’s fit enough, I’d get Welsh on ASAP along with Mckay.

Plenty huffing and puffing but we’ve not tested them and can’t complain about being behind. Their passing and movement are sharper and quicker than ours. A much better performance is needed in the second half if we are to get anything out of this.

Torn apart for that goal. Second best so far.

Duffy injured in warm up so Ram starting. Hyde and Harper in central midfield: just hope they can combat Accies’ midfield. Mckay just on bench. Perfect conditions for football tonight: set and calm, and the pitch looks excellent. Three points please!

They beat us home and away last season which should act as a reminder that we need to be at the top of our game. Hopefully with the schools off there will be a good crowd and also Section 94 will hopefully have a good turn out to give some atmosphere.

HT 1-0 FT 2-0 ICT Oakley Accies Ryan Crowd 1997

Thanks as always Tm4tj, the stats are fascinating as always and highlight why we must not be complacent about tomorrow evening’s game. It is one we rightly expect to win, but the full team will need to show the same attitude and commitment as in the last home game against Partick. Zanatta has caused us problems before so whichever of Carson and Duffy plays at right back will need to be switched on. It’s not time for another Dodds right back experiment against a player like him. I’m looking forward to it as I always enjoy evening games under the floodlights.

And this from Cove: https://coverangersfc.com/2022/10/15/caley-thistle-grind-out-win-at-balmoral/

The club’s report and interview with the Manager: https://ictfc.com/match-report-cove-rangers-0-1-ictfc-15-10-2022

A lot in the Highland League today: Anthony McDonald for Brechin. Andy MacRae (3) for Brora. Andrew MacAskill (2) for Buckie. Ethan Cairns for Forres. Matheus Machado (2) for Rothes. Elsewhere Nat Wedderburn scored for Stenhousemuir.

On Sportsound Dodds indicated we won’t have Allardice and MacGregor for Tuesday which is a blow. Carson to midfield, Duffy to right back and Ram starting would make sense, with Doran in the no 10 role. I wonder how close Devine, Welsh and Samuels are to being ready to return and whether it is still the new year before we can expect to see Sutherland and Walsh. Seven injuries is a lot but seems to be a recurring issue for us. Our squad depth seems pretty good to combat the injury list though (despite what we thought against Brechin a few weeks ago!).

Had a text from a friend who’s a Cove fan and was at the game. He is very bitter and blaming the officials. In his view, Cove’s “goal” should not have been disallowed for offside, whilst the sending off was deserved but one of our players threw the first punch. If we did get the benefit of a dodgy decision, it makes a change!!

Job done and a 1-0 win. Still joint top and five wins on the spin, with the chance of going top on Tuesday. Late bookings for Oakley and Harper whilst Cove had a player sent off in stoppage time. Roll on Tuesday!

Shaw on for Boyd late on.

About 10 to play. Oakley has replaced Mckay. Hyde replaced Allardice at half time: another injury? Doran and Deas have picked up bookings this half.

Half time: Cove 0-1 ICT. From the BBC app, 59% possession for Cove but we have had 4 attempts to their 1, with the goal the only attempt on target. An eventful half for Boyd as he also got booked. Hopefully those at the game can give an indication if the issue with MacGregor having to go off injured.

1 up. Steven Boyd. Worrying MacGregor replaced by Doran due to an injury. Hopefully not serious.

Unchanged team and bench: https://twitter.com/ICTFC/status/1581270035317764096/photo/1