Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (27 years 290 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Craig Dargo (2008 years 138 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 274 days |
| Domestic Players: | 10 (90.91 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (27 years 290 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Zander Sutherland (2008 years 138 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 274 days |
| Domestic Players: | 17 (94.44 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
ICT 3-4 KILMARNOCK
Caley Thistle Club Historian Ian Broadfoot reports from the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium where Caley Thistle come out the losers as seven goals are shared in this match.
The home fans have been crying out for goals and this week they got them – sadly the best out of seven went Kilmarnock’s way.
It was a cracking match and quite an afternoon for ICT central defender Darren Dods - he returned for ICT from suspension, resumed the captaincy and scored twice.
Dennis Wyness also came into the starting line-up with Graham Bayne dropping to the bench.
The pitch was in excellent condition despite days of heavy rain – the return of cold weather over the preceding 24 hours gave valuable time for some drying out.
Caley Thistle had a tremendous first half spoiled only by losing two soft goals. Killie played some good football in the second half but were still fortunate to come away with all three points.
With five minutes gone Craig Dargo turned Gordon Greer and watched as his shot deflected and nearly fooled Graeme Smith – Smith recovered well to touch it over for a corner. The home side took the lead a minute later when a Barry Wilson free kick from the left curled into the box and Dods volleyed it past Smith from a few yards out.
The ‘keeper turned a Wyness shot past for a corner in 13 minutes then did the same from a John Rankin free kick two minutes later. A Greer cross in 28 minutes was headed by Richard Hastings for a corner and this led to the equaliser. Gary Hay’s kick was flicked on by Greer and Steven Naismith was well placed to head home from close to the line.
Killie took a 2-1 lead in 34 minutes with a simple goal as the home defence was once more caught out. A Naismith ball from the left reached Colin Nish via Paul Di Giacomo and it was hit in from six yards out.
The excitement continued and in 38 minutes Dods scored his second just moments after a Wyness header beat Smith but came off the post. A Rankin free kick from long distance was spilled by Smith and Dods was in the box to touch it home.
Just before the break Dargo earned a corner on the left and Wilson’s kick into the box resulted in a handball verdict as Dods challenged. Dargo stepped up to take the penalty and blasted it high into the net to make amends for his miss last week.
The crowd was buzzing from the first half excitement and all the speculation was on how high the score would go.
Half Time: 3-2
At half time the injured Hastings was replaced by Stuart McCaffrey and the back four reorganise. With just four minutes of the second half gone it was 3-3. Another simple effort saw Di Giacomo race past Dods down the left, whip in a low cross and Nish touched it in. At the other end Smith pushed an Ian Black shot for a corner in 53 minutes then in 58 minutes a strong Ross Tokely shot hit off Wyness and ran to safety.
Zander Sutherland replaced Barry Wilson in 66 minutes and within a minute the youngster conceded a penalty with a push on Naismith. Naismith took the kick himself and hit it cleanly past Mark Brown to give Killie a 4-3 lead.
A Rankin free kick in 71 minutes was dummied by two ICT players but Smith continued his up and down afternoon by pushing it for a corner. Wyness was booked for an alleged dive in 77 minutes as the home side pressed hard to take something from the game. Dargo went down inside the box with three minutes left as he latched onto a Sutherland cross but nothing was given despite strong penalty claims.
Full Time: 3-4
Pressure over the closing minutes from the home side produced no reward and it ended a remarkable 4-3 to the visitors. As a result Caley Thistle slipped to ninth with Dunfermline still propping up the rest.
Match report written by Ian Broadfoot
