Play-off Final 1st leg: Accies v Inverness

[Stevie Clarke]

Some odd stats. Inverness finished the season with the second best defensive record in the league, however only Arbroath scored fewer. And outside of the top three, they were the only side to have a positive goal difference! But they struggled to get past Montrose so why can't we beat them? We have a great record up there, one cup drubbing apart but they do quite well in Hamilton. Wouldn't be unhappy taking a draw up there. Please get the selection right, Rankin. No Scott Martin, get Connor Murray in and ditch Williamson and Barjonas. Start Rose. Owens for the useless McGowan.

[StewartP]

McGowan shouldn’t play but I suspect he will. Same with Barjonas and Williamson. Martin is off the pace but I’d keep him in.

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

I don’t think they are any better than Alloa,so a lot will depend on how our three years wonder sets the team out and who he plays.

Even a blind man can see Kilday/McGowan are a vulnerable pairing, so even if he does play Fergus Owens, it will be at right back or as part of a 5 man defence.

He got away with it yesterday with dreadful game Management and he won’t be so lucky again, so he needs to get it right.

[AccieDownUnder]

I think it's a little bit naive to say they aren't as good as Alloa based on two high pressure games vs Montrose where effectively Mo' were under far less pressure. (We took 4 points off Montrose over our past two games for reference which is exactly what ICT would have achieved also.)

ICT had the 2nd best defensive record in the league with only Dundee united shipping less which showed after not conceding any goals over the 180 minutes in the playoffs so far. Coupled that with Billy McKay (who may be past it now in the 2nd tier but would do a job in L1) then we should be extremely cautious. Max Anderson, Cammy Kerr, Ridgers and Harper are all more than capable players as well. It'll be interesting to see how this goes but I wouldn't be surprised if the first leg is a 0-0 draw with both sides a little weary of showing their hand too early.

Thinking less negatively - we 100% have a squad of players capable of winning this tie AND Duncan Ferguson appears to be as competent as John Rankin in the dugout. This games on a knife-edge for me and I simply can't call it. Hotel booked for a couple of nights in the highlands to celebrate or drown my sorrows! Buzzing for the coming week.

0-0 1st leg followed by a Lewis Smith 90th minute winner up in Inverness!

[porcupine]

Let's see if the players are up for a convincing win on Wednesday night, or are they thinking more about a couple of weeks in Ibiza very soon?

[Euan]

Hotel booked for a couple of nights in the highlands to celebrate or drown my sorrows! Buzzing for the coming week.

Last time I went to Inverness to watch Accies, went up the night before for some Highland hospitality. Ate in an excellent seafood restaurant ‘Rocpool’, worth going to if you’re looking for a quality dinner.
Looking after grandkids this weekend, so it’ll be TV only for me, but looking forward to attending the first leg tomorrow. Hopefully a good crowd and an Accies victory.

Fearing Billy McKay may spoil things , as he has a habit of scoring against us, but fingers crossed he is in fact past it.

[Theaccie1]

We are more than capable of winning the overall tie.
The positive in the last round for me was that we came back from losing positions and dug in when we needed to.
We will need the same resilience, and to approach the game with some confidence and belief (fans and players).
Looking forward to tonight's game.

C'mon the Accies!

[Red and white hoops]

Id like to reiterate what I said before the Alloa games.

Tonight and Saturday is all about getting our club back into the championship. Regardless of your opinions on the manager, the board, the club or whatever else surrounding accies please put it aside for these two games. Back the team over these two legs and we can argue all summer over everything else.

[porcupine]

So far ahead in first half but ICT were the better after their two subs came on in second half. We have nothing to fear from this team. We can go there and win this final. Hewitt missed a sitter header which woul have restored our two goal cushion.

[Theaccie1]

Well done to the team, a great effort and result tonight.
The first half was the best I've seen us play this season by a mile, but you could see they were tiring towards half time.
Second half we couldn't maintain the performance level which was understandable.

Having a lead for the next game was crucial and if we score first on Saturday it gives them a mountain to climb and may get their fans on their back!
Nothing to fear in the next game for sure and the overall tie is very winnable.

One game to go, let's give it everything we've got......c'mon the Accies!

[StewartP]

Header in second half has to hit the target.

What a first half performance! Tiring towards the end of the half but what commitment from everyone. Game changed at half time with the subs and we were second best thereafter but we still have our lead.

It was definitely a penalty and the ref looked like he was going to blow and then changed his mind. We also never really got any decisions from him all game. Standside linesman was fairly poor too.

ICT should have scored with their free header which flashed over the bar. Bit of luck there.

Game showed there’s nothing to fear from them.

[AccieDownUnder]

Wow, what a game.

First half I actually felt we started really slowly and couldn’t get a rhythm of play together before Kev popped up with a moment of genius. From there on in we were so dominant. Barjo’s best game for me, he was absolutely terrific. His injury doesn’t look great and I’d be surprised if he makes the 2nd leg.

The only two negatives in the first half was we never managed to get a third and the referees howling call for the penalty. Clear as day and he was in a brilliant position to see it. Oh, another negative was my decision to think Scottish summer was here and wore a dress as I was meeting friends for a drink after the game! Absolutely frozen.

2nd half - Again, Rankins words of wisdom coming into play and we were a shambles at the start. Harper / Lawal had Tumilty on toast with zero protection from the mime artist Williamson. They deserved a goal back and they probably feel they could have got another. It very much feels like that both teams have ok squads there with a buffoon in the dugout. Let’s see who goes for it on Saturday!

[Red and white hoops]

If I had been offered a 2 - 1 beforehand I’d have taken it, could have been even better if we had been given the penalty for handball. If that had been given and we’d scored I think the tie could have been out of sight due Inverness in the first half.

A high tempo, high pressing game first half they couldn’t cope with. O’hara with a beautiful goal from almost halfway and gave everything. His work rate was fantastic. Fergus with a great powerful header off the bar and followed it up himself to put us two up.

Second half we were a bit slower and they came into it. I felt our midfield sat too deep and the changes made by Caley changed them. Number 14 and 40 has probably played themselves into a start on Saturday.

O’hara and Owens best for us.

First goal on Saturday absolutely crucial. Get up there if you can and support the team.

[Stevie Clarke]

First half was amazing but let's be honest, they dominated possession and we were hitting them on the counter. *Edit: watched it back, we were a bit more in control than that.* Doing it brilliantly though. One of THE great NDP goals from Kev, at least 45 yards ( halfway line is 57.5 yards) but sadly he won't get given it! Henderson was superb in that half and I thought Barjonas and Williamson had their best performances. I don't like to see penalties given when the ball's blasted at someone from two yards away but if his arm was out, not seen it back, it should've been given. *Edit: yep, especially when you remember the penalty given against McGowan in the first Falkirk game when he couldn't get out of the way of the ball.

Enforced change at break, fair enough. Redfern maybe an odd choice ahead of Connor Murray or Hewitt but he started the half very brightly and one superb bit of skill nearly set up a third. However, the changes from that point were awful. We were struggling in midfield anyway and he swaps Martin for Rose. Maybe Scott isn't up to the full 90 yet but again why not Murray or Hewitt. Hewitt came on and replaced Tumilty and he should probably have scored with that header. It was torture at times with the midfield getting overwhelmed and Rankin persisting with two frontmen. Surely it should have been five in midfield?

One thing nobody has mentioned, the performance of Dean Lyness. Superb handling all night and made a couple of saves look easier than they were. I feel we can score up there so they'll need at least two. Could go either way but I'm making only my second ever trip to this ground. C'mon Accies, let's finish the job!

[monkeybones]

Lets not play McGowan in Inverness...

[manxaccie]

Lets not play McGowan in Inverness...

Can’t remember McGowan making a mistake last night? Strange comment.

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

McGowan has dreadful all season, bar last night, but no way this Manager would have the cojones to drop him.

Next season the central defence should be Jamie Hamilton and Fergus Owens whatever League we find ourselves in, but I can see Rankin getting rid of Jamie Hamilton and keeping McGowan.

[AccieDownUnder]

Aye I'm all for slating McGowan but he didn't put a foot wrong. Actually his only mistake was going through the back of an Inverness player needlessly right on the edge of the box which ended up not being penalised. God awful performance from the man in the middle.

[monkeybones]

I didn't say McGowan made a mistake last night....Not a strange comment.... I said don't play him at Inverness, they will likely target his lack of speed after seeing him in action and how their two quick subs caused us issues.

[Euan]

I fully agree that Fergus Owens should be one of our Central defenders next season and that (if he can stay fit and focused) Jamie Hamilton should partner him.
However McGowan’s experience and the fact he and Owen’s played well together in the first game would sway me to playing that pairing again tomorrow.
Hewitt for Barjonas if he’s injured, but otherwise I’d start the same 11.
We can definitely go up there without fear. Here’s hoping.