1st Leg Play Off v Montrose

[tm4tj]

1st Leg Play-Off

 

As Dunc said, "It is what it is, isnt it". The dreaded play-offs are here and we find ourselves with more work to do if we want to retain our Championship status. Standing in our way are Montrose. A side we have not played against since 2009, prior to that we locked horns with them in the lower divisions until we were promoted after 1997. A man we all like to hate, Michael Gardyne has been a prominent player for them and Kane Hester is top scorer at Links Park. A mixture of old heads, journeymen and promising players against our bunch of mercenaries. The return leg is this Saturday at the Caledonian Stadium. Who will make it into the final showdown. Accies or Alloa are the other options. We will do well to not underestimate a Montrose team who do not lack some very experienced players.

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Match/Ticket/Streaming Info

***AWAY FANS: Entry is strictly by online ticket only £17***

Supporters Bus

Second Leg v Montrose

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Venue H2H

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	5	2	1	2	6	10	-4
Away	4	2	1	1	6	5	+1
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	9	4	2	3	12	15	-3

We don't have that great a record against Montrose to be honest, albeit our last meeting with them was a Challenge Cup game in 2009 which went to penalties before Inverness progressed scoring all five spot kicks. Summary: In the end, it was a set of 5 flawless penalties from the home side that forced the tie in their favour. Rooney, Tokely, the captain Munro, Duncan and Djebi-zadi scoring for Inverness, while Ryan Esson saved well from Hegarty. Davidson, Crighton and Gemmell all dispatched their penalties for the Gable Endies, but in the end it proved fruitless. For many the final whistle and the final penalty was the highlight of the match, although Lionel’s celebratory dance certainly forced some entertainment into a poor showing from the 1st division side. The home gathering left grateful to have snatched victory from their surprisingly tough 3rd division opponents, while the small but vocal away support left with heads held high. Montrose put up an admirable fight but a ring rusty ICT eventually forced their way to the end of the match and into the next round for a home tie against Stranraer.

All nine Competitive Meetings v Montrose ***click on first score on left for full report on above game, or any other.

1 - 1 (H)

3 - 2 (H)

2 - 0 (A)

2 - 0 (H)

2 - 2 (A)

0 - 3 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

0 - 4 (H)

1 - 3 (A)

Prior to that early season Alba Cup game, our encounters with Montrose started in October 1994 up until we left them behind in 1997, a 3 - 2 League win, Promotion, an Iain Stewart hat-trick and a customary lob in front of 3036! On our Way Up: A great day for Inverness as the home side won promotion with a superb hat trick from Iain Stewart. They started well and Charlie Christie hit the bar in 4 minutes. They took the lead in 13 minutes when Iain Stewart took a pass from Daisy Ross and slid it home from 8 yards. It all began to go wrong in 23 minutes when Colin McGlashan equalised from the penalty spot after Mike Noble pushed Craig Mailer. Shaun Smith made it 2-1 for Montrose in 42 minutes with a shot from 6 yards after a cut back from David Fisher. The home side came back strongly in the second half and were rewarded in 67 minutes - a Brian Thomson free kick from the left was turned in by Iain Stewart at the far post. The winner came in 81 minutes - a Brian Thomson through ball found Iain Stewart who ran 20 yards before chipping it over Jim Butter under severe pressure from Mark Haro. 
The Division Championship can be won next week - the only team that can overtake them is local rivals Ross County.

Inverness find themselves in the play-offs after one of our most frustrating seasons ever, with many believing this is our worst ever squad. Injuries have been a big part of our last couple of seasons and this one was no different. Billy Dodds was relieved of his duties after winning just one point in our opening six games. Big Dunc the celebrity came in and it looked like we might be saved, despite his shocking track record in management. However, we soon reverted to type and constantly struggled to gain points at home, and on the field that is one of the main reasons we are up to our eyes in sh1te. Add in the continuing off field antics of our board and CEO, then the mismanagement from above is dragging us down. These play-offs are not about them though. This is about the players and the fans who have tried to lift us out of this gloom. Should we avoid the drop, and unless anything changes higher up the chain, then the same problems will exist within the club next season wherever we find ourselves. We did end the regular season with a home victory, unfortunately a bit of a hollow one with QP confining us to the relegation zone despite amassing 42 points and a positive goal difference (just).

Montrose are here by virtue of an excellent season and finishing fourth in League1. 53 points; 15 wins, 8 draws and 13 defeats with 58 goals scored and 57 conceeded, that was enough to qualify for the play-offs despite a less than impressive end to the season with only two wins from their last six games L  D L  L  W W . They look likely to have rested some legs once safe in fourth, the likes of Gardyne not used last week in the 3-2 comeback win over QotS. Familiar names in their ranks are Michael Gardyne, much hated around here. Matheus Machado the young Brazilian prospect once at Inverness and Kane Hester formerly at Elgin City. Sean Dillon, the former Dundee United defender is a player coach at Montrose, plenty experience there. No surprise that Gardyne tops the assists table with 10.

Three players are well in front of the rest in the goals scored department:

• Kane Hester: 11
• Blair Lyons: 10
• Graham Webster: 10

Here's their team lines from the home defeat to Hamilton Accies three games ago.

Starting XI:  Gill; Williamson, Steeves (c), Graham, Dillon, Quinn, Gardyne, Shrive, Lyons, Batchelor, Webster
Subs:  Hester, Hermiston, Emslie, Callaghan, Craig, Matthews, Brown, Machado, Davies.

Latest Team News

Inverness: I doubt Ferguson has much wiggle room within his squad. Alex Samuel took a heavy knock last Friday and might be a doubt, will have to wait for Duncs pre-match spiel. Sean McAllister is struggling as is James Carragher. The good news is Alex Samuel is fine, he only got a whack on the face so he is good to go. Longstaff is also ready after feeling a twinge in his knee. Much of these knocks are dependent on their plastic pitch.

Montrose: They appear to have a solid squad and I have no news of any issues within. (and it's a bank holiday)

 

Play Off Schedule

Tuesday May 7th
Championship play-off semi-finals, 1st leg
   Montrose v Inverness CT
Alloa Ath v Hamilton 

Saturday May 11th
Championship play-off semi-finals, 2nd leg
Inverness CT v Montrose    
 Hamilton v Alloa Ath

Wednesday May 15th
Championship play-off final, 1st leg
Lowest-ranked team at home in 1st leg
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 8.05pm

Saturday May 18
Championship play-off final, 2nd leg
Highest-ranked team at home in 2nd leg
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 5.30pm

[The Mantis]

That was a memorable win at the stadium in 1997 with the Stewartie treble. Still have the footage somewhere.

[Yngwie]

Never been to Links Park. It’s an artificial pitch isn’t it?

[STFU]

6 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

Never been to Links Park. It’s an artificial pitch isn’t it?

Yup 4G

[STFU]

Links Park is a football stadium in Montrose, Scotland. It has been the home ground of Montrose F.C. since 1887. Links Park was opened in 1887 on land rented from the 'Auld Kirk'. To help finance the new ground, Montrose F.C. rented the pitch out for circuses and livestock grazing.

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We've tried everything else at our place maybe this is worth a go?

[+Fraz]

Ferguson's musings on the game tomorrow. 

[tm4tj]

 

Montrose, QUARTER 4 REVIEW

Last Saturday saw us complete our final round of fixtures for this, so how did we fair overall over the last 9 games?

One standout result in there. Montrose 1-7 Falkirk

[STFU]

1 hour ago, Fraz said:

Ferguson's musings on the game tomorrow. 

Getting the excuses in early about the plastic pitch.

[Ronaldo]

Saw them training at the rugby club yesterday

[bdu98196]

We will absolutely batter these part timers and show them why the seaside leagues is no place for a club like ours.

[+Fraz]

7 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Saw them training at the rugby club yesterday

On the plastic pitch?

[Ronaldo]

Yes and the Montrose Manager gave me £3.59 for a report

[dunco]

Will be a new stadium for me too visit tomorrow night. Website states find your own on street parking, it will be pretty busy just wondering if anyone knows of best place to park for away fans

[Robert]

Given our poor home form, I see tomorrow’s game as one we need to win, and preferably win well.

We’ve finished the season quite well with 10 points out of 15 and a couple of decent performances against Raith and Morton, so hopefully confidence is high.

We need to be on the front foot and go for it.

I just hope there is no complacency, as this Montrose team is no push over. 

[CaleyCanary]

7 hours ago, STFU said:

Links Park is a football stadium in Montrose, Scotland. It has been the home ground of Montrose F.C. since 1887. Links Park was opened in 1887 on land rented from the 'Auld Kirk'. To help finance the new ground, Montrose F.C. rented the pitch out for circuses and livestock grazing.

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We've tried everything else at our place maybe this is worth a go?

I think you’ll find there’s been a bit of a circus on oor pitch for quite some time now…

[Satan]

1 hour ago, CaleyCanary said:

I think you’ll find there’s been a bit of a circus on oor pitch for quite some time now…

Well, plenty of clowns that's true.

[+Gringo]

5 hours ago, CaleyCanary said:

I think you’ll find there’s been a bit of a circus on oor pitch for quite some time now…

You beat me to it  ...been a few off the pitch too.

[bdu98196]

11 hours ago, Robert said:

 as this Montrose team is no push over. 

This season they played Raith & Morton and lost both - that is their only higher tier opposition, they lost 13 league games this season in a lower teir and only had the same goal difference as Caley who finished 2nd bottom of the league above. We should be expecting to beat them and comfortably.

While we finished 9th, there really is little between us and most teams above us outwith DUtd/Raith & PT - and all of these are a step above League One by a decent margin, where other than Falkirik none look particularly well equipped to compete over 36 games in the Championship next season.

 

[The Mantis]

If we were the lower league team in a cup tie we would be looking at a possible upset and Montrose will be no different. Never underestimate motivation in a football match. Remember Bonnyrigg back in the summer, and Stirling Albion and Brechin in recent seasons.

Unfortunately won't make this one as I have a long standing arrangement I can't get out of. So no return to Links Park since we won there on the way to the league trophy under Pele in 1997. Goals from Trigger and Stewartie made sure we went home happy and the seethe from the Mo fans was formidable 

Edited May 7 by The Mantis

[MorayJaggie]

Folks for those coming down the A90 from aberdeen. The bridge at Marykirk is still closed. You can either come off at at Stonehaven and follow the A92 down the coast or continue past the laurencekirk junction and turn off the A90 at the Hillside junction.

[jed5697]

Let’s hope the Montrose fans are not going to enjoy this game. Be good to get at them early and hopefully get ahead on the scoresheet. They have nothing to lose so I expect they will have a good go at us so will be an open game. Time for our guys to continue to show the same effort and performances displayed in the recent league games. Fortune favours the brave. Let’s get in and about them… bish bash bosh put them under the cosh…

[Yngwie]

We are unbeaten in relegation playoffs, right? 

[bdu98196]

1 hour ago, jed5697 said:

They have nothing to lose so I expect they will have a good go at us so will be an open game.

I expect the opposite, sit in and not loose the first leg then try hit on the break or a set piece. Unless we score first thats when they might open up but I think their focus will to still be in the tie on Saturday

[MorayJaggie]

Apparently from sources at Montrose we have sold around 160 inverness tickets.

[Yngwie]

1 hour ago, MorayJaggie said:

Apparently from sources at Montrose we have sold around 160 inverness tickets.

Make that 161.