Search the Community

Robbo no happy after home defeat Inverness' disjointed side slumped to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Championship contenders Falkirk who did all their hard work in the first half and coasted in from there, the hosts unable to fashion out any clear chances over the entire game. Inverness were without captain Gary Warren and Jake Mulraney, both injured at Forthbank in midweek. Alex Cooper was a surprise inclusion on the bench having earned a short term contract as we struggle for fit players. Matt Elsdon came in at the back and John Baird faced his former club up front. A blustery but dry afternoon greeted the sides as the game kicked off, a bit of haar coming in from the Firth keeping the temperature down. Falkirk were prepared to take the game to their hosts looking to get an early advantage, but it was Inverness that passed up on the first snippet. A free kick from Polworth found it's way into the box and bounced into an awkward area, but the defence reacted quicker and cleared the danger. An excellent bit of ball retention saw Nathan Austin get clear in the box after a neat flick set him up, but he smothered his shot from twelve yards and Mark Ridgers was able to block with his legs to avoid a certain goal. When Susan was robbed in midfield, Falkirk went forward again and Sammy Hyppolite tried from distance but his shot was always heading just the wrong side of the post with Ridgers scrambling across his line to escort the ball round the sticks. Pressure was mounting on the home defence but they were coping at this point. However, a long diagonal ball from Rory Loy was well taken by Alex Harris wide on the Falkirk right as he raced forward. He delivered a superb cut back into the box which was asking to be dispatched, and up popped Joe McKee to drive the ball low behind Ridgers for the opening goal from around the same spot as Austin missed from earlier. Ridgers had to scamper well out of his box as a long ball caught out the entire home defence. He just managed to get a toe nail on it to foil Austin as the striker sped towards him some forty yards out. Our only moment in the first half saw a deep cross find John Baird under pressure at the back post from Aiden Muirhead, but alas, between the defender and the keeper, the ball was blocked from Baird's header. One minute later and that miss would prove costly. Ridgers was less fortunate with his next piece of the action a couple of minutes before the break. He scuffed a clearance about thirty five yards straight to the feet of Rory Loy who promptly fed Nathan Austin who in turn curled the ball low past the culprit in goal. Just enough time for Ross Draper to fire a shot wide before the whistle blew. A bit harsh on Inverness maybe, but two down at the interval and a mountain to climb, the lack of creation evident. Half Time 0-2 The second period saw Falkirk go into their shell as they looked to hold onto what they had with Inverness not showing much attacking intent or commitment, and ten minutes in Ricardo Calder was replaced by Alex Cooper. He had a run into the corner of the box, but his effort was blocked for a corner from a tight angle. On the hour Robbo had seen enough, or maybe not seen enough of Felitciano Zschuschenn and hooked him for George Oakley. The result of that substitution showed that we looked slightly more menacing with Oakley able to hold up the ball better and battle for his place in the team. He almost reduced the deficit after seventy-five minutes but Robbie Thomson brought off a TV save to deny him from twenty-five yards. Little was seen of Falkirk in this half, but we were still making heavy weather of producing moments in the ever increasing swirling conditions that brought in even more chilling winds. As the game wore on we looked less likely to carve open the visiting defence and that's how it ended with Falkirk going to the top of group A with a game in hand. Full Time 0-2 For Inverness, Collin Seedorf looked to be the most accomplished player and George Oakley did his chances of a start no harm when he was introduced. Most of the rest need to take a look at themselves and see if they want to play for this club or not, and one or two appear to be lacking in confidence just now. Defeat for Robbo in his second game at home with his new look side and he pulled no punches in this frank and cutting interview after the game. Peter Houston also gave his thoughts. Great video & commentary from Falkirk TV Date: 22/07/17 Venue: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: ???? Referee: John Beaton Inverness CT: 0 Lineup: Ridgers, Chalmers, Elsdon, Polworth, Draper, Baird, Vigurs, Calder (Cooper 55), Seedorf, Zschusschen (Oakley 59), McKay Subs (not used): Esson, Raven, Foy, MacDonald Scorers: none Booked: none Sent Off: none Falkirk: 2 Lineup: Thomson, Muirhead, Watson, Grant, Gallacher, McKee, Taiwo, Hippolyte (Miller 80), Harris (Shepherd 71), Gallacher, Austin (Kerr 79), Loy Subs (not used): Mitchell, Gasparotto, O'Hara, Craigen Scorers: McKee (21), Austin (43) Booked: none Sent Off: none a

Renewing old rivalries as Bairns come North Falkirk come North on Saturday for our third Betfred League Cup game this season. We opened with a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Brechin City. That same day Falkirk cuffed Stirling Albion 4-1. In midweek we struggled to create many clear cut opportunities against the same Stirling Albion at Forthbank as Falkirk enjoyed a night off. We crept through on penalties to gain the extra point in a shoot-out made famous for it's lack of goals. It's reputed to be the lowest winning score recorded in a penalty shoot-out, Inverness winning 2-0. Given that both clubs have played the Binos, they will be the benchmark for deciding who is best placed to succeed in this encounter, and you would have to say that the Bairns look like the favourites here. Here's a worrying stat for you. In each of our last four games against Falkirk, we have had a man sent off. In fact, out of the last ten games, Inverness have only two wins, Falkirk have seven. The one win that did really matter won us the Scottish Cup. However, they will struggle to recognise our squad since we last played them in the Scottish Cup Final two years ago. Ryan Esson is still in our squad, Ross Draper and Liam Polworth could be on the park, and that's it! Plenty alterations at Falkirk as well, who have taken on Rory Loy from Dundee, Alex Harris from Hibs and David Mitchell, a goalkeeper from Dundee. They have an extensive list of players who have left this summer: Craig Sibbald, midfielder; Bob McHugh, forward (Greenock Morton); Luke Leahy, midfielder (Walsall); David McCracken, defender (Peterhead); Lewis McMinn, goalkeeper (Stenhousemuir); Cameron Eadie, defender (Elgin City); Fraser Aird, midfielder; Kyle Johnson, defender; Cameron Eadie, defender. Loan ended: Danny Rogers, goalkeeper (Aberdeen), and of course John Baird who joined us. So, the new season has brought plenty of personell changes at both clubs, but it looks like it has hit us harder than most, that's what comes with relegation I suppose. Falkirk are perennial battlers in the play off's, but once again they failed to go up in a sort of Groundhog Day. However, I would expect them to be one of the serious contenders once more. Tough game ahead and it will provide us with something to gauge ourselves against in the coming Championship season. Inverness could be without captain Gary Warren who is rated 50/50 for the Falkirk game. Zak Ebouzedi is out. Aaron Doran and Carl Tremarco are not expected to be ready for action until November. Josh Meekings is going or injured or both. Owain Fon Williams and A N Other, (possibly David Raven), have been told to look elsewhere for their football as their wages will free up resources for a few more signings. Felitciano Zcheuschen could make his home debut in this one. Robbo reckons he will be a tremendous asset once he and his team mates get to know each other. Mitchell Foy could return to the squad. He looked an exciting prospect in the short time he played at Forres in pre-season. John Baird will be looking to get one over his former club. He scored 36 goals for the Bairns in just over 100 games but will be wanting to impress his new gaffer if he gets a chance. For Falkirk, new signing Rory Loy will be a big danger, but Joe Mckee will be one to watch at set pieces as he certainly packs a punch from distance. Watch his stunning free kick in the play-off game against Dundee United at 3.23 in to the video

One goal each from Higdon and Finnigan in each half of this game won it for Falkirk. Barry Wilson did score a penalty for ICT right at the end but it was too little too late. 03/05/08 The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FALKIRK 2 Higdon (28), Finnigan (68) Team: Supple, Aafjes, Scobbie, Mitchell, Barr, Cregg, McBride, Arfield (Latapy 59), Moutinho (Moffat 76), Finnigan (Stewert 86), Higdon SUBS: Barrett, Bradley, Ross, Olejnik INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 1 Wilson (90pen) Team: Fraser, Tokely, Proctor, Hastings, McBain, Wilson, Black (Duncan 56), Cowie, Imrie, Niculae (Vigurs 80), McAllister (Bayne 71) SUBS: Wyness, Hart, Kerr, Malkowski Referee S Somers Attendance 5631 From CTO One team gave a **** about the result and one didn't. Can you tell which was which? Between Wilson's wonderful chance early on and the late penalty, we couldn't have scored in a brothel. The game was a carbon copy of when they beat us at TCS in March. Our tactics against the Bairns are the footballing equivalent of the Munich treaty of 1938 - we gave them huge amounts of territory unnecessarily, which only made them stronger and more dangerous (that's the worst metaphor I've thought of in ages, but I'm sticking to it). The two big differences today was that we missed Munro, and they had Higdon back - I thought he gave Proc a horrible time and he was the best player on the park. It looked like we were trying to play 4-5-1 with Niculae deeper than Rory, but Rory couldn't hold up a baby, let alone a ball. On the rare occasions that we tried putting passes together we had some success, so, true to Brewster Logic, we therefore decided to instead punt long balls. And somehow, despite extra bodies in midfield, Falkirk could have driven a bus down the centre of the pitch without running over anyone. Then in the second half our midfielders kept swapping all over the pitch, and the only consequence was that none of them were there to help when we were defending. The first goal appeared to be hopeless marking; the second one was so easy that a bunch of traffic cones would have made it more difficult for the Falkirk attack than our defence. And it's all I can do to stop myself launching into a tirade about Rory's performance and the decision to play him as a lone striker. The nicest thing I can say about him is that he is a waste of space. He is either lazy, cowardly, incompetent or a combination of the three. And that meant that, on the rare occasion we got the ball up the pitch, we lost it again, quick as a flash. Did Black get injured? It meant we had to put up with the textbook Duncan performance of misplaced passes, poor positioning and multiple shots from distance that endangered only the ballboys behind the goal. Positives? Well, my all day breakfast at the Little Chef North of Stirling was nice. That's the first away game I've done since New Year. God have mercy on those who go to all of these if our performances are anything like this. Tm4tj: Uninspiring stuff. We were poor, and Falkirk were eager and quicker on the break and with the Jambo's being pumped by Killie their mission was accomplished. Barry could have opened the scoring early on but after chasing a ball down the inside right channel he went too far and his attempted chip into the goals from a more acute angle than he would have liked sailed harmlessly high and wide. Grim stuff from us as an attacking force with Rory being the main culprit. I reckon he seems to be scared when challenging defenders as he misses so many balls aimed in his direction and ultimately loses out in any challenge despite some nice touches. Defence looked all at sea yesterday with Granty missing again and Proctors indecision almost cost us dear. Imrie struggled to make headway early on but improved as the game progressed. Cowie was another I thought who lacked an edge and Black was very quiet. Fraser did well and was not to blame for either goal, the second being lashed past him after Roy tangled with his own player in the left half area, and when Falkirk broke forward from there, Finnegan lashed a great shot high into the net from fifteen yards past an exposed Mike. Best that can be said about the game was Bazza becoming the second top ICT scorer on his own after calmly converting a penalty he himself won in the last couple of minutes, cutting along the byeline and being felled as he moved into the box. Hastings posted missing most of the game, leaving the right wing area open to abuse. Marius had some good touches, but playing deeper than Rory would have given him little enthusiasm and nowhere to play the ball to and expect a return pass. He tried a couple of shots which were either blocked or screwed wide, but really not a good day for him overall. I thought Russell looked keen when he came on but the game was lost by then and it was the usual too little too late. Brew was in his suit all day, no intention of playing at all. Some of the guys on the park might have well played with their suits on as well. But lets not be too critical, it was what they call end of season stuff. Best for us on the day..........Fraser, Imrie eventually and Bazza who looks like he is winning the battle to sign a new contract, if ability is anything to go by.

Caley Thistle lose to an 86th minute Billy Clarke goal in a game that could certainly not be described as a classic. That's still only 1 win in 2008 for the Caley Jags and if Gretna go to the wall before the end of the season, that solitary win might even be expunged from the records !!! 15/03/08 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CT 0 Team: Fraser, Tokely, Munro, McGuire, Hastings, Duncan, Black, Cowie (McAllister 80), McBain (Imrie 80), Niculae, Wyness (Bayne 53) Subs: Proctor, Kerr, Vigurs, Malkowski FALKIRK 1 Clarke (86) Team: Olejnik, Aafjes, Scobbie, Barr, Milne, Cregg (Riera 57), McBride, Arfield, Moutinho (Clarke 70), Barrett, Finnigan (Latapy 57) Subs: Bradley, Stewert, Ross, Supple Referee Calum Murray Attendance 4012 ICT’s wretched run of form continued unabated as Billy Clarke‘s late strike gave visitors Falkirk a deserved win. The visitors had to work rather harder for a victory than Hearts did a fortnight ago, but otherwise there were few positives for Craig Brewster to find after yet another lukewarm, passionless performance. Caley had only a single victory, against Gretna, to show for their first ten matches of 2008 and Brewster reverted to a 4-4-2 after the defeat to the Jambos two weeks previously. Dennis Wyness and Roy McBain were recalled, with Dougie Imrie dropped to the bench and Markus Paatelainen left out of the matchday squad altogether. Falkirk, meanwhile, continued with the same eleven that drew with Motherwell in their last match, with John Hughes continuing to go with an attacking triumvirate of Moutinho, Barrett and Finnigan. Under the backdrop of a clear blue sky and some unseasonable warmth, it was the Bairns who dominated possession throughout the opening period, with Hughes clearly upset that his side, clearly missing the injured Michael Higdon, had few chances to show for it. Carl Finnigan had the best of them, but his stabbed effort from six yards was blocked by a spread-eagled Michael Fraser when a corner caused chaos in Caley’s box. The first forty-five minutes followed a familiar pattern, with Falkirk given licence to knock the ball about and Inverness happy to sit deep and soak up pressure. Robert Olejnik was briefly called into action to turn a Niculae shot round the post, though the shot was drifting wide anyway. That was the exception, though, as the Austrian keeper saw very little action in a first half best described as uninspiring. The only thing the sides had to show for their stalemate was a bit of a suntan. Half Time: 0-0 Unfortunately for the increasingly frustrated home support, there was little change in proceedings after the break, leading both managers to make early substitutions; Caley hooking Wyness for Graham Bayne and Falkirk replacing Cregg and Finnigan with Latapy and Riera. Caley finally found some impetus, with Bayne inches away from reaching McBain’s ball across goal, then somehow managing to head wide from six yards while unmarked. Ultimately, though, it was the introduction by Falkirk of their veteran Trinidadian schemer that decided the game. Caley threw on McAllister and Imrie as they looked to nick the win, but instead got caught on the break. Receiving the ball in the centre circle, Latapy waltzed through the Caley defence, dummied Phil McGuire with a lovely body swerve, and squared the ball for another substitute, Billy Clarke to tap home for his first goal for Falkirk. Clarke was booked for over celebrating, but his delight was understandable with the three points keeping his side in the driving seat for a top six place. In the remaining four minutes Caley never looked like grabbing an unlikely equaliser, and the home support vented their fury at another dour, pointless performance with a cacophony of boos at the final whistle. Full Time: 0-1 They now head to Rugby Park next week with any hopes of finishing in the top half well and truly extinguished, and aware that their campaign is now increasingly in freefall.

Falkirk ended Motherwell's unbeaten run last week, and this week it was their turn to do the same to Caley Thistle with a 1-0 victory at the Falkirk Stadium. The only goal of the game came in the 35th minute from Gerard Aafjes but it was enough for Falkirk to secure the points and leapfrog ICT in the SPL table on goal difference 26/12/07 The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FALKIRK 1 (Aafjes 35) Team: Krul, Ross, Holden, Scobbie, Aafjes, Cregg, Thomson, Arfield (Milne 68), Barrett (57), Moutinho, Higdon (Finnigan 82) Subs: Olejnik, Mitchell, Allison, Riera INVERNESS CT 0 Team: Fraser, Tokely, McGuire, Munro, Hastings, Cowie (Wilson 62), Black, Duncan, Rankin, McBain (Bayne 62), Niculae Subs: McAllister, Gillespie, Kerr, McCaffrey, Malkowski Referee Craig Thomson Attendance 5265 ICT's fine winning run came to an end in a tame display at the Falkirk Stadium. While ICT looked very comfortable soaking up Falkirk's pressure in the first half, and hitting on the break, this all changed when the Bairns took the lead 10 minutes before half time. The second half proved to be the opposite of the first, with Falkirk making a good job of defending their lead against a lacklustre ICT side with too many square passes. A full carload from Lothian & Borders arrived at the Cadgers Brae for the pre-match warm-up: Mantis, Naelifts, Caleystan and Wanderer, plus Stephen the Hibby. Naelifts and Caleystan failed a late fitness test as they were discovered to be outside for a smoke. Mantis suffered a wallet strain, and Wanderer's wallet was sold a dummy by Caleystan who ordered a round and disappeared without paying for it. ICT were unchanged from Saturday as Brew decided it wasn't broke, so he sure wasn't going to fix it. However there was a bit of a scare when we arrived at the ground to find the players putting Zibi through his paces with no sign of Mikey anywhere. Craig Thomson got the game underway and both sides seemed to be suffering a reaction from big away wins at the weekend as the match developed into a low-key affair with neither keeper having much to do. However ICT should have taken the lead after about 12 mins when Niculae knocked on a McBain cross only for Rankin to hit the side netting when he could have squared the ball for Cowie. Sadly, this was to set the pattern for wee John's afternoon as he struggled to make a contribution. Meanwhile, Falkirk, despite dominating the midfield, were struggling to make any progress against a confident looking ICT, and often their attacks consisted of Arfield lumping the diagonal ball to the back post, which was easily dealt with by Munro or Fraser. Ian Black was really looking the part in the first half and appeared in most of ICT's creative play, and it looked as though ICT would slowly sap the life out of an unconvincing Bairns side before taking the lead. Niculae wasted another opportunity when he got a McBain pass tangled between his legs with Rankin in space at the far post. Nobody seemed sure whether he was attempting to dummy it or control it. To be fair to Marius, I thought this was one of his better games and for the first time I thought he deserved all those Champions League players around him to read his intentions... Anyway, after the half hour the Guinness and the cold weather took its toll on your correspondent's bladder, and I sauntered off, only to hear a roar, followed by 'Amarillo' being blasted into the toilets at a hellish volume. ***insert description of goal here- that's right, £20 and missed the only goal of the game*** Gerard Aafjes scored with a courageous diving header from a Jack Ross corner Ten minutes before half time Blackie was booked for blootering the ball into the stand. Despite his protests it was obvious that the ball was well out when he kicked it and Russeldinho had to act as peacemaker as Blackie threatened to repeat his episode of last Christmas at the same venue. Half Time: 1-0 The second half was largely uneventful, though there were a few scrambles at the far end as ICT chased an equaliser without much conviction. Too many passes. Nice passes mind you, but too many. Falkirk defended their lead very well and had the best chance of the half when Moutinho was through on Fraser, but Mikey is playing so well these days that it was no surprise when he blocked with his legs. Also sub Latapy wheezed into possession and, with about 4 ICT players holding back, tempted McGuire into a silly foul at the edge of the box. Uncharacteristically Latapy screwed the free kick tamely wide. With half an hour left ICT threw on Wilson and Bayne for Cowie and McBain, but the expected injection of pace from Barry never really happened, and Bayne put himself about as he did on Saturday, but minus the booking and the winning goal. Bayne won a free-kick which Barry took well but it was cleared. Full Time: 1-0 Overall, ICT were worth a point on the day, but the Bairns took their chance when it came. Bizarre moment of the day came when Rosscoe caught a ball which had gone out of play but spun back in. With the whole of the main stand baying for handball Rosscoe calmly accepted the award of a throw-in and was booed for the rest of the game. MotM was Ian Black

Do-Do-Do-Do...Dennis Wyness scored twice as Caley Thistle made it three victories in seven days. Ru-Ru-Ru-Ru...Russel Duncan takes man of the match for his box to box performance and chipping in with a fantastic goal of his own. Ummm...Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba Ba-Ba Black Sheep...He may have been a bit of a Black Sheep last season but his new found temperament is paying off dividends as he now spends more time on the park than he does off it and is contributing to the score sheet. Some fantastic individual performances today, but not at the expense of the team who played total football for the bulk of the 90 minutes and walked away deserved 4-2 winners. 29/09/07 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CT 4 Wyness (7, 54), Duncan (18), Black (32) Team: Fraser, Tokely, McGuire, Munro, McBain, Wilson (Morgan 87), Black (Hastings 75), Duncan, Cowie, Niculae (Bayne 87), Wyness Subs: D McDonald, Vigurs, Kerr, Malkowski FALKIRK 2 Milne (28) , Arfield (47) Team: Krul, Holden, Scobbie (Allison 72), Barr, Milne, Arfield, Cregg, Latapy (Wallner 72), Moutinho (Barrett 72), Finnigan, Higdon Subs: Aafjes, Riera, Craig, Olejnik Referee David Somers Attendance 4011 What a week it’s been, and the Caley Jags couldn’t have topped it off any better than they did in today’s match against Falkirk at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. We’d barely taken to our seats when Don Cowie got in the first shot of the game – a powerful volley which he just couldn’t hold low enough and it went over the bar. Yet again ICT were setting out their stall early and letting the opposition know that they were in for a game and we didn’t have to wait long for the opener. Marius Niculae looked like he was going to get his name on the score sheet first but his shot was deflected, only for it to fall to Dennis Wyness who stuck it away for his 3rd goal in as many games. Caley Thistle were linking some great moves together and providing some entertaining football but I felt they were sitting off Falkirk a little too much and this allowed for a couple of longer ranges efforts which could have, and probably should have troubled Fraser more than they did. Russel Duncan is a player who seems to come in for a little more criticism than most and a few of the fans would have been starting to warm the humble pie around 15 minutes in when Duncan’s strike from the edge of the area left Krul only able to tip it around the post. Duncan wasn’t to be denied with his next shot though, despite the best efforts of the Falkirk defence. He hit a rocket from about 30 yards out which would have been trouble enough for Krul even without the deflection which saw it rise and then dip quickly into the back of the net. ICT were spraying balls into the Falkirk area like there was no tomorrow and everyone seemed to be trying to get in on the action. Ian Black was having a great game alongside Duncan and neither seemed afraid to get forward and have a go, but as I said above, we were affording Falkirk too much space when they were on the attack. I thought Latapy was playing a bit deeper than normal, but with his intelligent play and ability to find himself that extra yard before placing some very nice passes to the front line, he always looked dangerous. Mikey Fraser looked confident between the sticks today and he dealt with crossed balls, and corners well and even though Falkirk had a few shots on target none of them seemed to trouble him too much. Falkirk were next to score though and despite being caught wrong footed Fraser did well to get a hand on the ball and almost succeeded in pushing it wide. Kenny Milne was awarded the goal, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the replay shows it to have come of an ICT boot in an attempt to clear the cross. Ian Black was to restore the 2 goal lead only 5 minutes later and it was a goal that you would have to see to truly appreciate. Niculae headed the ball in towards goal as Black made his run, it looked like an awkward ball and I thought Black had missed it but he cleverly got the outside of his boot to it to send it in to the corner of the net and beyond reach of the outstretched Krul. Even at 3-1 I never felt totally comfortable as I still thought we were sitting off Falkirk a little too much and I would have liked to have seen us put a man on Latapy who time and again managed to get the ball beyond our midfield and defence and had it not been for the fact that the Falkirk front line were struggling to threaten our goal with anything serious then we could have been more troubled. Caley Thistle were creating plenty of their own chances and at the Half Time mark the game could just has easily been 3-3, 5-1, 5-3 or any such thing. It really was reminiscent of the days under Steve Paterson when the philosophy seemed to be if they are going to score then we’ll just have to make sure we score more. Half Time: Inverness CT 3 v 1 Falkirk – but a feeling that either team was capable of scoring a few more. Falkirk started the second half the stronger team and were rewarded for being the quicker off the mark with a goal only a minute after the restart. The ball seemed to rattle uncomfortably around the box, ICT working to clear it as Falkirk struggled to find the connection to put it in the net. When the ball did finally break from the area it dropped right in front of Scot Arfield who didn’t need to think twice before hitting it on the volley from about 20 yards out, a well taken ball sent through a crowded box and beyond the reach of Fraser….3-2 Ross Tokely nearly regained the 2 goal lead within a minute when his header from a Barry Wilson free-kick was saved by Krul and Black was unlucky to go narrowly wide from about 25 yards out. Dennis Wyness had been on form the whole match and as someone commented “He thinks he’s back playing in Div 1” – a comment aimed more at the predatory instinct we witnessed from him in those days as opposed to his standard of play which was undoubtedly top drawer. The drag, shuffle and scoop were all being used to full effect, we could see them coming and so could the Falkirk defence, but they were powerless to counter it. No more so than on 54 minutes when some fancy footwork and a little flick allowed him to sail through the Falkirk defence before placing the ball past the oncoming Krul at a tight angle into the far corner….4-2, a 2 goal lead and 35 minutes left on the clock…the ICT of latter years would have been looking to shut up shop and just play the game to an end, but that was not to be the case. This looked like a team who had a point to prove and for much of the remainder of the game they did just that. For much of the first half and the start of the second it looked like Falkirk could come back at us but we didn’t give them enough of the ball to allow that in the final half hour. Even when they were on the ball the failed to do anything with it and Fraser was on form and picking cross balls out of the air as if this was nothing more than match practice. Barry Wilson was unlucky not to have added his name to the score sheet on a couple of occasions and at times you had to wonder what Niculae had to do to get the ball in the back of the net. Any doubts anyone may have had about the value of his contribution should have been laid firmly to rest after today. He may not have found the net but he set up some great chances for others and on any other day would have bagged a couple for himself. Caley Thistle also pulled off one of the nicest set pieces I have ever seen them do. Faced with a free kick about 30 yards out 3 of them stood over the ball. I thought we were going to see a repeat of an earlier set piece which saw the ball tapped sideways for Niculae who shot just wide but they sold me the dummy and Falkirk were momentarily stunned as well. I can’t remember who did what exactly but it went something like….Cowie runs up and steps over the ball but continues to the edge of the 18 yard box, Wilson looks like he’s going to blast it or tap it off for Niculae but leaves it and Niculae plays the ball to the waiting Cowie who, by this time, had found himself plenty of space on the edge of the area and was unfortunate not to have one of the other players who were running in get on the end of his cross. Hope they show this one in the highlights as it really was very cleverly done. Falkirk went for a triple substitution on 72 minutes – Scobbie, Latapy and Moutinho being replaced by Allison, Wallner and Barret. Latapy had been the only one really threatening ICT and I was glad to see him being replaced. The replacements offered no real threat for the remaining 20 minutes and I think Falkirk may have had only 1 shot on goal between making the subs and the end. This could also have been in part due to our own substitution of Black for Hastings shortly afterwards when it looked like the decision had been made to strangle whatever play we’d allowed Falkirk to have for the bulk of the game. You’d have been forgiven for thinking that the match today was being played without a referee as he was, for the most part, anonymous and let play flow. However, he did make one baffling decision towards the end when Cregg fouled Rossco just inside our own half. Rossco had managed to stay on his feet and had clear space in front of him but instead of allowing the advantage the referee whistled for play to stop and killed the momentum. Niculae, Wilson and Duncan all had half decent, if long range, shots at goal and Niculae even looked like he was through one on one with the keeper but was adjudged to be offside and was very unfortunate to have to watch his header come off the bar shortly before being replaced by Bayne. He and Wilson left the field to a standing ovation (Morgan replaced Wilson). Wyness seemed to get shot shy towards the end and should maybe have been a little more selfish on a couple of occasions but I think we can forgive him that. I think it would be unjust of me to suggest that ICT shut up shop for the final 5 minutes, but they certainly weren’t going to allow Falkirk to have much of the ball. Falkirk scrambled time and time again, but it was to no avail as ICT quite simply proceeded to run rings round them, none more so than Don Cowie who seemed to have the ball glued to his feet at times as he ran up and down the touch line. A stronger team might have punished us for giving them so much space today, but Falkirk weren’t the stronger team and ICT were pretty much in control for the bulk of the 90 minutes. The whole team played well and I don’t think I could fault a single man. Special mentions for Russell Duncan…He was like a man possessed today and despite Black having had one of the best games I’ve seen this season I think Duncan may have just outshone him by the narrowest of margins. Black deserves special mention as well, he apparently wasn’t feeling too well when he took to the field, but it didn’t show, in fact I hope he doesn’t feel too well when he takes to the pitch again next week...lol. And finally Marius Niculae…he gave it everything today, set up some nice chances for others, tracked back well when needed and it was cruel not to see him get on the score sheet. He’s gone a long way towards proving that he provides just as much value in his contributions to others goals as he will when he finally catches a break and starts slotting them away himself in the SPL.

Carl Finnigan scored the only goal of this game in the 78th minute. This was a game where the most sustained piece of action came in a three minute spell that saw Falkirk made three substitutions and then score a goal !! Other than that, you would never guess that each league finishing spot was worth a reputed 80K more than the one below as this was typical end of season fare (from both sides) that is best forgotten. Club Historian Ian Broadfoot reports on the match. FALKIRK 1-0 ICT 5th May 2007 Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FALKIRK 1 (Finnigan 78) Team: Schmeichel, Ross, Scobbie, Barr, Milne, Lima, Latapy (Uras 77), Craig, Stewart (McStay 77), Finnigan, Gow (Moutinho 75) Subs: O'Donnell, Twaddle, Holden & Lambers INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 0 Team: Fraser, McCaffrey (Paatelainen 82), Dods, Munro, Hastings, Rankin (Wilson 66), Duncan, McBain, Hart, Dargo, Bayne Subs: Tokely, Black, Sutherland, Wood & Ridgers Referee Stephen Finnie Attendance 3129 Man of the Match When these two sides meet you can usually expect goals. In four 2006/07 matches to date they had shared twelve goals but this was to be an exception – just one freak goal separated the sides. Both Barry Wilson and Ross Tokely were free from suspension but could only make the ICT bench as Charlie Christie retained most of the team from Tannadice. Craig Dargo came back from injury to replace Markus Paatelainen in the starting eleven and resume his striking partnership with Graham Bayne. Falkirk made one change with Patrick Cregg being replaced by Vitor Lima. Rangers-bound Alan Gow played for Falkirk but the home supporters were clearly impatient with his performance and it was no surprise when he was substituted with fifteen minutes left. It was not a match to remember but the second half was an improvement on the first. Falkirk ’s John Stewart headed wide in six minutes then two minutes later Richie Hart hit just off target following a knock-on by Bayne. In 13 minutes Mike Fraser saved from Gow after a good run past the ICT defence. Hart was in fine form and in 28 minutes he took a Roy McBain pass but shot wide of the target. Six minutes later Craig Dargo sent a back-post header wide from a Hart cross. In 35 minutes Mike Fraser was called into action when Vitor Lima tried his luck from 35 yards but the ‘keeper touched it over the bar. Half Time: 0-0 Into the second half and Carl Finnigan missed the chance of the match in 48 minutes when Stewart headed into his path and he somehow hit the underside of the visitors’ bar from a few yards out. At the other end a Hart free kick was met bravely by the diving Bayne but his header went wide. Another Hart strong effort on the hour mark went wide from 18 yards. The goal that broke the deadlock came in 78 minutes when Falkirk ‘keeper Kasper Schmeichel sent a 70 yard free kick into the heart of the ICT box. Finnigan stuck out a foot and it looped over Mike Fraser and into the net. Paatelainen was sent on for Stuart McCaffrey with eight minutes left to push for at least an equaliser but it did not happen. Full Time: 1-0 A disappointing 1-0 defeat with two games left and a chance to climb the table missed. Falkirk stay seventh and Caley Thistle ninth. The relegation battle goes on with St Mirren taking three precious points at Tannadice and Dunfermline having all to play for against Motherwell on Monday.

A pretty even match finishes as a 1-1 draw. Falkirk scored in the 80th minute but John Rankin equalised 6 minutes later (his 4th against Falkirk this season) to save a point for Caley Thistle. Club Historian Ian Broadfoot reports on the game from the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. ICT 1-1 FALKIRK 7th April 2007 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 1 (Rankin 86) Team: Fraser, Tokely, McCaffrey, Munro, Hastings, Wilson (McBain 66), Duncan (McAllister 82), Hart, Rankin, Dargo, Bayne Subs: Paatelainen, Wood, Soane, Sutherland & Ridgers FALKIRK 1 (Finnigan 80) Team: Schmeichel, Ross, Holden (Scobbie 48), Barr, Milne, Cregg, Latapy (Craig 75), Thomson, O'Donnell, Moutinho (Finnigan 68), Gow Subs: Lima, McStay, Uras & Lambers Referee Crawford Allan Attendance 4435 Man of the Match Richie Hart (ICT) Not a great game but it had its exciting moments. Caley Thistle could have had it sewn up by half time but nothing quite came off and it was Falkirk who opened the scoring with ten minutes left. John Rankin came to the rescue with a late equaliser. Ian Black’s suspension continued and Darren Dods missed one game as a result of his red card at Ibrox. Stuart McCaffrey came into central defence, Markus Paatelainen dropped to the bench, Barry Wilson came back into the starting eleven, Richie Hart continued in midfield, Roy McBain returned from injury to a bench slot and young striker Garry Wood joined the squad for the first time. Falkirk striker Carl Finnigan came back from suspension but started on the bench. ICT could have taken the lead in two minutes when an attack led to a loose ball which broke well for Wilson and left him one-on-one with Kasper Schmeichel – his low shot was saved by the legs of the ‘keeper and Wilson hit the rebound wide. A minute later and there could have been a goal at the other end. Alan Gow sent a high free kick from the right and Dean Holden headed goalwards from the back post. It ran parallel to the goal line and over for a goal kick at the far side. Schmeichel once more rescued Falkirk in 14 minutes when he tipped over a 25 yard dipping volley from Hart. In 34 minutes Rankin produced the shot of the match when he sent an angled ball from long distance on the left towards the top right corner. It curled beautifully but went just past the angle of the bar. Half Time: 0-0 Falkirk had clearly been spoken to firmly at half time as they came out with more determination. Despite this Mike Fraser had little to do as the defence held firm under early second-half pressure. In 59 minutes Schmeichel did well to dive and hold a Hart ball across goal then in 69 minutes a good home move led to a blocked Craig Dargo shot from 20 yards. The Bairns took the lead with ten minutes left when substitute Finnigan took a pass on the right wing and was allowed to continue despite strong offside claims. He raced ahead and hit an angled shot low into the net for 1-0. Rory McAllister was sent on for Russell Duncan as the home side played three up front in search of an equaliser. It came in 86 minutes when a long Grant Munro throw from the left was returned to him and he sent a high ball into the box – Rankin managed to get a good touch on it and send the ball into the top corner for the equaliser. There was a hectic finish and Caley Thistle nearly snatched a late winner when Dargo rounded Schmeichel on the left but a defender cleared the danger. Twice in added time Schmeichel had to punch clear but the final whistle went and it ended 1-1. Full Time: 1-1 Caley Thistle moved up one place to ninth. Dunfermline beat Hibs 1-0 and the relegation issue has not quite been settled.

A 12 minute hat-trick from Anthony Stokes just before half-time and two yellow cards for Ian Black for kicking the ball away after the half-time whistle had gone, sum up this match. It was small consolation that John Rankin scored another cracker right at the death. Official Club Historian Ian Broadfoot reports from the last match of 2006 which took place at the Falkirk Stadium. FALKIRK 3-1 ICT 30th December 2006 Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FALKIRK 3 (Stokes 33,37,45) Team: Lambers, Ross, Dodd, Uras, Barr, Milne (Twaddle 65), Cregg, Lima (Thomson 72), O'Donnell, Latapy (Stewart 78), Stokes Subs: McManus, Craig, Scobbie & Higgins INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 1 (Rankin 90) Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings, Rankin, Black, McBain, Morgan (Duncan 70), Wyness (McAllister 78), Bayne (McSwegan 76) Subs: McCaffrey, Wilson, Sutherland & Fraser Referee Mike Tumilty Attendance 4516 Man of the Match Anthony Stokes (Falkirk) A disappointing end to 2006 for Caley Thistle and what a difference three days can make in football. The victory over Rangers will never be forgotten but the glow was dimmed somewhat by this defeat at the hands of Falkirk. This was the Anthony Stokes show as the on-loan Arsenal youngster scored yet another hat-trick in a 13 minute spell. The visitors were without the rested Barry Wilson and Alan Morgan came in for his first league start of the season. Goalkeeper Mark Brown made his 200th appearance in just five seasons. Falkirk were without striker Alan Gow due to flu and defender Cedric Uras made his debut. Today was a massive disappointment after Wednesday night. The visitors started well and in the fourth minute an Ian Black 25 yard free kick curled just wide. Darren Dods did well to track back and challenge Stokes in 20 minutes - the teenager did manage a shot but he was off balance and the ball went across the face of the goal. In 28 minutes Grant Munro took the ball off Stokes in a dangerous position after a good Falkirk move involving Russell Latapy. On the half hour mark home ‘keeper Jeroen Lambers tipped over a 30 yard free kick from Morgan. Stokes took over after that and scored his first in 33 minutes. Kenny Milne found Latapy and he sent a neat through pass which set Stokes up on a straight run to goal. He hit it past Brown then repeated the finish from a tight angle four minutes later after a one-two with Vito Lima. As half time approached Stokes completed his hat trick from close range after a cutback from Milne. Half Time 3-0 After the half-time whistle Caley Thistle’s Ian Black incurred the wrath of the referee by kicking a ball away twice and receiving two yellow cards in succession. The first was clearly the match ball but some claim the second was a club warm-up ball. No matter the rights and wrongs of the dismissal it left the visitors to face the second half three goals and a man down. The visitors battled on in the second half but they could have lost a fourth in 68 minutes when Darren Barr hit the bar from 20 yards. Brown parried a Lima shot from 12 yards in 70 minutes when another goal was a strong possibility. There was never going to be a realistic way back but in the last minute John Rankin restored some pride when he took a Gary McSwegan pass and sent a 20 yard dipping shot over the ‘keeper. This repeat of Rankin’s feat on Wednesday was merely a consolation and the points were left behind in Falkirk. Full Time: 3-1 Results elsewhere led to a drop to tenth.

Inverness CT 3-2 Falkirk Caley Thistle looked down and out after Anthony Stokes had scored either side of half-time but a second half goal from Craig Dargo and a two excellent free kicks from John Rankin meant it was Caley Thistle who snatched all three points. ICT Club historian Ian Broadfoot reports from the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium 21st October 2006 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 (Dargo 70, Rankin 81, 85) Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings (Wyness 56), Wilson, Black, McBain (Hart 56), Rankin, Dargo (Duncan 88), Bayne Subs: McCaffrey, Sutherland, McAllister & Fraser Falkirk 2 (Stokes 40, 51) Team: Higgins, Ross, Barr, Milne, Twaddle, Cregg, Thomson, O'Donnell (Stewart 90), Dodd (Gow 90), Stokes, Latapy Subs: Lambers, Scobbie, Lima, Craig & Mountinho Referee Stuart Dougal Attendance 3749 Man of the Match Craig Dargo (ICT) John Rankin’s first senior goals for Caley Thistle proved decisive as they helped turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win. Not surprisingly Charlie Christie stood by the same side that beat Rangers but things did not go right until major personnel and formation changes in 56 minutes. With three at the back and three strikers it was all-out attack and this paid off. Not much happened in the first half but Falkirk, with Russell Latapy’s electric pace, looked more likely to score. Latapy hit over from 22 yards in eleven minutes then in 18 minutes he drove a 30 yard free kick just wide left. At the other end Ian Black shot over the bar in the early minutes, Graham Bayne did the same and Craig Dargo headed high in 33 minutes. Falkirk’s Anthony Stokes looked to have put Falkirk in a winning position with goals either side of the break. In 40 minutes he raced in on goal from the right, Grant Munro slipped and he hit the ball under the advancing Mark Brown. Half Time: 0-1 In 51 minutes Stokes did it again after a great Latapy build-up – Latapy ran across the box leaving defenders helpless then slipped it to Stokes who scored easily at the left post. Five minutes later came the decisive changes. Richard Hastings was sacrificed for Dennis Wyness, making his 200th appearance, and Richie Hart provided fresh legs to replace Roy McBain. The new formation settled down and ICT started to make inroads on the Falkirk defence. It all paid off in 70 minutes when Scott Higgins scrambled a Grant Munro shot for a corner on the right. John Rankin’s kick led to an almighty scramble and a Graham Bayne shot which Craig Dargo headed onto the bar. It bounced down over the line, the goal was given and Darren Dods hammered the loose ball into the net to make sure. The crowd were now treated to one of the best 20 minutes of home action seen in a long time. With nine minutes left Dennis Wyness was brought down a yard outside the box and John Rankin took the free kick. He curled it low to the left, round the wall and in for 2-2. This was the midfielder’s first goal for the club and his second was only four minutes away. Ross Tokely was brought down on the right some 30 yards out and this time Rankin sent the free kick high and left into the net for 3-2. There was no way back for Falkirk but they did throw on two substitutes for the two minutes added time. Full Time: 3-2 Stuart Dougal blew the final whistle and the home team was cheered off the pitch. Three wins in a row and up to a heady fourth.

Inverness CT 0 - 1 Falkirk The Curse of the Caledonian Stadium strikes again as Caley Thistle just cant get a decent result at home and are sent crashing out of the CIS cup. Falkirk progress to the next round courtesy of a second half strike from Anthony Stokes in the 60th minute. Tuesday 19th September 2006 Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 0 Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings (McAllister 73), Wilson, Duncan (Morgan 62), Keogh, McBain, Dargo (Hart 80), Bayne Subs: McCaffrey, Fraser FALKIRK 1 (Stokes 60) Team: Higgins, Thomson, Twaddle, Cregg, Ross, Milne, Dodd, O’Donnell (Craig 20), Gow, Barr, Stokes (Mountinho 74) Subs: Latapy, Scobbie & Lambers Referee Dougie McDonald Attendance 1198 Man of the Match Anthony Stokes (Falkirk) An eagerly anticipated cup tie against a fellow SPL side but in the end disappointment. In truth it was rather a bland game with neither side making much impact on the other’s goal. Caley Thistle’s best spell came in the last 15 minutes but they could not make the late pressure count. Falkirk held on to their one goal lead and moved into the fourth round. The first shot on goal was Liam Keogh’s 30 yard low effort in the fifth minute but it was well wide. The prize for highest of the day went to Stephen O’Donnell in the eighth minute when he shot from 20 yards over the bar and the north stand. Falkirk were forced into an early substitution when O’Donnell went off injured in the 20th minute and was replaced by the lively Liam Craig. Seconds later a Barry Wilson corner from the left reached Darren Dods just in front of the ‘keeper but his header went over the bar. A Craig corner in 27 minutes caused danger in the ICT box and Russell Duncan was forced to head off the line. The best home effort in the first half came in 33 minutes when Craig Dargo took a touch on the right of the box then turned and shot on the volley – it went high but it was a good move. Half Time: 0-0 Into the second half and the expected Caley Thistle improvement was a long time in coming. It was Falkirk that took charge and they were rewarded with the only goal of the match on the hour mark. It was created and scored by ‘Man of the Match’ Anthony Stokes. He raced down the left, cut inside, the ball took a couple of deflections into his path then he hammered it past Mark Brown. Hard-working Graham Bayne was foiled by Falkirk ‘keeper Scott Higgins in 65 minutes when his header was held. Rory McAllister replaced Richard Hastings in 73 minutes to give Caley Thistle an extra attacker and it did lead to a more exciting last 15 minutes for the sparse home support. McAllister was only on the pitch for two minutes before he had a chance. A Wilson cross from the right reached the young striker just beyond the back post but he stretched and hit it just wide. An Alan Morgan low shot from 20 yards was blocked in 81 minutes then a McAllister header was cleared by a defender. Higgins then held a Wilson header and, with five minutes left, a trademark long range Richie Hart drive dipped just over the bar. In added time a long throw from Grant Munro bounced into the Falkirk box and Bayne dived to head over. A good chance but it was to be the last one for the home side. Full Time: 0-1 Falkirk march on in the CIS Insurance Cup. For ICT – back to the league.

Barry Wilson turns in a superb performance with a role in all 4 Caley Thistle goals. The veteran scored one and set up or provided the ball for the other three. An emphatic win against struggling Falkirk and three-in-a-row for caretaker managers John Docherty and Charlie Christie. It was also eleven SPL games undefeated since Falkirk came to Inverness in October and won 3-0 against the odds. Saturday 21st January 2006 Falkirk Stadium FALKIRK FC 1 (Ireland 10) Team: Ferguson, Lawrie, Milne, Rodrigues, Ireland (Moutinho 64), Lima (Cregg 69), Thomson, O’Donnell (Craig 62), Latapy, McBreen, Gow Subs – Ross, Barr, McPherson & Glennon INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC 4 (Wilson 2, Wyness 18, Dargo 38 (pen), Tokely 56) Team: Brown, Tokely (Proctor 79), Dods, Munro, Hastings, Wilson (Hart 85), Black (Golabek 66), Duncan, McBain, Dargo, Wyness Subs – McCaffrey, Fox, McAllister & Fraser Referee J Underhill Attendance 4772 Man of the Match Liam Craig (Falkirk) Barry Wilson was the hero of the day with one goal and three assists. Falkirk manager John Hughes acknowledged the fans boos and agreed they had been well beaten. Christie thought his side was ‘fabulous’. Russell Latapy shot over the Caley Thistle bar in the first minute but it was the visitors who took the lead in just two minutes after Craig Dargo collected the ball in midfield and found Wilson on the right. The winger headed goalwards and shot low past Allan Ferguson from 18 yards for his third goal of the season. Alan Gow should have equalised two minutes later but Mark Brown blocked his effort with his legs. In the eighth minute Craig Dargo hit straight at Allan Ferguson from point blank range and two minutes after that Falkirk equalised. Gow’s free kick was not cleared by the ICT defence and Craig Ireland rose to head home. The Inverness side regained the lead in 18 minutes when Dennis Wyness was set up by Wilson and he carefully slid the ball past Ferguson from 12 yards. Falkirk pushed for another equaliser and Brown brilliantly turned away a Russell Latapy free kick in 31 minutes. The points began to look safe in 38 minutes when a Wilson cross was handled by Tiago Rodrigues and Dargo slotted home the penalty – his third penalty goal in three matches. Half Time: 1-3 Into the second half and the visitors were clearly in control. In 51 minutes Dargo hit the bar from 18 yards then Ian Black hit wide with just Ferguson to beat. Goal number four came in 56 minutes when a Wilson corner was headed home by Ross Tokely at the near post – his second goal of the season’s SPL campaign. Falkirk now had a mountain to climb. The team did not give up but many of their fans decided to head for home. The closest Falkirk came was when substitute Liam Craig hit the bar in the closing stages. Full Time: 1-4 For Caley Thistle the job was done and they fully deserved the three points. Sixth place was retained and minds now turned to the visit of Rangers on the 29th.