Preview Inverness CT

Ladbrokes Championship (away) Tuesday 30th October 2018, 7.45pm kick off at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium

It’s a funny thing but whenever Dunfermline are scheduled to play a midweek game on dark, cold nights, it invariably seems to involve a trip to the farthest flung places. Tuesday night’s crucial game against Inverness is no different.

October will not be out but by the time it is, Dunfermline will have faced Inverness Caley Thistle three times. This is a quick return to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium after Allan Johnston’s young side knocked the holders out of this season’s Irn Bru Challenge Cup in August. Since then however the Highlanders left East End Park with a 3-0 victory.

Inverness has not been Pars favourite hunting ground either but in April Nicky Clark’s equaliser in the fifth minute of added time made a 2-2 scoreline feel like a win.

Athletic have only twice travelled back down the A9 with a league win under their belts, in April 2000 and March 2007. That last Pars league win at Inverness on St Patrick`s Day 2007, was Stephen Kenny`s first league win in 16 attempts.

Milestones Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Away)
Last League Victory: 17/03/07: 3-1 SPL
Last League Defeat: 28/10/17: 0-1 Championship
Best League Victory: 22/04/00 2-1 Sc Div 1
Worst League Defeats: 15/08/04 & 29/01/05 0-2 SPL
Last Goalless Draw: 03/05/12: 0-0 Premier League
First visit: 23/10/99: 1-1 Sc Div 1

The last dozen league matches have seen two Dunfermline wins, six draws and four Caley Thistle wins.

Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
01/09/18: (H) 0-3 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Polworth, [0-3] Oakley
21/04/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Ryan, [1-1] Chalmers, [1-2] Austin, [2-2] Clark.
13/03/18: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Craigen
28/10/17: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Bell
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.

Last time at the Caledonian Stadium
Inverness 1 Dunfermline 2
Irn Bru Challenge Cup, Tuesday 14th August

After eight trips to Inverness at last a win and it was well done to this primarily young and inexperienced side.

Midway through the first half Connolly who had this far been a real aggravation to Caley Thistle dispossessed Trafford midway inside the opposition half, he slipped the ball forward to Ryan to his left and McKay brought the striker down on the edge of the box. Referee Alan Muir stunned the home fans by pointing to the spot. After McKay was shown yellow Kallum HIGGINBOTHAM trotted up and crashed the ball home into the left side of the net. 0-1

The ICT management made a double substitution in 55 minutes, George Oakley and Tom Walsh replacing Daniel Mackay and Charlie Trafford. This gave an injection of much need urgency that paid off when Calder’s cross from the left was glanced home in 61 minutes by the former Pars youth WHITE. 1-1

There was a sustained period of attack on the Fifers` goal but in 87 minutes they were to score what turned out to be the winner. Ryan gathered the ball on the left, cut inside and nicked the ball back for the in-running SMITH to sweep past Hoban. 1-2

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE: Daniel Hoban: Shaun Rooney, Brad MacKay, Jamie McCart: Riccardo Calder: Liam Polworth, Sean Welsh, Charlie Trafford (Tom Walsh 55): Aaron Doran (c), Jordan White, Daniel Mackay (George Oakley 55)
SUBS NOT USED: Jack Brown, Cameron Harper, Ryan Fyffe, Roddy Kennedy, Cammy Mackay (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Paul Allan, Stuart Morrison, Tom Beadling (Gregor Jordan 63), Brandon Luke: Kallum Higginbotham (c), Matty Todd, Aidan Connolly, Calum Smith (Josh Robertson 90+1), Andy Ryan, Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran Swanson, Lewis Crosbie, Paul Brown, Lewis Sawers, Craig Burt (GK)

Inverness have now gone 21 league games without defeat. On the plus side on 13th March, Dunfermline were the last team to register a league win over them and on 14th August Dunfermline were the last team to beat them.

Form Last Six Matches

DUNFERMLINE
Dundee United (H) 0-2
Queen of the South (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) D 2-2
Falkirk (A) W 2-0
Partick Thistle (H) W 1-0
Morton (A) D 1-1

INVERNESS
Alloa Athletic (A) D 0-0
Dundee United (A) D 1-1
Morton (H) D 1-1
Queen of the South (H) D 0-0
Ross County (A) D 0-0
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-2

League Form

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 7th
League Points: 11
League Record: P10 W3 D2 L5 GF7 GA16
Goal Difference: -7
Last Six League Match Form: DDWWLL

INVERNESS
League Position: 5th
League Points: 16
League Record: P10 W3 D7 L0 GF11 GA6
Goal Difference: +5
Last Six League Match Form: WDDDDD

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Dundee United): Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Louis Longridge (Andy Ryan 69), James Craigen (Aidan Connolly 62), James Vincent (Joe Thomson 77), Tom Beadling, Myles Hippolyte, Faissal El Bakhtaoui. .
SUBS NOT USED: Malaury Martin, Aidan Keena, Robbie Muirhead, Cammy Gill (GK)

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Alloa Athletic): Mark Ridgers: Shaun Rooney, Jamie McCart, Brad McKay, Carl Tremarco (Riccardo Calder 32): Liam Polworth, Joe Chalmers, Arron Doran Cogan (Daniel Mackay 63), Tom Walsh (Nathan Austin 79), Sean Welsh, Jordan White
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Fyffe, Charlie Trafford, Cameron Harper, Daniel Hoban (GK).

Referee will be Barry Cook.

Other Championship fixtures on Tuesday night
Ayr United v Alloa Athletic At Somerset Park
Falkirk v Ross County Ross County at The Falkirk Stadium
Queen of the South v Morton at Palmerston Park

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