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Inverness CT
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Partick Thistle
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Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Shaun Rooney (22 years 56 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Carl Tremarco (32 years 347 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 350 days |
| Domestic Players: | 9 (81.82 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Daniel Mackay (17 years 153 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Carl Tremarco (32 years 347 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 24 years 184 days |
| Domestic Players: | 12 (66.67 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
Game of two halves: It was the proverbial game of two halves. Inverness winning the first half 3-0 and Partick the second 2-0. When the dust settled it ended 3-2 for Inverness which was sufficient to move the Caley Jags to the top of the Championship. Three first half goals from Jordan White, Shaun Rooney and a penalty from Sean Welsh had the home side cruising at the break. However, we sat too deep in the second half and it was no surprise when Partick scored through Blair Spittal. They fell just short with a last gasp counter from Kris Doolan but the Caley Jags held on to take all three points and sit top of the division with Ross County drawing with Queen of the South. At the end of the action, the Caley Jags can be thankful for a penalty save by Mark Ridgers at the end of the first half. That became more important as the second half unfolded.
No surprises in the Inverness starting XI, Jordan White chosen as target man with George Oakley and Nathan Austin on the bench. Partick had former Inverness players Miles Storey and Andrea Mutombo on from the start with Kris Doolan and Jai Quitongo making the bench.
Old Caley Girl has this report for us, see what she had to say about the game.
We're top of the league and you're no!
Only 5 games in granted but certainly feels good and it's been a long time coming. We got there in a very odd way to be honest. Summed up by a quote on twitter by our own Renegade - The first half was probably the best Caley Thistle have played all season. The second half was easily the worst.
Partick appeared to start brightly but as the first half went on it was clear this is a team that, like us last season, are a bit shell-shocked after relegation and have yet to gel. With ex-Caley jags men Miles Storey and Mutumbo in the Partick line up there was a bit of extra interest from the home fans with Storey especially getting attention from the boo boys in the north stand.
Blair Spittal had a good chance 4 minutes in which was ably saved by Ridgers. However, it was the home fans who were cheering in 11 minutes with Jordan White opening our account. The ball found its way to Polworth who put in a great run and launched a thundering shot from about 20yds out. This hit the post and fell to White who made no mistake in popping it in the net.
This was the start of a great spell for the home side with some tidy football on display and in 23 minutes we were 2 up. A Polworth corner was headed down to Sean Rooney who made no mistake with a right footed volley into the net.
We were cruising, and the home fans were lapping it up. Walsh and Polworth had further chances to extend our lead and Slater came close at the other end. Just over half an hour in and Polworth broke free on goal to be hauled down in the box by Ntambwe and a penalty was awarded. Madness on the Partick players part and he was extremely lucky to be awarded a yellow and not a red. His manager clearly agrees with me as minutes later he was substituted. Anyway, back to the penalty. Up stepped Sean Walsh and he netted with a calmly despatched shot right down the centre of the goal past Bell. At last we appear to have found the competent penalty taker we have craved since Tansey left.
In 41 minutes, referee Greg Aitken enraged the home support with what looked like a very dubious penalty award to Partick. Sean Welsh was judged to have fouled Miles Storey right on the edge of the penalty area. It didn't even look like a foul to most of us and was arguably not even in the box. As usual the protesting players were not listened to and up stepped Storey only for Mark Ridgers to save in his bottom right corner with the hapless Storey even managing to miss a header from the rebound.
Just on half time Rooney was replaced by McCart with the former going off injured.
Half Time 3-0
The second half was a total contrast from our point of view. The referee decided to take a starring role and infuriate the home support. There were several bookings for both sides for not very much. The Partick defenders always seeming to get the benefit of the doubt in 50/50 tussles and the game frustratingly very stop start. Oakley replaced White and Calder replaced Doran. We staggered on with too much sitting back for my liking until 82 minutes when Blair Spittal managed to get one back for the visitors. It still felt frustrating but comfortable to be honest. A few players appear to be carrying slight knocks with Polworth limping his way through last 10 minutes or so as we had no subs left. More worryingly Oakley had to leave the park (88mins), in agony, after going down whilst chasing on the main stand side towards goal. As all subs were used we were down to 10 men and in reality, 9 as Polworth was struggling badly and managed to pick up a yellow in 90 mins. In the dying seconds Doolan managed to get Partick a second. That was that though and the players went off to big cheers and the morale boosting news of being top of the league.
Full Time 3-2
So, a tale of two halves but a win is a win and we are now 18 league games unbeaten. Off to Dingwall we go next week and that is looking like a tasty fixture now with our neighbours snapping at our heels one point behind. Our second half performance was worrying, and we cannot allow, ourselves to sit back next week or disaster will surely ensue. The Mallard and haggis pies await and hopefully another 3 points. We will have to play at our absolute best and I hope the experienced players such as Tremarco are drumming into the newbies how important this fixture is. More worryingly are injuries to Rooney going off in first half and Polworth struggling. Oakley however appears to be the most serious and I doubt we will see him for a while sadly.
OCG MOTM:- Id say everyone yesterday got pass marks so a hard choice. Ridgers a contender for that great penalty save and its fab to see Welsh despatch another penalty. However, for me it must be Polworth for his first half performance alone. Was involved in everything and we would be a much poorer team without him. I hope this performance gave the boo boys in our support something to ponder over.
Special mention to the match officials. Very inconsistent and pernickety. Partick penalty award looked outside box to me. Standside assistant appeared to stand and watch Doolan elbow Donaldson in the face and do nothing and fans on twitter reporting one of the assistants had to answer his phone mid game to switch it off!!! Doesn't do much to enhance the reputation Scottish officials are gaining this season.
Robbo in this post-match interview was disappointed we only went in 3 up at half time and also felt the 2nd Partick goal took a bit of shine off the day. Sentiments I agree with. Archibald felt his side were hard done by and always a threat? Hmmmm not so sure what he was watching. Always felt comfortable even in the dying minutes for me.
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After the dust settled, here's what we thought of it all on CTO: Despite a grim second half, there were some heartening moments after the break.
Inverwegian picked out this one:- "Why has no one mentioned the best thing about the second half?? The Partick keeper falling over the advertising boards! Really, you've got to take what you can from that second half and that was mine." :lol:
Caman was straight to the point:- "2nd half kinda sucked, but three points, still unbeaten and top of the league. Could be worse I suppose!!! ":thumbup:
And The Long Man summed it up nicely while looking ahead to next weekend:- "Good Stuff. Remember the doom and gloom after Hearts - now look where both clubs are. Sets up next week beautifully.":clapoverhead:
Rig was feeling sentimental towards the 'Magic Hat' man:- "Great to see them capturing Mckay dishing out some telt to Storey after his penalty miss though I did feel for him a wee bit with the abuse he was getting." You can feel the love😍
See you all in Dingwall next week!
Match report written by old caley girl
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Good afternoon and welcome to today's Ladbrokes Championship game against Partick Thistle. I would like to welcome Alan Archibald, his staff, players and of course the fans of the Jags to the Caledonian Stadium.
This will be another extremely tough encounter in a league that is showing already that it is going to be very tight amongst all the teams and that each win will have to be very well earned and worked very hard for. Thistle were rightly lauded as preseason favourites, along with fellow relegated side Ross County, as they have retained a vast amount of their players from last season but have also recruited very well in the summer.
They head north today with a very strong squad that will be up there battling at the top end of the table, as they seek to secure a quick-fire return to the Premiership. We found out last year it is not as easy as it seems in the eyes of their fans and the media, but
Thistle have made a very solid start and are sitting mid table with 6 points from their opening four matches. They still have very good creative and dangerous players at the top end of the pitch with Erskine, Spittal, Fitzpatrick and Storer providing the ammunition for the likes of Doolan, Mutumbo and of course, a well-known face in these parts, Miles Storey so we will have to be at our best to secure the points from today's fixture.
Our last home game was very frustrating to say the least, and everyone was hugely disappointed to lose the late goal against Alloa after passing up a dozen chances to finish off the match. Having taken the lead early in the second half, it was no doubt a case of two dropped points as it should have been a comfortable win. Again, it illustrated that if we are not clinical
at both ends of the park then you can, and will, come unstuck as this league shows no mercy.
We spoke about this with the players and set about our preparation for the Dunfermline game with a determination to work on both aspects of our game in the defending area and attacking third. The
hard work reaped its rewards with a very good away win at Dunfermline in a fixture that yielded no points for us there last year. Right from the off there was a determination and resilience about us, our play going forward was sharp and incisive and we were unlucky not to have taken the lead with a Jordan White effort that was harshly ruled out. We created a few more excellent opportunities whilst at the other end the defenders made great blocks and were ably backed up by Mark Ridgers with a couple of terrific saves.
In the second-half we upped the tempo and got our reward with three very well created and well taken goals. We actually had more chances to increase that total but it was a near perfect away
performance. We were absolutely outstanding and the added bonus of all three subs coming on and bringing a new dynamic to the team late on. The win keeps us up there with the early pace setters but, as we can see from the league table, a win here or there can be the difference between top two and the bottom three so we must continue to build on our decent start and ,of course, improve on our current home form.
Once more I urge you to cheer the lads on with your usual loyal and vocal support.
Enjoy the game
Robbo