Sons six-pointer Jan2025

[tm4tj]

Admin Derby

 

It's the Admin Derby at the Caledonian Stadium on the 4th of January as fellow Administration adversaries Dumbarton FC come North for what has become a six-pointer already, four days into 2025. There has been a bit of a freeze on since the biblical rainfall early in the week and the covers are on at the stadium. With that in mind the club are asking for volunteers to turn up at 09:00 on Saturday morning to help remove the covers that are protecting the surface from the frost. 

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Match/Ticket/Bar94/Bus from City Centre

What! It's all about Alfies

Jack is back from Nairn

Latest on the Admin Topic on CTO

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The two previous meetings this season shows a draw at the Caledonian Stadium and a defeat at Dumbarton.

The first encounter was dedicated to the memory of Johndo, who sadly passed away in 2024.

Game of Two Halves: 1-1 :- A rousing round of applause rang out from the crowd on the sixth minute in appreciation of the dedication of John Mackenzie, AKA the Immortal Howden Ender who sadly passed away last week. A fitting tribute as cheering and clapping broke out around the ground and one in which he would have loved to have led the way. Rest in Peace my well travelled friend. You would have enjoyed the first half. The second I'm sure you would have had some choice words for in your after match summary. 
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It was the proverbial game of two halves. Inverness were miles ahead in the first half and rubbish after the break. Plenty of possession and slick movement with new signings Flynn Duffy and Adam Mackinnon prominent in attacking moves. Charlie Gilmour brought out a tremendous reflex save from keeper Long, however most of the good work petered out when we got into the final third but we took the lead on the stroke of half time when Danny Devine sneaked in behind the defence to nod in unchallenged at the back post from a corner. Hey ho we all thought, lifes not so bad after all. Wrong!!! We allowed Dumbarton to dominate the next half hour and they deservedly levelled through Carlo Pignatiello as we seemed to go back into our shell. Niang was booked a second time for persistent fouling and reluctantly left the field when he was red carded. Billy Mckay had cracked one off the bar and Charlie Gilmour and Remi Savage were denied by the keeper but it was a bit of an anti climax after a promising first half. Jack Newman also had to make a good save five minutes from the end to keep the score level when he denied Mumbongo.

The second meeting was Scott Kellacher's first game in charge after administration when he only had three days to prepare his reduced squad for the game at Dumbarton: 3-1 :- Handicap Hurdles:  And they're off. With a fifteen point deduction because of Administration, we started our League1 campaign again at Dumbarton under the guidance of Scott Kellacher and Billy Mckay for the first time. Danny Devine and Charlie Gilmour were missing which would make Scott Kellacher's team selection more difficult. The Son's were along similar lines to last weeks excellent win at Arbroath. It would be an uphill battle after James Hilton fired the Sons ahead but Jake Davidson headed us level after half an hour and that's how it was at the break. Ryan Blair restored the Sons lead and Hilton added a third to push the Sons 15 points ahead of Inverness.
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Not much to shout about in the opening exchanges until James Hilton smacked in the opening goal from the edge of the box to put the hosts ahead quarter of an hour into the game. Inverness responded with player coach Billy Mckay firing over the bar. On the half hour and it was all square. Jake Davidson scored following a corner with a close range header, Paul Allan with the assist. The visitors upped the pressure on the home goal and Billy Mckay headed over before Adam MacKinnon's header was saved by Brett Long in the home goal. MacKinnon fired wide moments later. Mathew Shiels brought Musa Dibaga into action as the keeper saved comfortably. Five minutes before the break a neat move from a corner ended with the Sons defence having to block from Robbie Thompson as he offloaded. Hilton missed the target with a header just before the break as the ball bounced wide. All to play for in the second period.
HALF TIME: 1-1
No changes at the interval. Brett Long saved from Mckay's low shot five minutes after the restart and the defenders mopped up the loose ball. Dibaga again denied Hilton just before the hour. Ryan Blair edged the hosts ahead after a corner was recycled. Blair finished with a curling shot behind the keeper. Hilton had been causing problems and he notched his second of the game and Dumbarton's third after driving forward and shooting into the bottom corner. A late flurry of activity saw Remi Savage head over from a corner and Sons sub Mumbongo shooting wide on the run. The last action had Long saving from Nolan as time ran away from Inverness.
FULL TIME: 3-1

Our Season so far at the half way mark

INVERNESS CT:  D L  D D W D D D L   / W L(11)D W W W L  W L  

Since Scott Kellacher was handed the reins in game 11, their has been a more positive approach to the games which resulted in improved performances and a more enjoyable matchday experience all round. Alas we were brought back to earth with a disappointing result in our last game of 2024, a crushing 1-4 defeat at home to Cove Rangers. We'll have to put that one down to a bad day at the office and hope we can bounce back in this six pointer against Dumbarton, the first game of 2025.

 

Pos	Team	Pld	Gd	Pts
1	Arbroath	19	10	34
2	Stenny	19	9	30
3	Kelty Hearts	19	9	29
4	Cove	19	6	28
5	Alloa Ath	19	2	25
6	Montrose	19	-2	23
7	Queen of Sth	18	-5	22
8	Annan Ath	19	-16	19
9	Inverness CT	18	-3	10
10	Dumbarton	19	-10	07

Latest Team News

Inverness have young defender Jack Walker returning from Nairn County after his loan spell at the Highland League side expired whilst Sam Nixon's stay at Forres Mechanics has been extended. Rumours abound that Aberdeen youngsters Alfie Bavidge and Alfie Stewart could be on our radar again on loan deals.

No team news available from ICTFC at the moment.

***Update on Latest Team News***

Striker Bavidge, son of Martin, and midfielder Stewart have signed on loan until the end of the season and both should be available for todays game against Dumbarton. Happy days!

Dumbarton's Last Six League1 Games: W D L  L  W W 

Their last League game in November brought the Sons a 3-2 win over Alloa Athletic. A re-arranged game then saw them draw 2-2 with the same club followed by two crushing defeats to Stenhousemuir (4-0) and at home to Annan (1-5) They have picked themselves up since then with two wins over Montrose (1-2) and a great result against Kelty Hearts last week (2-0).

<<<That was their team lines for the game against Kelty where Kalvin Orsi scored twice late in the second half after Scott Allan had been sent off for the Maroons in the 68th minute. Two minutes later Orsi opened the scoring and a minute from the end he fired into the bottom corner to secure the points.

 

 

[KennySim93]

Anyone know if there's a pitch inspection planned?  I assume there is?

[+CaleyHedgehog]

Good luck this afternoon boys, although I have every faith that luck will not be needed. Get out and gie 'em laldy. 

Welcome to the two Alfies - I hope your time at ICT is amazing.

C'mon Caley 

[The Mantis]

Bavidge starts - Strachan benched, so how do we line up?

Bray @ RB  

Nolan @ LB  

Bavidge up front with Billy and MacKinnon backing him up.

[Robert]

42 minutes ago, The Mantis said:

Bavidge starts - 

and Bavidge scores the opening goal. 

[+Moogthurso]

Queue at main stand kiosk at 1605 back to main doors.

 

At least 30 people just went away. 

 

Lost revenue due to slow service. Staff brilliant but how do we help them.

 

 

[Yngwie]

FT 2-0. The 6 points are ours!

[DWH]

Great result!!

Haven't given up on getting to the play offs!! Will be at Annan next Saturday.

[big cherly]

2-0 Take the victory any day against what was a dreadful Dumbarton side. Their game plan seemed to be hold out until the last 15 and try and sneak a goal. If they hadn’t have gifted us the opener it could have been a tense second half. A superb strike by Gilmour for the second goal and killing the game. We needed that as Dumbarton came into the game with there subs more dangerous.
Alfie B looks a good loanee. Strongly build and carried a threat throughout the match. 
The other plus was Annan drawing at Stenny. Two points closer with a head to head next week. A win would be great but a no loose would not be a disaster.
bc 

[+DoofersDad]

It was a bit of a nervy performance but a huge 3 points for us today.  Dumbarton were very poor.  We were dominant early on and should have extended our lead and cruised to a comfortable win.  However, we got very untidy and allowed Dumbarton a few chances and gave them hope.  Gilmour's composed 2nd half strike gave us a bit of breathing space but we never looked comfortable.  However, the league table looks a lot better than it would have had we lost.  Bavidge looks to be a good signing and we should draw some confidence from today.  

[+CaleyHedgehog]

Fantastic result lads Well done

[bdu98196]

2 hours ago, Moogthurso said:

Lost revenue due to slow service. Staff brilliant but how do we help them.

Stop card payments and do cash only, too often they don't process and slows everything down

Bigger and more signs as too many get to the front with no idea what they are ordering and take ages 'dithering' to decide

Fully agree service pre game today was horrifically slow, took me 15mins and there was probably less than 10 people infront when I got there

[forresjags]

Very good in the first half, performance tailed off in the second half, but valuable 3 points.

 

 

[big cherly]

3 hours ago, Moogthurso said:

Queue at main stand kiosk at 1605 back to main doors.

 

At least 30 people just went away. 

 

Lost revenue due to slow service. Staff brilliant but how do we help them.

 

 

Consider a separate drinks only kiosk / table at a different corner of the hall (hot water urn and soft drinks). Card only means no cash around. Would allow those only wanting Coffee/ coke etc to queue for that service. Reduce the other food counters queues /waiting time.
Just a thought! 
bc

Edited January 4 by big cherly

[+old caley girl]

44 minutes ago, big cherly said:

Consider a separate drinks only kiosk / table at a different corner of the hall (hot water urn and soft drinks). Card only means no cash around. Would allow those only wanting Coffee/ coke etc to queue for that service. Reduce the other food counters queues /waiting time.
Just a thought! 
bc

Also no bovril. Was told club can't source any? 

[tm4tj]

 

Thoroughly deserved win after last weeks disappointing result against Cove Rangers. New signing Alfie Bavidge was rightly awarded the MotM, not just for his debut goal, but he was a constant threat, tirelessly running the channels like his olde man did back in the day and with plenty of pace and a good first touch. He also seemed to give Billy Mckay an extra spring in his step and he was unlucky not to score. He will certainly be an asset for the Caley Jags in 2025 and Alfie Stewart got a few minutes under his belt as well. Good start to the year for us and hopefully the springboard to go on a wee run and get back into the pack

[+Fraz]

Great result and reaction after last week's game. Credit to the players and fantastic to see Bavidge scoring on his debut.  

Bar before and after game was busy but service was quick and took card payments without a hold up. What difference from a few months ago ago when it was deemed from the club not worth opening.  

[CaleyCiuin]

Gave up queuing at the kiosk after 15 minutes, still loads of folk in front of me. Why is this always a problem?! Happy with the win though.

[bishbashbosh]

Crucial win today. Both goals were well worked.

first one, ball to longstaff wide right, outside of the left foot pass towards goal line run onto by mackinnon( I think, eyesight not what it used to be) and first time cross fell to bavidge who had a gaping goal to slot into.

second was a thing of beauty for 2 reasons.  A few fans in the north stand were getting restless with us taking short corners. Again we took a stand side corner, a few north stand fans got restless again and a couple of passes later we go 2 up with a gilmour sweet strike. 

kellacher raving about the second goal as it was a billy creation in training. Great when something you work on comes off in the game he says. Even better when some fans get at their own team for trying something other than slinging a cross into the box. Food and drink for the keeper and big defenders.

could have been 2 up and coasting first half as longstaff hit a shot that was heading top bins. A fantastic one handed save from the replacement keeper and we stayed 1 up as the ref blew for half time.

a Devine miss placed pass second half ended up a corner for Dumbarton and a header that hit the top of the bar with Dibaga nowhere. Then a billy?mistake let them in on goal only to crash the ball off the post with Dibaga well beaten.
2-2 would have been hard to take.

[bishbashbosh]

22 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

 

Thoroughly deserved win after last weeks disappointing result against Cove Rangers. New signing Alfie Bavidge was rightly awarded the MotM, not just for his debut goal, but he was a constant threat, tirelessly running the channels like his olde man did back in the day and with plenty of pace and a good first touch. He also seemed to give Billy Mckay an extra spring in his step and he was unlucky not to score. He will certainly be an asset for the Caley Jags in 2025 and Alfie Stewart got a few minutes under his belt as well. Good start to the year for us and hopefully the springboard to go on a wee run and get back into the pack

Billy had a chance in the last couple of mins. A ball coming across him on the 18yard line, dead centre, was asking to be hit first time. Alas he took a touch and the chance was snubbed out.

I wonder if billy of old or a billy full of confidence would have put the laces through it.

[tm4tj]

Well.....

He trird a shot from 35 yards earlier...

He's born again I tell ya.

[bishbashbosh]

2 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

Well.....

He trird a shot from 35 yards earlier...

He's born again I tell ya.

Don’t remember that ( a Tom jones for me  “ it’s not unusual” )

I must have been searching my pockets for the moam’s.

[Satan]

After seeing Bavidge tearing up the left first half, finishing the game strongly on the right , surely only a matter of time until he's playing (starting) up top...

[Huisdean]

Deserved win but we ended up making hard work of it. Build up play was far too slow at times but when we did move the ball quickly, we were much more threatening.  Bavidge looks like an inspired signing at this level and if only we stopped the square passing and looked up, he was making some great runs.

Worryingly we were poor defensively at times with Devine and Nolan both poor. Devine needs to cut out the mistakes he makes game after game and cut out the speculative passes. Nolan just seems unable to stop crosses coming in at times. Thankfully,  Bray and Savage played very well.

A wins a win though so onwards and upwards.

 

 

[STFU]

It seems some people have forgotten that we're a league one team and are still expecting premier league performances.

I was delighted with the football and effort that was served up yesterday. The new lads fitted in well and you wouldn't think this was their first match for us.

Hoping Longstaff is ok as he's been really important to our game recently.