On the Road Again

 

After a battling 1-1 draw at Dundee, we are off on our travels again, this time it's even further afield as we visit Somerset Park, an often fruitful venue over the years. On Saturday, it's a 3:00pm kick off as points become difficult to collect at both ends of the table. Inverness are still bottom of the recent form table with only 4 points from a possible 18. Ayr have faltered recently but have 8 points from their last 6 games. Talismanic striker Billy Mckay will return after being red carded at Hamilton a fortnight ago. Billy is still seven goals short of being level with Dennis Wyness as our all time record scorer. Reece McAlear is now at Somerset Park but Logan Chalmers' loan spell has ended and the experienced Michael Moffat is at Glenafton. 

Unfortunately events off the park are overtaking events on the park. See Club Statement below £££

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Match/Ticket/Supporters Bus info

Club Statement

Get Well Soon Cammy

Ticket Update v Killie

School strikes, We've got your back

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Get well soon Cammy

 

Venue H2H v Ayr United

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	23	10	11	2	38	24	+14
Away	24	11	6	7	45	30	+15
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	47	21	17	9	83	54	+29

Head to Heads v Ayr tend to favour Inverness over the years, but due to our decline in fortunes more recent results are more equal. 3 wins for ICT - 2 wins for Ayr and 5 draws over the last ten encounters. Ayr have become more difficult to beat over the last couple of years. They came up into the Championship in 2018 and we held the upper hand for the first couple of seasons but they are now capable of holding their own and under Lee Bullen are more difficult to prise points from these days. 

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Ayr United

2 - 2 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

2 - 2 (A)

1 - 2 (H)

2 - 2 (A)

1 - 0 (H)

2 - 2 (H)

2 - 0 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

0 - 1 (A)

From CTO Last October 1 - 0 - Ayr Pressure Not Enough: Ayr started the day three points ahead of Inverness. They would end the day level. Plenty of pressure from the hosts in a dominant first half but the nearest they came to a goal was a Mark Mckenzie header that came off the bar and the same player missed from six yards after being set up by Dipo Akinyemi. Inverness would be relieved to get to the interval on level terms. Cammy Harper glanced in a header just after the break to open the scoring. That's how it ended after a difficult ninety minutes but it's three wins on the bounce on the road.

 

 

FRIDAY 3RD MARCH 7:45pm

Hamilton v Arbroath 

 

SATURDAY 4TH MARCH 3:00pm

 Ayr United v Inverness CT

Cove R v Dundee

Partick v Rovers

Queen's v Morton

 

 

 

Last Time Out

Inverness, off the back of two miserable defeats against Hamilton, battled for a plucky 1-1 draw at Dundee. Fortunate as it was we showed a bit of fight. Dundee will feel aggrieved that they never took all three points having a goal disallowed for a dubious offside decision and hitting the woodwork twice. To rub salt in the wound, Harper's equaliser took a massive deflection to wrong foot the keeper and put the Dundee fans on the verge of tears. At least Billy Mckay should return after suspension.

Ayr United drew a blank last Friday at Stark's Park against Raith Rovers, with ICT's Scottish Cup hero Jamie MacDonald denying Ben Dempsey from the spot to ensure it remained goalless. They have been slipping up in recent weeks D W L L D. Their only win was a routine 5-0 thrashing of Cove Rangers at the end of January.

This season's encounters show that we won the first one at Ayr 1 - 0 and drew the reverse fixture in the Highlands 2 - 2 

Shaw shank redemption: Nathan Shaw earned Inverness an unlikely point as he scored his second of the game with three minutes left. That levelled the score after Dipo Akinyemi had put leaders Ayr United ahead with his 14th goal of the season less than ten minutes from the end. Shaw had given the hosts an early lead which they held until the 66th minute when Mark McKenzie bundled into the net from close range. This was a better point for Inverness who still had nine players missing although Danny Devine came into the back four before going off after being injured with fifteen minutes remaining.

Latest Team News

Billy Mckay returns after suspension. At least he should add some much needed potency to the attack. Still waiting for around five players returning from injury. Sutherland, Walsh, Woods, Ram and MacGregor. Samuels is now getting game time as is Allardice, Deas and Harper but all four are still building up to maximum efficiency after returning from longer term injury. Deas played in midweek in a young side at Forres to get some more minutes in his legs.

 

 

RIP Eric: It's at this point over the last couple of years I would insert a section written by fellow CTO member and friend ictewd. Eric, without prompting, would gather any updated information about our opponents and offer it to me for adding to the preview. Without fail, Eric would investigate and I would receive an eMail every Thursday ahead of the fixtures. He was also responsible for helping to get our site stats in order and was willing to do this throughout his illness borne with great dignity. I have known Eric for over fifty years and he was an unassuming guy but very intelligent and self motivated. He was the consummate professional in all he did and I/we will miss him greatly for his diligent professionalism as he carried out his many tasks on CTO. Sadly Eric passed away this week and I for one will miss his eMails and quiet sense of humour and the endless hours of brain crunching stats he input and more importantly, his friendship. I offer sincere condolences to his family and friends at this most difficult of times. RIP Eric Davidson 😪

This ones on me Eck

Ayr United have scooped up Chris Maguire an experienced attacking inside forward once of Aberdeen and Sheffield Wednesday. Dylan Watret has signed his first pro contract at Ayr and featured against Raith Rovers. Frankie Musonda returned to action in a reserve game against Hibs last week. Josh Mullin is now a permanent signing and former Inverness midfielder Reece McAlear has come in on loan from Tranmere Rovers. That's he of the thunderous goals from outside the box; beware!

Loan ended: Logan Chalmers, forward (Dundee United); Bradley Young, forward (Aston Villa).

Loan out: David Bangala, defender (Cove Rangers); Finn Ecrepont, defender (Stranraer); Michael Moffat, forward (Glenafton).

 

 

Ayr seagulls are scared off by Bazza 😎

RIGs report spot on as usual. Boy was it good to see a win in the league again! I'm convinced it might have been another draw if not for the sending off though as both teams looked pretty evenly matched. 

A small band of noisy caleyaway roared the team to victory. Ayr have a nice wee set up now with a stadium bar with a beer garden. Food available too. Was packed as well so must bring in valuable income. 

Still not confident re Killie though. I think like Livi I will be expecting nothing but you never know...

 

 

15 hours ago, old caley girl said:

Ayr have a nice wee set up now with a stadium bar with a beer garden. Food available too. Was packed as well so must bring in valuable income.

Considering the amount of empty car park space and number of aimlessly wandering stewards, never understood why we can put up a few outdoor benches, some barrier chain and a few speakers to do this. Since covid, it's never been easier for hospitality to have outdoor space for patrons.

Our matchday experience has so much room for improvement.

19 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

Considering the amount of empty car park space and number of aimlessly wandering stewards, never understood why we can put up a few outdoor benches, some barrier chain and a few speakers to do this. Since covid, it's never been easier for hospitality to have outdoor space for patrons.

Our matchday experience has so much room for improvement.

Think when Jim Oliver was there it was discussed but didn't come to anything 

Yeah the Ayr setup was pretty impressive. Bar area was busy but service was quick and they had an outdoor spot with astroturf / artificial grass and a good number of picnic style benches with a van that seemed to be serving pizzas and other hot food. Would definitely go back there rather than any pubs in the town especially if you get off at Newton on Ayr.

1 hour ago, bdu98196 said:

Considering the amount of empty car park space and number of aimlessly wandering stewards, never understood why we can put up a few outdoor benches, some barrier chain and a few speakers to do this. Since covid, it's never been easier for hospitality to have outdoor space for patrons.

Our matchday experience has so much room for improvement.

Have you completed the Supporters Trust Matchday Survey?  There are free text boxes in the survey to allow responders to expand on the basic yes/no and ratings questions.  This provides the opportunity to give some examples such as you have outlined here.  If the survey shows that people in general are unhappy with the food and drink availability, this kind if detailed feedback will allow us to put into the survey report that not only are people unhappy, but it is something the club could act on because other clubs are successfully doing it.  The more people who complete the survey the more valid the answers will become.  I really would urge anyone who has not yet completed the survey to take a few minutes to do it as every survey completed gives the fan base a louder voice.

Is there a particular reason Barry was doing the post match media and not Billy?

 

 

Dodds has family in the area so a good chance he left media duties to Barry and got away early.

I see that Ayr have appealed the sending off, was it harsh?

 

 

1 hour ago, Caleyjag said:

Is there a particular reason Barry was doing the post match media and not Billy?

 

 

Like I said - Bazza scares seagulls.

I was grateful we weren't subjected to Dodds' same old boring drivel, tbh.

Red card appeal by Ayr has failed 

Ayr have won 3-1 at Morton so we are now 7 points off the play offs with 9 games to play.

It will be a tall order and we will need a good run in to have any chance.