Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
Youngest Player: | Riccardo Calder (22 years 88 days) |
Oldest Player: | Gary Warren (33 years 253 days) |
Average Player Age: | 25 years 270 days |
Domestic Players: | 6 (54.55 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
Youngest Player: | Zak Elbouzedi (20 years 18 days) |
Oldest Player: | Ryan Esson (38 years 39 days) |
Average Player Age: | 25 years 336 days |
Domestic Players: | 7 (38.89 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
Mission Accomplished: A tremendous effort from Inverness as they won their fifth game in a row to put pressure on Dunfermline ahead of the game on Saturday, where a bumper crowd will be expected to see if Inverness can keep the dream alive. Iain Vigurs scored the only goal of the game to take all three points North. He will be a big miss over the next couple of games as bookings catch up with him :sad:
Dumbarton forked off the water and it was game on at the Your Radio 103FM Stadium, or to put it another way, The Rock.
Tuesday nights game was put on hold for another day as surface water led to the game being postponed for 24 hours.
Coll Donaldson returned to the starting XI after suspension with Collin Seedorf dropping to the bench alongside Carl Tremarco, Charlie Trafford and Jake Mulraney.
Stevie Aitken reinstated Dimitris Froxylias from the bench...............
Riccardo Calder had to make a timely tackle to thwart Mark Stewart as he raced through on goal in the early exchanges and at the other end Iain Vigurs played in hat-trick hero Nathan Austin who saw his effort saved by Gallacher. Minutes later Calder found Vigurs in the box but he shot over. Tom Walsh blew a good chance for the Sons with a header but he put it just wide.
Bright start by both sides and Dumbarton looked more intent than they were at the weekend taking the game to the visitors at every opportunity in the first quarter.
Gary Warren had to be replaced midway through the first half after going down off the ball and Collin Seedorf entered the fray.
Just after the half hour Vigurs went close after being set up in the box by George Oakley but the score remained blank.
Polworth took out Dougie Hill as he blocked a shot from the Inverness man. Ouch! Seedorf did likewise at the other end as Stewart threatened to offload.
Despite Inverness ramping up the pressure on the home goal, few clear chances were created and it's all square at the break. As expected, this was a much tougher experience than the rout at Inverness.
Half Time 0-0
Aaron Doran had the first chance of the second half after Polworth fed him but he shot over the bar.
Iain Vigurs broke the deadlock after Gallacher failed to deal effectively with a Calder cross and the midfielder slashed the ball low into the net from the edge of the box ten minutes after the break.
Calder fired over soon after and Doran saw the keeper gather his attempt as the visitors looked to get some breathing space.
Dumbarton had to exchange keeper Gallacher after he appeared to go over his ankle and he was replaced by Jamie Ewings with sixty-seven minutes gone. Inverness took the opportunity to swap Doran for Carl Tremarco at the same time.
Inverness won a spate of corners to no avail.
Connor Bell replaced Nathan Austin and Ewings saved a twenty yard effort from Polworth as the game entered time added on. Donaldson saw an effort blocked out for a corner but at the other end Brad Mckay had to look lively to stop Dumbarton bursting through.
Inverness got what they wanted though and the game ended with the visitors taking all three points North.
Full Time 0-1
It might have been more comfortable for the guys on the park, but it was certainly much tighter than the game in the Highlands.
A single goal lead is never easy to manage and the balance between looking for a cushion or shutting up shop is a fine one. We did just that and could easily have extended our lead but it was imperative that we kept Dumbarton out at the other end.
Mission accomplished and the game on Saturday is now a massive one. Three wins to get into the play-offs, who would have thought.
Comedy genius was provided by the stewards who felt the need to make Gary Warren drink out of a cup instead of a bottle. Gary had come to sit in the stand to watch the second half after going off injured. However, he got a telling off from the steward for having a bottle of water and has been required to put it in a plastic cup. Tut tut Gary, you really should have known better. Always a bother with water at Dumbarton.
Match report written by tm4tj