Robert

Looking at our fixtures, we will have 5 games with restricted crowds, 3 of them at home.

As Queen of the South are also out of the cup, it would be good if that home game could be moved from 15 to 22 January so fans are allowed in as normal. 

1 hour ago, Jack Waddington said:

What's the PPG Table looking like? Presuming the losing run has been a kick in the teeth in what could be our last chance at promotion if the league ends up getting called as is...

We’re second, behind Arbroath on goal difference.

Today’s restrictions are hopefully temporary and we get back to “normal” in the second half of January. However, it should act as an incentive to win points in case there is a curtailment at some point. 

Watching the “highlights”, did Ridgers think the first header was going wide as he seemed to react late. For the second, if we’d had someone on the back post it would have been an easy block.

We let ourselves be bullied to defeat.

The club’s report:

https://ictfc.com/match-report-ictfc-1-2-hamilton-accies-18-12-2021

That’s harsh on McAlear as I thought he and Allardice did pretty well.

We need to work out how to fit MacGregor into the team so we get the best out of him. He should be a first pick, and if we didn’t have Sutherland I think he would be in the no 10 role.

We missed Welsh today after we went in front as I think he would have helped avoid us getting hemmed in.

Carson had a torrid time in the first half but we got through that and our downfall was our failure to keep the ball once we took the lead.

For me, Harper was a revelation in the wide left role and should have earned a start next week. 

Recently we seem to have played players on the opposite side from their natural foot.

Doran comes back onto his stronger right foot but is generally played on the left. Sutherland has had games playing wide right. He who cannot be named was right footed but played on the left.

When Harper came on today, he was trying to get beyond the right back and cross with his left foot, and it seemed more effective.

Walsh seems equally capable with both feet.

Do we need to get back to left side players on the left and right sided players on the right so we can hit the by-line and get crosses in?

Thanks Jack. We do seem to have some stewards who have no empathy for fans. Today I tried three times to ask a Steward to move back as he was blocking the view of the critical part of the pitch for me and those around me, and he just looked across and ignored the request. Fortunately the lady at the end of the row behind me went and spoke to him and he got the message!!

They seem to forget we are paying customers who want to see the game without having to try to look round them or miss what is happening. 

Robbie Thomson scored for Clach today.

With Omicron, I hope I’m wrong but I suspect we will need our youngsters back in the new year and some may get game time as well as making our squad.

Elsewhere, Rory McAllister scored for Cove and Nathan Austin got two for Kelty.

And a shout out for Gary Warren, who scored for Tiverton today. 

What was going on in the West Stand around the time of Hamilton’s goals? From where I was, it looked like a Steward was manhandling at least one fan, and there seemed to be a lot of Stewards there at the time.

An over reaction or was something going on?

On 12/11/2021 at 11:05 PM, IBM said:

If we don't win next week against Hamilton we might have to meet up and talk about cars, lorries and buses instead of going to the home game against Partick Thistle 

What you doing next Sunday??

Poor first half with few chances. We started the second half much better, and Harper was instrumental to that as he was effective playing wide left.

We deservedly took the lead when Harper finished a cross after good work from Mckay.

Sutherland nearly got a second shortly after but the ‘keeper’s outstretched leg saved Hamilton.

After then, we were shocking and couldn’t keep the ball. Hamilton pressed us hard and had us pinned back for an eternity with a series of corners that rattled us. They basically outmuscled us and once they equalised, I felt we were going to lose.

Their striker was a handful, and we struggled to cope with their quick breaks, particularly down the left in the first half.

That’s a game we shouldn’t have lost, but we could not manage it after going ahead so in many ways we got what we deserved.

We need to be more consistent.

I’m looking forward to this one. Hopefully we kick on from the Kilmarnock and Morton league games and win the three points with a convincing performance.

Airdrie @ 2.25 please. 

HT 1-0

FT 2-0

ICT Mckay

Hamilton Lewis Smith

Crowd 1960

That was some header! Pity he was trying to miss the target. Couldn’t happen to a more annoying player!!

An ex ICT player, Gary Wood, missed one of the Brechin penalties.

For me, I’d rather be in the cup than out of it, but this season is all about getting promotion. We now have no distractions, so it is our best chance in recent years, so let’s focus and get the job done.

As mentioned elsewhere, with the Omicron risk, staying on top is vital in case the virus intervenes again and caused a curtailment. 

1 hour ago, Kingsmills said:

The longer the likes of Allardice and McGregor go under the radar of larger clubs the better.

At least they are under contract so if they get the chance of a bigger club, we will get a transfer fee. Having these guys, and the likes of Carson, on decent length contracts may turn out to be a great move by the Board. 

Paper weightings possibly also contribute. The P&J for example had many at 6 and 7 and Mckay as MOM. I agree Allardice is underrated. 

Half season tickets now available:

https://ictfc.com/2021-22-half-season-tickets-on-sale-now

These guys are all amateur commentators doing it as they love football and love the clubs they support. They and the livestreams have been a godsend during the pandemic and it’s great we still have them as many of us otherwise would not see away games.

When you get ex pros involved, that adds to it.

It’s a great feeling waking up the morning after a 6-1 win and looking at the league table!

9 hours ago, IBM said:

If we don't win next week against Hamilton we might have to meet up and talk about cars, lorries and buses instead of going to the home game against Partick Thistle 

Indeed. I may miss the Boxing Day game as on chauffeuring duties after Christmas and trying to time them so I can get to the match…..

Report in P&J. Sounds like McAlear’s goal was excellent:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/inverness-caledonian-thistle/3740148/revenge-dished-up-by-caley-thistle-as-lethal-win-at-morton-retains-top-spot/

14 hours ago, IBM said:

Well that's the first game I have not been to or watched online this season and what a result   Well done to all the team and coaches today and as someone mentioned earlier there will be a happy bus coming back up the road tonight 

It’s just the second league game I’ve missed (I was at a wedding when we win at Killie) although I also missed the home cup tie against Morton so we need to share the blame for us underperforming until today!!

2 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

He and the other guy were really good on the TV commentary today.    Not easy when your team is being thrashed.

They were a good pairing on Tuesday too. Very unbiased and good fun. 

Kai Kennedy for Dunfermline, Rory McAllister for Cove and Nathan Austin twice for Kelty today.

That’s a great result. We have turned our superiority into goals and killed a team off, and the rest of the league will have noticed it as it is rare to get a convincing result in this league.

We’ve now won three in a row in the league and need to keep that run going.

If is good that Sutherland got a couple, with McAlear getting his first for the club and Jamieson his first league goal too. They will all have got a boost from that.

We did this without Welsh and MacGregor which makes it all the more impressive.

I didn’t see the game, but hope it was as good as the result implies, and credit to all who travelled: you deserved that!

BBC saying own goal by Hamilton. Hopefully Doran gets credited with it.