Inverness CT 1 Dunfermline 1

Tuesday, 29th Dec 2020

Scottish Championship: Four changes as Comrie, McInroy, McCann and O’Hara start. Kyle Turner (23) 0-1: Miles Storey (66) 1-1:

It had been over a year since the Fifers had played Inverness Caley Thistle away from home. The Pars travelled to Inverness in search of their first league win there after ten league visits without a victory.

The hosts were out to get back on track after a defeat away to Alloa Athletic and a match postponed due to a water logged pitch at Cappielow. The Caley Jags manager John Robertson made three changes. Out went James Keatings, Kai Kennedy and Roddy Macgregor and into the starting eleven came Sean Welsh, James Vincent and Aaron Doran.

Stevie Crawford made four changes introducing Aaron Comrie, Kerr McInroy, Kevin O’Hara and Lewis McCann, the latter the only player starting to have previously played in a winning Pars team at the stadium (in the Challenge Cup). The changes meant it was the bench for Steven Whittaker, Declan McManus, Ryan Dow and Dom Thomas.

Inverness 1-1 Dunfermline
Tue, 29th Dec 2020

Having left a snowy West Fife and crossed the white Cairngorms, Inverness lived up to its Moray Firth Riviera reputation with not a flake of the white stuff in the stadium. The pitch had been covered overnight to protect it and John Robertson had joined staff in clearing snow the previous day. The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the Kessock Bridge end.

Owain Fôn Williams was the first keeper in action holding a Robbie Deas effort from outside the penalty box.

One minute silence was observed for recently passed away, Jim McLean

In tenth minute Kyle Turner’s free kick on the right went just behind O’Hara but Iain Wilson collected on the left side of the Caley box and when he returned the ball Euan Murray was unlucky not to hit the target with his connection.

Three minutes later the Jags had a similar opportunity after Wilson stopped Scott Allardyce but Cameron Harper’s delivery went straight through the Pars box. Then on 20 minutes Danny Devine pushed over O’Hara to give the Fifers a free kick 30 yards out. McInroy and Turner stood over the ball with the latter executing in search of Murray in the box but he failed to meet it.

But in 23rd minute McCann got the break of the ball and when he got the bite thrashed the ball across the six yard line. Inverness defended but Mayo got in a shot that was blocked but TURNER gathered and turned to drive a left footed shot into the bottom left from 16 yards out. Kyle’s first goal of the season made it 0-1.

The home side almost struck back immediately with bar fortunately keeping out a Shane Sutherland effort. Turner had another shot that the keeper dealt with and in 29 minutes a Wilson cross evaded McCann but McInroy struck but was wide right.

Sutherland took advantage of a stray ball and lashed the ball on to the crossbar again from 25 yards out. Two Caley corners were then successfully defended before it was back to the other end where Turner had another shot from 20 yards that smacked Devine in the face.

A second Dunfermline goal almost came in 36 minutes when McCann crashed cross in from the right. With O’Hara waiting at the far post Brad McKay did remarkably well to scoop the ball over his crossbar for a corner on the left. McCann attacked that but Caley cleared.

The few Inverness voices in the stand claimed for a hand ball as Murray stopped Doran’s cross but Euan Anderson played on. Vincent’s pass then teed up Harper but Comrie blocked and Fôn Williams was out to tip away the corner. Sutherland was a threat as Harper sent in another cross but no Caley players could get a shot on target.

McInroy robbed Caley of possession in time added on at the end of the first half and sent O’Hara through, he drew the defender but his shot was saved by keeper Mark Ridgers. A good first half from the visitors grabbing that all important first goal but luck had gone their way as Caley Thistle past over chances and hit the woodwork.

Half time: Inverness Caley Thistle 0 Dunfermline 1

18 year old winger Kai Kennedy, on loan from Rangers, replaced Aaron Doran for the restart and a Deas block denied the Pars a second goal within 45 seconds. McInroy dispossessed McKay and O’Hara got in the shot.

Next O’Hara’s ball in from the right was headed behind by Devine. Thanks to McCann’s presence a second corner followed again taken by McInroy but Inverness defended it.

McInroy won the ball off Sean Welsh and immediately swept the ball wide right for McCann. He homed in on goal releasing a left footed shot from the edge of the box that took a deflection and Ridgers dropped to his left to hold.

In 55 minutes accepting a pass from Vincent, Welsh drilled the ball wide right from 20 yards out. McInroy got another opportunity after Wilson robbed McKay but his shot was blocked. Next McCann won a race against Ridgers but was forced wide left before he could cross and O’Hara’s shot went wide left.

Paul Watson did well to nick the ball away from Sutherland after Kennedy had created another chance. Fon Williams held a Miles Storey shot but a minute later, controlling the ball from a long throw, STOREY curled an impossible to stop shot into the top left corner. 1-1

Ryan Dow had come on for Kerr McInroy just before the equaliser and after it Declan McManus came on for Lewis McCann. Fôn Williams fisted away a 74th minute corner from the left after Harper earned a corner off Turner.

The Dunfermline subs did not see a lot of the ball initially as the Fifers were forced deeper. In 79 minutes though Comrie combined well with Dow to get a cross in that somehow Devine kept out and then Mayo’s follow up was blasted against a defender.

Kevin O’Hara then made way for an 80th minute sub, Dom Thomas. It was nine minutes later before the sub was presented with the chance to float a free kick into the far side but Watson just could get enough of a connection.

The Fifers finished strongly and one wondered if it could be another added time winner. After much perseverance from McManus on the left side it was eventually Turner and Dow who picked out Dom Thomas on the left and when he crossed into the six yard box Harper covered across to save the day for the Highlanders. Only a corner was won and the game would end all square.

So Inverness Caley Thistle completed 2020 unbeaten at home but they still sit seventh, seven places behind the Pars who will start the new year five points behind the league leaders Hearts.

INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: Brad McKay, Danny Devine, Robbie Deas, Cameron Harper, Scott Allardyce, James Vincent, Aaron Doran (Kai Kennedy HT), Sean Welsh, Shane Sutherland (Daniel MacKay 88), Miles Storey (Nikolay Todorov 85)
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Roddy Macgregor, David Carson, Cameron MacKay (GK).
SCORERS: Storey (66)
YELLOW CARD: Welsh (64), B McKay (87) D McKay (90+4)

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Lewis Mayo: Kyle Turner, Iain Wilson, Kerr McInroy (Ryan Dow 66): Lewis McCann (Declan McManus 69), Kevin O’Hara (Dom Thomas 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Whittaker, Fraser Murray, Lucas Berry, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Turner (23)
YELLOW CARD: Turner (90+5)

REFEREE: Euan Anderson
WEATHER: Cold dry 2°C
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: Scottish Championship (home) v Raith Rovers, Saturday 2nd January 2021, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park behind closed doors

Views : 5,640

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Preview Inverness CT

Tuesday, 29th Dec 2020

Scottish Championship: Tuesday 29th December 2020, 6.30pm kick off at the Inverness Caledonian Stadium behind closed doors

After Inverness’s match at Cappielow was postponed on Saturday and the Pars 1-0 win over Arbroath, the gap between these two sides is now nine points and five places. Inverness now have a game in hand but this Tuesday night’s trip north give the Fifers are great chance to distance them from the side that finished second in last term’s shortened season.

Inverness need to avoid defeat in this fixture to ensure a whole calendar year without a home defeat. Much as Dunfermline would love a win, it is more than thirteen years since the Pars have won a league match at the Inverness Caledonian Stadium.

Milestones Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Away)
Last League Victory: 17/03/07: 3-1 SPL
Last League Defeat: 04/05/19: 0-1 Championship
Best League Victory: 22/04/00 2-1 Sc Div 1
Worst League Defeats: 15/08/04 & 29/01/05 0-2 SPL
Last Goalless Draw: 03/05/12: 0-0 Premier League
First visit: 23/10/99: 1-1 Sc Div 1

The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen four Dunfermline wins, two draws and six Caley Thistle wins.

Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
17/10/20 (H) 3-1 [0-1] Todorov, [1-1] E Murray, [2-1] Dow, [3-1] McManus
25/02/20 (H) 1-2 [0-1] Doran, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Walsh
21/12/19 (A) 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
14/09/19: (H) 0-1 [0-1] Welsh
04/05/19: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Austin
16/02/19: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Thomson
30/10/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Keena, [1-1] Calder, [2-1] Keena, [2-2] White
01/09/18: (H) 0-3 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Polworth, [0-3] Oakley
21/04/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Ryan, [1-1] Chalmers, [1-2] Austin, [2-2] Clark.
13/03/18: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Craigen
28/10/17: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Bell
12/08/17: (H) 5-1 [1-0] Smith, [2-0] Ashcroft, [2-1] Vigurs, [3-1] Cardle, [4-1] Hopkirk, [5-1] Cardle.

Last time at Caledonian Stadium

Inverness Caley Thistle 2 Dunfermline 0

Ladbrokes Championship, Saturday 21 December 2019

Caley opened the scoring after a corner from the right was defended and then returned by James Keatings for Shaun ROONEY to sweep into the left side of the Pars net. 1-0

The home side wrapped up the points ten minutes from full time when Caley’s Doran forced another corner and when he delivered McCART rose to head the ball in at the left post. There were appeals that Trafford had assisted the ball across the line off his arm but the referee deemed he didn`t touch it so goal stood. 2-0.

Inverness saw the game out to consolidate their second place in the Championship. As for Dunfermline they fell out of the play off positions as a consequence of Dundee’s win over Partick Thistle.

INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: Shaun Rooney, Coll Donaldson, Jamie McCart, Kevin McHattie: David Carson, Aaron Doran (c)(Nikolay Todorov 89), Charlie Trafford, James Keatings (James Vincent 74), Jordan White (Mitch Curry 85), Miles Storey
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Harper, Roddy Macgregor, Matheus Machado, Cammy Mackay (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully: Aaron Comrie, Danny Devine, Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Ryan Dow, Paul Paton (c), Tom Beadling (Kyle Turner 43), Joe Thomson (Andy Ryan 74), Lewis McCann (Anthony McDonald 62), Kevin Nisbet.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Lang, Harry Cochrane, Josh Edwards, Cammy Gill (GK)

Form Last Six Matches

Dunfermline have won just two of their last six matches, but lost only one of their last nineteen. Indeed this season they are undefeated in the league away from home but have won only once away from home at Alloa. Inverness lost their last match at Alloa but are unbeaten at home this season.

DUNFERMLINE
Arbroath (H) W 1-0
Dundee (A) D 3-3
St Johnstone (H) D 1-1
Morton (H) L 1-2
Raith Rovers (H) D 2-2
Arbroath (A) W 3-1

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Alloa Athletic (A) L 1-2
Dundee (H) D 2-2
Queen of the South (A) W 3-0
Raith Rovers (H) W 2-0
East Fife (H) W 1-0
Raith Rovers (A) D 3-3

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 17
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P9 W5 D3 L1 GF19 GA12
Last Six Match Form: WDLDDW

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
League Position: 7th
League Points: 11
Goal Difference: +3
League Record: P8 W3 D2 L3 GF14 GA11
Last Six Match Form: DWWWDL

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Arbroath): Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Mayo (Aaron Comrie 72), Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker (Kerr McInroy 72): Ryan Dow, Iain Wilson (Kevin O’Hara 81), Kyle Turner, Dom Thomas: Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, Matty Bowman, Lucas Berry, Cammy Gill (GK)

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Alloa Athletic): Mark Rodgers: Brad McKay, Danny Devine, Robbie Deas, Cameron Harper, Scott Allardyce, Roddy Macgregor, Kai Kennedy (Aaron Doran 69), James Keatings (Sean Welsh 69), Shane Sutherland (Nikolay Todorov 80), Miles Storey.
SUBS NOT USED: David Carson, James Vincent, Daniel MacKay, Cameron MacKay (GK).

Referee will be Euan Anderson who last officiated a Dunfermline game at Starks Park on 5th December. 2-2 the scoreline, 3-3 on yellow cards that day.

Other Championship Fixtures

Ayr United v Morton
Dundee v Alloa Athletic
Hearts v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Queen of the South

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