North Cup v Forres (Away) - Tonight 7:30pm

[CaleyD]

Rather bizarrely the game went straight from full time to penalties with no extra time being played....penalties finished 9-8 (10 taken).

Not a bad game all in all and our young lads did well against a very big (physically) Forres team who liked to pack the defence.

We controlled the game for large spells, but rode our luck and lost the equaliser towards the end when Forres started to load on the pressure.

Ryan Watson got our goal, Gavin Morrison hit the crossbar from a free-kick and Foran should have done better from the rebound which went over the top. Polwarth was also denied by the woodwork when shot across goal came off the upright and rolled along the goal line without going over.

As has been the case with all the matches I have seen so far, there were more positives to be taken from the game than negatives and I imagine many of the young lads are going to be pushing for starts this season.

From what I saw we also didn't pick up any injuries...which is a blessing!!!

[+DoofersDad]

Regardless of whether you would expect the team that played tonight to beat the HL champions the point here is surely that we should be putting out a side that would be expected to beat them. Playing in this competition is an opportunity for a few fringe players to play with some first choice players in a competetive environment and to improve the bonding of the team. Playing a few games in this competition would also have helped to give match practice to one or two players who may have limited opportunity later in the season but will be thrown in the deep end if and when their chance comes. By fielding a team that was too lightweight, we have lost that opportunity. If we are going to field a makeshift team that is likely to go out in the first round then I seriously wonder why we bothered to enter the competition in the first place.

No :clown: etc on this post, Oddquine. This is seriously disappointing. There has been a big misjudgement on team selection tonight because we need competetive games outside of the SPL.

[PaderbornCaley]

Regardless of whether you would expect the team that played tonight to beat the HL champions the point here is surely that we should be putting out a side that would be expected to beat them. Playing in this competition is an opportunity for a few fringe players to play with some first choice players in a competetive environment and to improve the bonding of the team. Playing a few games in this competition would also have helped to give match practice to one or two players who may have limited opportunity later in the season but will be thrown in the deep end if and when their chance comes. By fielding a team that was too lightweight, we have lost that opportunity. If we are going to field a makeshift team that is likely to go out in the first round then I seriously wonder why we bothered to enter the competition in the first place.

No :clown: etc on this post, Oddquine. This is seriously disappointing. There has been a big misjudgement on team selection tonight because we need competetive games outside of the SPL.

With our tight squad, if we had fielded a strong team tonight and one potential starting XI player for Saturday got injured then we'd be saying that it was misjudged. The North Cup has always been U19's for us. Most of the guys playing tonight are the usual types that play for us in this tournament (as well as starting XI player Foran). Whilst it's dissapointing to go out so early, the Can Cans are a very good team. But who should we have played instead? The guys that will be playing Midden? We may have won the game but it would not have benefited our youngsters. This cup is ideal for the young players and they usually do well. They were drawn against probably the best HL team and i'm sure they gavce it their all.

[CaleyD]

I believe we are handicapped in this tournament, which means we have to play the younger players and don't have the option of putting out anything like a full strength team.

[Oddquine]

Regardless of whether you would expect the team that played tonight to beat the HL champions the point here is surely that we should be putting out a side that would be expected to beat them. Playing in this competition is an opportunity for a few fringe players to play with some first choice players in a competetive environment and to improve the bonding of the team. Playing a few games in this competition would also have helped to give match practice to one or two players who may have limited opportunity later in the season but will be thrown in the deep end if and when their chance comes. By fielding a team that was too lightweight, we have lost that opportunity. If we are going to field a makeshift team that is likely to go out in the first round then I seriously wonder why we bothered to enter the competition in the first place.

No :clown: etc on this post, Oddquine. This is seriously disappointing. There has been a big misjudgement on team selection tonight because we need competetive games outside of the SPL.

Darn sure they were expected to beat them...if the management have much the same attitude as some punters on here.....stick anybody out on a pitch in an ITC shirt and if the opposing team perceives themselves as the same kind of "diddy team" some of us do, they are going to be so respectful that they will be lying down and letting us walk over them.

Did we do that with Celtic in 2000? I don't think so.....so why deny the fact that other teams have just as much guts and determination as we have when it comes to the crunch......particularly in a cup which is more important to them in their football season than it is to us, if we are going to be honest.

And wouldn't you have been one of the first on here ranting if anyone in the first team squad had been injured and was out for weeks or months, that they should never have been playing with an more important SPL game on Saturday because our squad is too small to risk them on unimportant (in the SPL scheme of things) games?

The game did what it was meant to do, bar get the right result. We have a fit team for Saturday, Foran got punished for being suspended on Saturday(Joke!), a few signed first team players got another run out.....under 20 fringe players got a chance to show what they can do, many out of their usual positions if the team list was a 1-11 one...and management got a chance to see its options for emergencies.

Many of the fringe players will be playing in the under 20 league and getting match practice then, as can three of the first team squad if necessary.

Not winning doesn't necessarily mean they played badly....though might get more idea about how the game went if there is anything in my Gazette tomorrow (which is maybe unlikely) or in the Northern Scot on Saturday.

[TopSix]

Anyone else remember the ICTFC v Forres pre-season friendly a few years ago? I thought we were lucky to beat them that night. Disappointing to go out of the North Cup though.

[mikeyrob73]

do we have any " fringe " players in our small squad?

Edited August 1, 2012 by mikeyrob73

[+Tree]

do we have any " fringe " players in our small squad?

There are a couple of player with dodgy haircuts

[bauhaus]

Who said you cant win anything with a team of kids? Our youngsters aren't the strongest of teams, with the under 19s league table pointing that out last season. However we do have a good number of individuals who are exceptional for their age, and given games like this will improve even more. Forres are a good physical highland league team, Champions of last season and favorites for the title again. Saw them twice last season, and they were very very physical, infact opposition had 4 players carried of in the two games, including one broken leg if I recall, so playing more first teamers wouldnt be wise, especially as several have had an injury prone history.

Well done to the yoof for nearly completing their task

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

ICT:

Antonio Reguero, Martin Laing, Matt Murphy, Steven MacKenzie, Ritchie Foran, Gavin Morrison, Kyle Whyte, Liam Polworth, Jason Oswell, Nick Ross, Ryan Watson. Subs: Calum Ferguson, Kevin Buchan, Jay Gheyne, Ryan Christie, Scott Mathieson.

In my opinion the perfomance is as important as the result and tactics give us a feel of how we are going to play, who and where.

I take it that Foran was at the back which evidently points that he may well be favoured in central defence this season. I take it that Martin Laing was played again at right full back so that may where he will fill in this season. My worries are that this looks like the team that will NOT start at Midden and, if so, that could mean that neither Morrison or Ross are in contention and that could mean that TB is sticking with Sutherland and OTJ - which I feel is a mistake. Was Ross played wide or in behind Oswell again. And if Oswell was up front then did he have scoring opportunities as his lack of goals must also be a concern.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Just realised that the wee Pepperpot was'nt included. Was he unfit / injured or is he moving up to feature against Midden ?