Preview Inverness Caley Thistle

Ladbrokes Championship: Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Saturday 28th October 2017, kick off 3.00pm

Dunfermline return to Inverness for the first time since May 2012. Back then the Fifers travelled north in search of just their sixth league win of the season but the 0-0 draw that Wednesday night meant that the Pars Premier League status was virtually all but over and was only prolonged until polished off at Easter Road the following Monday.

The last Pars win at Inverness on St Patrick`s Day 2007, was Stephen Kenny`s first league win in 16 attempts.

This time around the Pars arrive sitting second in the Championship to meet eighth placed Caley Thistle.

Milestones Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Away)
Last League Victory: 17/03/07: 3-1 SPL 
Last League Defeat: 17/04/10 0-2 Sc Div 1
Best League Victory: 22/04/00 2-1 Sc Div 1
Worst League Defeats: 15/08/04 & 29/01/05 0-2 SPL

This is the twenty sixth league match between the sides, so far Dunfermline have won five of them, there have been eleven draws and nine have ended in defeat. 

The first meeting this season at East End Park was a resounding 5-1 win for Allan Johnston`s side.

Last 12 League matches v Inverness CT

12/08/17: (H) 5-1 [1-0] Smith, [2-0] Ashcroft, [2-1] Vigurs, [3-1] Cardle, [4-1] Hopkirk, [5-1] Cardle.
18/02/12: (H) 1-1 [1-0] Cardle, [1-1] Ross.
22/10/11: (A) 1-1 [0-1] Tade, [1-1] Buchanan (pen.)
06/08/11: (H) 3-3 [1-0] Kirk, [1-1] Tansey, [2-1] Kirk. [2-2] Hayes, [2-3] Tansey, [3-3] Hardie.
17/04/10: (A) 0-2 [1-0] Rooney, [2-0] Foran.
19/12/09: (H) 0-0
17/10/09: (A) 1-1 [0-1] Proctor, [1-1] Kirk.
08/08/09: (H) 0-1 [0-1] Cox.
12/05/07: (A) 1-2 [1-0] McIntyre, [1-1] Hastings, [1-2] McAllister.
17/03/07: (A) 3-1 [0-1] Paatelainen, [1-1] Glass, [2-1] McIntyre, [3-1] Glass.
23/12/06: (H) 0-0
30/09/06: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Tokely.

Last time at the Caledonian Stadium
Inverness Caley Thistle 0 Dunfermline 0
Premier League, Wednesday 2nd May 2012

Dunfermline return to Inverness for the third time that season. Both the SPL game in October and the Scottish Cup tie in January ended up as 1-1 draws. 

Bright sunshine and clear blue skies welcomed the Pars to the Highlands for this vitally important match. Pars Manager Jim Jefferies brought back Austin McCann and Jordan McMillan meaning Paddy Boyle and Martin Hardie dropped to the bench. ICT boss Terry Butcher dropped Owain Tudur-Jones to the bench while Jonny Hayes was suspended. Kenny Gillet and Nick Ross started for Caley.

The sides played out a scoreless draw that assured the Highlanders SPL status for the next season but the one point left the Pars five points behind Hibs who won 2-1 at Pittodrie.

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE: Ryan Esson: Josh Meekings, Steve Williams, Ross Tokely, Graeme Shinnie (Andrew Shinnie 71): Greg Tansey, Kenny Gillet, Nick Ross (Shane Sutherland 71), Richie Foran, Aaron Doran, Billy McKay (Gregory Tade 88).
SUBS NOT USED: Thomas Piermayr, Roman Golobart, Owain Tudur-Jones  Jonathan Tuffey (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Chris Smith: Jordan McMillan, Andy Dowie, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c). David Graham (Andy Barrowman 84), Gary Mason (Martin Hardie 67), Mark Kerr, Kyle Hutton, Joe Cardle: Andy Kirk (Liam Buchanan 84).
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Willis, Paddy Boyle, Ryan Thomson, Bernardo Fernandez (GK)

League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
Position 2nd
P10 W6 D2 L2 GD+15 Pts20

INVERNESS CT
Position 8th
P10 W2 D3 L7 GD-4 Pts9

Recent Form

Inverness Caledonian Thistle`s win at Dundee United allowed them to move out of the bottom two of the Championship. Saturday`s win was just their second league win of the season.

DUNFERMLINE
Livingston (H) W 3-1
Falkirk (A) L 0-2
Dundee United (H) L 1-3
Brechin City (A) W 2-0

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Dundee United (A) W 2-0
Falkirk (A) D 0-0
Peterhead (H) W 3-0
Queen of the South (H) D 0-0
Dumbarton (A) L 1-2
Livingston (H) L 1-3

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Livingston): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Aaron Splaine, Nat Wedderburn, Fraser Aird (Joe Cardle 81): Callum Smith (Andy Ryan 81), Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Declan McManus, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Dean Shiels, Cammy Gill (GK).

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Dundee United): Mark Ridgers: David Raven, Brad McKay, Coll Donaldson, Lee Tremarco: Jake Mulraney (Alex Cooper), Liam Polworth, Iain Vigurs (George Oakley 88), Joe Chalmers, John Baird, Connor Bell (Charlie Trafford 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Daniel Mackay, Gary Warren, Matthew Elsdon, Ryan Esson
 (GK).

Referee will be Kevin Clancy.

Other Ladbrokes Championship Fixtures
Dumbarton v Dundee United
Livingston v Brechin City
Queen of the South v Falkirk
St Mirren v Morton

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• Managers post match comments
• 12/08/17: Dunfermline 5 Inverness Caley Thistle 1