Inverness CT -V- Stirling Albion - League Cup

[+Robert 1,392]

Information about Saturday’s game:

https://ictfc.com/ictv-info-stirling-albion-h

and here:

https://ictfc.com/up-next-stirling-albion-h

Edited July 15 by Robert

[+Robert 1,392]

Preview by the club:

https://ictfc.com/match-preview-stirling-albion-h 

Deas back in training. Mckay and McDonald getting close to being able to train.

Encouraging that Dodds is wanting us to qualify from the group as we have not seen it as anything but pre-season in recent years. 

[+Robert 1,392]

The wind could make conditions interesting this afternoon.

 

[Kingsmills 6,270]

8 minutes ago, Robert said:

The wind could make conditions interesting this afternoon.

 

Speak to a pharmacist. I am sure that they will recommend something to alleviate it.

[tm4tj 2,397]

League Cup

 

Second game of the season has Stirling Albion coming North to face the Caley Jags with both sides getting off to a winning start in their opening group 'A' fixture. The Bino's went to Cove and came away with an excellent 3-2 win and Inverness defeated Peterhead 2-0 in Billy Dodds first game flying solo. The match is a 3:00pm kick-off on Saturday afternoon with home fans only allowed in the stadium under current covid restrictions.

PPV Streaming from ICTV

OFFICIAL PREVIEW

INFO

 

We comfortably beat Peterhead on Tuesday night thanks to two fantastic second half strikes. Manny Duku opened his account with a tight finish from sixteen yards and Aaron Doran thundered in a swerving 30 yarder to complete the scoring. Inverness were rarely troubled and eased home with Peterhead winless after two games.

Stirling edged out Cove in an entertaining five goal game at Balmoral Stadium. Rabin Omar put Stirling in at the break a goal to the good. Nathan Flanagan doubled the advantage early in the second half but a Fraser Fyvie double looked likely to take the tie to a penalty shoot-out. Note that Vigurs is credited with the assists for both Cove goals. However Flanagan scored again in stoppage time to win the game for the visitors.

Bino's starting XI v Cove Rangers:

Currie; Cummins, McLean, McGregor, McNiff, Laird, Leitch, Omar, Flanagan, Moore, Mackin

Latest Team News

Robbie Deas has returned to full training and Billy Mckay will return to full training, possibly next week. Anthony McDonald has been on light training and will be stepping up his rehab with full training soon.

Looks like we will be along similar lines to the Peterhead game. Manny Duku and Kirk Broadfoot caught the eye on Tuesday night with Aaron Doran, Sean Welsh and Tom Walsh looking spritely.

Other fixture in group A

Peterhead play Cove Rangers on Saturday.

View full article

[tm4tj 2,397]

A reminder to folks attending today's match at the Caledonian Stadium that it is unallocated seating in the North and South Stands today

Supporters must maintain 2 metre physical distancing. This means there will be 3 seats between each individual or group. pic.twitter.com/q3xxwgwtyx

— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) July 17, 2021

[tm4tj 2,397]

[Jack Waddington 392]

Hopefully it's not a boring 2-0 penalty win like the last time we played them...

[+Robert 1,392]

At the ground, looking forward to this one on a sunny afternoon.  Cammy MacKay, MacGregor and Gardyne in for Ridgers, McAlear and Doran:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ICTFC/status/1416385338893811712/photo/1

[+snorbens_caleyman 591]

12 minutes ago, Robert said:

At the ground, looking forward to this one on a sunny afternoon.

Have just come in from the garden, where we are roasting at 27C, and it is expected to go higher. 

Will be closing the blinds and firing up the televisual apparatus.

Ice-cream for half-time.

 

[+Robert 1,392]

That wasn’t in the script! 0-1. Direct free kick after foul by MacGregor. They’ve started on the front foot. We were down to 10 when the foul was committed as Carson had a heavy knock. He’s back on though. 

Edited July 17 by Robert

[+Robert 1,392]

Torn apart there. 0-2. 

[+Fraz 1,437]

Stirling playing like they want it more. Need to get out of second gear.  

[+Robert 1,392]

Good finish by MacGregor after patient build up. We can win this. Carson really struggling after that early knock. 

[+snorbens_caleyman 591]

Good chance for Duku there, but he seems to need forever before he's ready to fire.  Did that a few times on Tuesday, too.

[+Fraz 1,437]

1-2 HT.

Probably a deserved lead for Stirling but the ref certainly hasn't done us any favours. 

[+Robert 1,392]

Disappointing 45. Stirling started flying and the early goal came from a free kick following a corner. Carson was injured in the build up but looks to have shaken it off.

Since then we’ve had all the ball, but Stirling opened us up for their second.

MacGregor got us back in it with a decent finish, then Welsh went off with what looked like a knock.

Stirling look much better than Peterhead, and this is a bigger test than perhaps expected.

We are not playing as well as on Tuesday and have spurned a few decent chances. We are not getting Walsh on the ball at all, similarly Gardyne.

Our defence does not seem as organised or composed as on Tuesday despite being the same four starters.

We need to watch Stirling on the break as they are pacy, but I still feel we can win this. The next goal is vital.

 

Edited July 17 by Robert

[+Robert 1,392]

Deas on for Fyffe.

[+Robert 1,392]

2-2. Sutherland into corner after nice build up. 

[+Robert 1,392]

Still work to do. Stirling have just hit post after a quick break with Cammy well beaten. 

[+snorbens_caleyman 591]

Losing patience with Duku.  Wasted a free kick, when he could have tapped it to Doran, who had the gap between the wall and the other clump of players in front of him.

And as I type this, Duku is subbed.

[+Robert 1,392]

Penalties.

We can’t complain as just not clinical enough today.

Doran missed our best chance late on.

A lot of my optimism from Tuesday has receded I’m afraid.

 

[+snorbens_caleyman 591]

Please go away and practise penalties.  There will be more important ones than those.

[Kingsmills 6,270]

Obviously disappointing and unacceptably slack and complacent in the first half hour.

No doubt a bad day at the office with the defence being exposed for more than just the two goals that went in.

However, it was only our second competitive match after a disrupted pre season so I am not inclined to read too much into it regards our prospects for the season.

Much better expected next time out though.

[Yngwie 4,088]

Ok, we’re not nearly as good as we perhaps thought we were. That wasn’t our strongest starting XI but big improvement still needed.