Inverness CT 1 - 2 Arbroath

League - Championship
Saturday, December 16th, 2023, 3:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 1,842
Referee: Iain Snedden
Inverness CT  Arbroath

Goalscorers
Billy Mckay (39)
Jay Bird (29)
David Gold (42)

Team Managers
Duncan Ferguson Jim McIntyre

Starting Eleven
Mark Ridgers
Morgan Boyes
Cameron Harper
Nikola Ujdur
Jake Davidson
Daniel Devine
Max Anderson
David Wotherspoon
Charlie Gilmour
Nathan Shaw
Billy Mckay
Derek Gaston
Jess Norey
Aaron Steele
Colin Hamilton
Scott Stewart
Darren Lyon
Jermaine Hylton
David Gold
Craig Slater
Leighton McIntosh
Jay Bird

Substitutes
Cameron Mackay
Zak Delaney
Sean Welsh
Cillian Sheridan
Keith Bray
Robbie Thompson
Adam Brooks
Harry Lodovica
Luis Longstaff
Keaghan Jacobs
Mark Stowe
Alasdair Adams
Kenan Dünnwald-Turan

Substitutions
Luis Longstaff for Max Anderson (45)
Adam Brooks for Jake Davidson (90)
Cillian Sheridan for David Wotherspoon (90)
Harry Lodovica for Billy Mckay (90)
Keaghan Jacobs -> Darren Lyon (60)
Mark Stowe -> David Gold (71)
Kenan Dünnwald-Turan -> Jay Bird (75)

Bookings
Nikola Ujdur (21)
David Gold (17)
Jay Bird (35)
Mark Stowe (82)
Colin Hamilton (89)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Ridgers (GK) 255 apps -
Morgan Boyes 13 apps -
Cameron Harper 139 apps9 goals
Daniel Devine 196 apps7 goals
Nikola Ujdur 12 apps1 goal
Jake Davidson 15 apps1 goal
Max Anderson 13 apps1 goal
David Wotherspoon 9 apps5 goals
Charlie Gilmour 21 apps1 goal
Nathan Shaw 66 apps13 goals
Billy Mckay 267 apps108 goals
Cillian Sheridan (sub) 7 apps -
Adam Brooks (sub) 14 apps2 goals
Harry Lodovica (sub) 12 apps -
Luis Longstaff (sub) 18 apps1 goal

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Cameron Harper (22 years 41 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (35 years 63 days)
Average Player Age:26 years 347 days
Domestic Players:6 (54.55 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Keith Bray (17 years 263 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (35 years 63 days)
Average Player Age:25 years 290 days
Domestic Players:11 (55.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Looking Down



With both sides losing in midweek, this game took on more significance for Big Dunc's side and Jim McIntyre was also looking to get away from the bottom of the table after he replaced Dick Campbell. David Wotherspoon was fit enough to start and good to see Keith Bray return to the squad alongside Robbie Thompson. Arbroath came North with only four on the bench with Michael McKenna and Ricky Little still out injured and O'Brien suspended. As it turned out we are now looking down the table instead of up after back to back defeats to the two teams who were below us only four days ago as Arbroath won 2-1. That was new manager Jim McIntyre's first win and it moves Arbroath off the bottom of the table. one point behind Inverness. All the goals came in the first half from Jay Bird, Billy Mckay and two minutes later David Gold. Looks like a few will be going cheap in the January sales.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was another miserable day in the Highlands as the teams took to the field with swirling wind and rain plentiful. Nathan Shaw had an early effort saved by Gaston after a give and take with David Wotherspoon and Arbroath came back with David Gold inside the box but he shot over from twelve yards. Leighton McIntosh missed the target following a corner as the visitors pushed forward in the early exchanges. Arbroath took the lead after half an hour when after a throw in, a deflected cross landed nicely for Jay Bird in the box and he rifled a shot behind Ridgers. Wotherspoon almost levelled a minute later but his shot was just wide, followed by Jake Davidson doing likewise. Five minutes before the break Billy Mckay squared the game from a Cammy Harper cross that evaded the defender before Billy volleyed home the bouncing ball from twelve yards. Having done the hard work to get level Arbroath took the lead again when Gold headed in from a corner. Slack defending again costing us at the back. Ridgers made a good stop just on the break as we continued to offer opportunites at the back, the keeper saving a shot from distance by Bird. Defensive lapses our downfall. I'm sure Big Dunc will be having a word in their ear over their half time cuppa.

HALF TIME: 1-2

Defender Nikola Ujdur was replaced by Luis Longstaff at the interval as Dunc rang the changes. Ridgers saved a header from Gold on the line at the start of the second half as Arbroath continued to create and an Inverness burst forward was ended when Mckay fouled Gaston, or was it Gaston conning the refereee. Longstaff saw a header blocked after a corner. Spoony shot over from a free kick as we tried to get back on level terms with half an hour remaining. Davidson failed to get the ball under control and shot over as we increased the intensity. Some last ditch defending in the visitors box denied Inverness an equaliser from Davidsons cross. Charlie Gilmour missed a good opportunity when he headed wide and it all became a bit rushed without creating the clear cut opportunity required. Massively disappointing result that has dragged us right down into the mire. :blink:

FULL TIME: 1-2

For cod's sake! Inverness slumped to an embarrassing defeat as Arbroath stunned Ferguson's flops at the Caledonian Stadium. Arbroath with big players out and only three outfield players on the bench proved too good for an overrated Inverness bunch of haddies who were easily beaten by the Smokies.

Match report written by tm4tj



None.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Raith Rovers 16 12 3 1 29 18 11 39
2. Dundee Utd 15 10 4 1 34 7 27 34
3. Partick Thistle 16 8 4 4 33 26 7 28
4. Dunfermline 15 6 3 6 19 17 2 21
5. Morton 15 5 2 8 17 24 -7 17
6. Ayr United 15 5 2 8 18 26 -8 17
7. Airdrieonians 16 5 2 9 14 22 -8 17
8. Inverness CT 16 4 4 8 19 20 -1 16
9. Arbroath 15 5 0 10 20 30 -10 15
10. Queens Park 15 3 4 8 19 32 -13 13