ICT -V- Hearts - Preview & Matchday

[tm4tj]

Virtual game time

 

It's been a hectic week for the Caley Jags. An away day at Ayr, midweek game in the Highlands, a temporary manager installed, title favourites Hearts visiting the Caledonian Stadium and Neil McCann's first match in the Caley Jags dugout in front of a massive virtual crowd. Welcome Neil and haste ye back John Robertson and Scott Kellacher.

Can we have a virtual score of 3-0 please. Thank you!

Yes, it's been a massive success the virtual ticket sale and could add some much needed dosh to our accountants wee purse. Thanks to all who contributed and to all who made this possible. "A number of weeks ago, our club CEO Scot Gardiner was approached by Stevie Kilgour, the General Secretary of the Federation of Hearts Supporters, to discuss how Hearts fans could look to assist Caley Thistle during what has been an extremely onerous financial period for Scottish football."  Buy Tickets Here

Worrying news ahead of the Alloa fixture was manager John Robertson being given compassionate leave after a family bereavement. All this on top of Robbo's recent openness regarding the stress and strain the pandemic has put on all walks of life including his own during these unprecedented times. Add the serious illness Scott Kellacher has been dealing with and it was no surprise that the board felt the need to bring in someone who was prepared to help out and someone who has had previous experience in organising a football team.  So here we are with Neil McCann offering his services to help out an old mate. Thank you Neil and good luck to all involved.

After clawing Alloa back, going ahead then ending up drawing, it felt like a loss. It ended 2-2 but many felt we undid some of the good work we achieved at Ayr. Alloa benefitted from a couple of close calls, a missed penalty and some  defensive naivety to earn their point. Wallace Duffy scored his first senior goal and what a goal it was. Possibly thirty yards into the roof of the net with his standing leg. Boom! James Keatings put us ahead after Miles Storey cut the ball across the box where Keatings hit a controlled volley into the bottom corner. A penalty award should have seen us take all three points but insistent penalty taker Storey shot weakly and keeper Parry saved easily. To then rub salt into the wound Trouten scored a late penalty to level the game and that's how it ended.

Here's the goals against Alloa. Duffy..... Booooom! 

 

Last 10 Competitive Meetings against Hearts

1 - 2 (A)

0 - 1 (A)

0 - 3 (N)

0 - 5 (A)

1 - 1 (A)

3 - 3 (H)

1 - 5 (A)

0 - 0 (H)

0 - 2 (A)

2 - 0 (H)

Looking at the above statistics, our last win over Hearts was on September 11th, 2015, 7:45 PM at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. Incidentally, Miles Storey scored a last minute goal on that Friday night. James Vincent got the opener, let's hope he is fit for this game. Is that an omen? 

Hearts were held to draws in their last two outings where Morton and Queen of the South came away with a point as Hearts came from behind in both games to level the score. They left it very late at Palmerston where Liam Boyce scored a 90th minute penalty.

Neil McCann will have been well versed on the capabilities of his acquired charges despite only getting to know them since after the Alloa game. I'm sure he would have been well impressed by the likes of David Carson and James Keatings and hopefully he can get the best out of the rest. Danny Mackay and Roddy MacGregor will be out to impress and Miles Storey would do well to listen to McCann's advice. I'm sure most of the squad will benefit from some time with the 'new' gaffer. Wallace Duffy was as shocked as anyone to score that spectacular goal. You could tell he was new to scoring judging by his awkward non celebration. What a belter though. 

I'll let Neil explain how he came to be here...

***Latest Team News***

Usual candidates missing for the Caley Jags; the long term four and as noticed against Alloa Sean Welsh and James Vincent were not on the team-sheets. It looked as though everyone else came through unscathed and there's little scope for change.

Hearts have a depth of squad that only Dundee can get close to, so it matters little if they have one or two missing.

 

 

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[tm4tj]

[Robert]

Welsh, Keatngs and Storey in for Allardice, Mackay and Todorov:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ICTFC/status/1365375065395761153/photo/1

Not sure who will be providing width tonight. Storey or Sutherland will be on one side with the other through the middle, presumably. Keatings or MacGregor wide?

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Robert

[tm4tj]

[RiG]

Dropping Allardice? McCann out!

[lizi]

Hope there’s a designated penalty taker - not a grabfest 

 

[WYNESS101]

12 minutes ago, lizi said:

Hope there’s a designated penalty taker - not a grabfest 

 

Who normally takes our pens? I've got Welsh in my head

[Robert]

He’s tended to take them when in the team. Other than shoot outs we’ve not had many in recent seasons though. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Robert

[Row S]

The picture and commentary are not bad tonight. Apart from Scotty and others in foreign parts, anyone else actually watching the stream tonight?

[WYNESS101]

Watching a game from this side of the pitch is a lot better

[Robert]

Looks like front three interchanging a lot but Keatings often through the middle with Storey and Sutherland playing wider. 

[Robert]

Storey! 1-0!!

Pressured the defender into a poor header and put it away nicely. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Robert

[Jack Waddington]

Oh Miles Storey ya sexy, sexy man.

[WYNESS101]

Get in. Nice cool finish

[Robert]

Not looking good for Welsh. Hope he’s ok to continue. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Robert

[+snorbens_caleyman]

You guys are minutes ahead of my iPlayer connection!  Going to put the phone down now 

[Row S]

Never doubted his ability to score. Just dont let him take a penalty though.

[WYNESS101]

Sutherland with a great chance...unlucky

[Scotty]

16 minutes ago, Row S said:

The picture and commentary are not bad tonight. Apart from Scotty and others in foreign parts, anyone else actually watching the stream tonight?

no live game for me unfortunately. BBC dont make it available over here and its my work day so cant stream on work PC even in the home

[Jack Waddington]

Ngl the way we're playing, I'd be more than happy for Neil to take over when Robbo decides to call it a day. Can't remember the last time I saw us playing this smoothly...

[Robert]

Duffy booked. No arguments on that one. 

[Robert]

Welsh booked. Again a correct decision. MacKay-Steven is causing us problems. 

[Robert]

1-1. Boyce.

We bossed the first 30 or so, but signs that had been coming.

We’ve created a lot of space and chances so need to settle down and get back to how we were playing earlier. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Robert

[Jack Waddington]

We're pretty good at this bottlejob malarkey

[Caley Mad In Berks]

We're going to be lucky if we finish with all 11 on the pitch I fear.