Dunfermline 1 Inverness CT 2
Tuesday, 25th Feb 2020Ladbrokes Championship: Kevin Nisbet returns, Gabby McGill on the bench. Aaron Doran (23) 0-1: Dom Thomas (70) 1-1: Tom Walsh (78) 1-2:
Fortune favoured Inverness greater than it did Dunfermline on this cold Tuesday night. The visitors went ahead from a disputed free kick that was deemed to have crossed the goal line after rattling down off the crossbar. Dom Thomas’ second half equaliser was then followed by what turned out to be the winner for the away team as a Tom Walsh shot was deflected past a helpless Owain Fôn Williams.
After a break of 32 days football returned to East End Park with the visit of second placed Inverness Caley Thistle. Stevie Crawford made one change to his starting eleven bringing top goalscorer Kevin Nisbet back at the expense of Gabby McGill.
Inverness in the midst of a run of three away games made three changes from the side narrowly defeat by Dundee United the previous Friday. John Robertson brought in Lewis Toshney, Aaron Doran and Roddy MacGregor meaning on to the bench went Kevin McHattie, Tom Walsh and James Keatings.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end but it was Dunfermline who had the early chances. Jon Afolabi created the first chance crashing the ball across the six yard box from the left wing in the third minute. Keeper Mark Ridgers parried the ball forward and Euan Murray was unlucky not to get a touch to finish.
A Ryan Dow corner from the right was met by Nisbet but his attempt went straight into the arms of Ridgers. Nizzy had another chance that he sent over before Afolabi smashed a strong low shot wide right in 14 minutes.
The Highlanders first threat came from a corner sent in from the left by Doran on the quarter hour but over hit the return was off target from an acute angle. Five minutes later a Miles Storey ball in from the right was cleared by Aaron Comrie but then in 23 minutes Comrie got caught challenging between two Caley players and the visitors were awarded a free kick 23 yards out. Carson and DORAN stood over the ball before the latter hit the ball around the four man wall to enter the goal off the crossbar. 0-1
The Pars immediate response was a Dom Thomas shot from the left corner of the ICT box that Rodgers held. Inverness however with the lead enjoyed more possession and a worrying territorial advantage. Doran in particular was looking dangerous but it was Macgregor who was on the end of a Carl Tremarco cross who headed a 37th minute chance wide right.
Five minutes from the break a Dow cross picked out Thomas and when he shot Nisbet got a touch but the effort went over the bar. The home side’s push for a goal before the break was led by Murray, his cross was deflected behind for a 44th minute corner. When that came in Dow’s shot was blocked. Then when Storey fouled Murray on the left 12 yards out the resultant free kick saw Kyle Turner on the end of it but off target.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Afolabi got the second half underway and Dunfermline made a positive start with a Murray cross cut out by McKay. Thomas had two bites from a 50th minute free kick before next minute popping up on the end of a Nisbet pass to crash a shot on target that Ridgers tipped away and Dow’s follow up went wildly over the bar.
Ethan Ross was the first sub of the evening coming on for Ryan Dow in 54 minutes. Lee Ashcroft conceded a corner on the right two minutes later but Paton eventually got that away.
A long ball from Turner was aimed right for Afolabi to run on to but his attempt was blasted well over. Next a Nisbet cut back put Turner in but his effort was blocked amidst appeals for hand ball. A swift move from Turner through Thomas set up Murray on the overlap but the best he could win was the corner. Thomas sent that over but no one could get the telling connection.
On 65 minutes Nisbet picked out Afolabi in a central position but his shot from 25 yards out went straight to Ridgers. The same thing happened to next Turner shot.
In 68 minutes Gabby McGill replaced Jon Afolabi and within a minute the sub was teed up by Ross and forced a corner on the right. Thomas crosses from the setpiece and when not properly cleared THOMAS pounced on the opportunity and spectacularly crashed home from 20 yards out. 1-1
Devine was under pressure when he headed narrowly wide of the visitors’ goal and then at the other end sub Tom Walsh hit the right post with a well connected effort from 20 yards out. WALSH was much more fortunate with his next attempt a deflection off Murray finding the right side of the Pars goal in 78 minutes. 1-2
Ross forced a corner on the left but Ridgers held Thomas’ cross. Inverness absorbed all that the Fifers threw at them in the remaining minutes. Martin headed over at a corner and Ridgers held a Paton cut back but there was to be no way through the resolute defence.
At Somerset Park Morton defeated Ayr United 2-1 so Dunfermline drop to seventh in the league while Inverness stay second three points ahead of Dundee.
SUBS NOT USED: Joe Thomson, Tom Beadling, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Thomas (70)
YELLOW CARD: Paton (30), Ashcroft (57)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers, Shaun Rooney, Brad McKay, Lewis Toshney, Carl Tremarco (c): David Carson, James Vincent, Miles Storey (Tom Walsh 70), Aaron Doran (Charlie Trafford 81), Roddy Macgregor (James Keatings 61), Jordan White.
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin McHattie, Nikolay Todorov, Cameron Harper, Cameron Mackay (GK).
SCORERS: Doran (23), Walsh (78)
YELLOW CARD: Vincent (10), McKay (20), Tremarco (61), Toshney (79)
REFEREE: Gavin Ross
WEATHER: Cloudy 2C
ATTENDANCE 3357
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship (home) v Dundee United, Saturday 29th February 2020, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park.
50/50 winning ticket was 523543
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Preview Inverness CT
Tuesday, 25th Feb 2020Ladbrokes Championship: (home) Tuesday 25th February 2020, kick off 7.45pm at East End Park
This match is the re-arranged fixture postponed from Saturday 15th February due to Caley Thistle’s involvement in the semi final of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup.
On Friday night Caley Thistle lost 2-1 at Tannadice leaving them 21 points behind United in second place. The Pars match on Saturday at the Energy Check Stadium was postponed leaving them without a fixture for the third weekend running. Stevie Crawford and his players will be desperate to get back on the park and one can only hope the weather relents enough to allow this fixture to go ahead.
Dunfermline have lost both matches so far this season against the Highlanders and sorely need league points to lift them up from sixth place. They trail Caley Thistle by five points with both clubs having played 23 matches.
Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 16/02/19 | 1-0 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 14/09/19 | 0-1 | Championship
Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1
Last Goalless Match | 02/05/12 | 0-0 | Premier League
First Ever Meeting | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen three Dunfermline wins, four draws and five Caley Thistle wins.
Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
21/12/19: (A) 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
14/09/19: (H) 0-1 [0-1] Welsh
04/05/19: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Austin
16/02/19: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Thomson
30/10/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Keena, [1-1] Calder, [2-1] Keena, [2-2] White
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.)
Last time at East End Park
Ladbrokes Championship, Saturday 14 September
Dunfermline 0 Inverness CT 1
There was stalemate in this match until fifteen minutes from the end. The freshly introduced subs injected some urgency into the play and both sets of fans became more vocal. Cammy Gill pulled off a good stop on a Doran rocket from 25 yards out.
When Coley was caught offside, Coll Donaldson launched the free kick from inside the Dunfermline half. Vincent attacked the ball as it bounced up and Danny Devine was penalised for handball, a penalty was given. Sean WELSH made no mistake to score what turned out to be the winner for the visitors with three minutes remaining.
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Aaron Comrie, Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin, Josh Edwards (Danny Devine 77): Tom Beadling, Paul Paton (c), Kyle Turner (Harry Cochrane 72), Lewis McCann (Josh Coley 72), Greg Kiltie, Kevin Nisbet.
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Ryan, Gabby McGill, Matty Todd, Ryan Scully (GK)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE: Mark Ridgers, Shaun Rooney, Coll Donaldson, Jamie McCart, Carl Tremarco (c): David Carson (Sean Welsh 60), James Vincent, Miles Storey, Aaron Doran, Tom Walsh (Roddy Macgregor 72), Jordan White (Nikolay Todorov 62).
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin McHattie, Charlie Trafford, Cameron Harper, Cameron Mackay (GK).
Form Last Six Matches
Dunfermline have won two of their last six matches and at home have won six of their last eight home games..
Inverness Caley Thistle have won three of their last six matches including two in cups. They have won four of their last eight away games. Former Pars striker Jordan White is their top goalscorer in the league with six goals.
DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (A) W 3-2
Dundee (H) W 2-0
Morton (A) L 2-3
Ayr United (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) L 1-3
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-2
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Dundee United (A) L 1-2
Rangers U20 (H) W 2-1
Livingston (H) W 1-0
Alloa Athletic (H) D 1-1
Ayr United (A) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (A) W 3-2
Current League Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 6th
League Points: 31
Goal Difference: +4
League Record: P23 W9 D4 L9 GF36 GA32
Home League Record: P12 W6 D2 L4 GF21 GA14
Last Six League Match Form: LLLLWW
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 36
Goal Difference: +5
League Record: P23 W11 D3 L9 GF31 GA26
Away League Record: P12 W5 D1 L6 GF13 GA15
Last Six League Match Form: LWWLDL
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Lee Ashcroft, Danny Devine, Euan Murray: Ryan Dow, Paul Paton (c), Kyle Turner, Dom Thomas: Jonathan Afolabi (Tom Beadling 87): Gabby McGill (Kevin Nisbet 58).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Ethan Ross, Lewis McCann, Josh Edwards, Cammy Gill (GK)
INVERNESS CT (v Dundee United): Mark Ridgers, Shaun Rooney, Brad McKay, Kevin McHattie, Carl Tremarco (c): David Carson (Charlie Trafford 59), James Vincent, Miles Storey (Aaron Doran 66), Tom Walsh (Nikolay Todorov 86), James Keatngs, Jordan White.
SUBS NOT USED: Cameron Harper, Lewis Toshney, Macgregor, Cameron Mackay (GK).
Referee will be Gavin Ross, officiating his fifth Championship match in his first time at East End Park since the Pars 2-2 draw with Alloa Athletic in January 2019.
Other Championship fixtures in midweek
The only other match in this division is
Ayr United v Morton
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