Dunfermline 0 Inverness CT 0
Saturday, 18th Sep 2021cinch Championship: two changes as Vytas Gašpuitis and Kai Kennedy start
League leaders Inverness Caley Thistle arrived at a sunny East End Park to take on a Dunfermline Athletic team that sat bottom of the table. This was an opportunity for Peter Grant`s team to demonstrate that they are a better team that their league position suggested.
The Dunfermline side showed two changes from the one that started at Ayr the previous Saturday. Vytas Gašpuitis and Kai Kennedy came into the starting eleven with Leon Jones and Ross Graham dropping out. Kennedy and Nikolay Todorov lined up against the club they played for last season and former Danny Devine was in the centre of the opposition defence.
Understandably given their run of six wins Caley Thistle were unchanged both in starting eleven and bench. Dunfermline kicked off with the sun on their backs and an Aaron Comrie shot was deflected behind for fourth minute corner on the right. When Josh Edwards delivered Gašpuitis flashed his header narrowly wide of the far post.
Inverness first threat came from a seventh minute free kick swept to the far side of the penalty box by David Carson where the Highlanders failed to control. Two minutes later an Aaron Doran ball in from deep down the left found Shane Sutherland in front of goal but somewhat surprised by the pass he failed to convert.
Another couple of Inverness free kicks engaged the Pars defence and on the quarter hour a misclearance provided a chance for both Robbie Deas and then Sutherland but both times the feet of Owain Fôn Williams kept the ball out. The pressure was maintained with Dora and then Macgregor having efforts blocked.
In 22nd minute Kevin O’Hara threatened on the left edge of the Caley box and when the clearance dropped to Todorov 30 yards out Mark Ridgers was able to keep his shot out. A smart move involving Manny Duku and Sutherland but the former Raith striker through into the left side of the box but Comrie slid in to concede on corner on the left. Thankfully Gašpuitis was able to forcefully head away Walsh’s delivery.
A Kennedy foul on Sutherland 11 minutes from the interval earned Caley Thistle a free kick 22 yards out but Duku drove the ball into the four man defensive wall. Sutherland was forced to retire and was replaced by Billy McKay in 36th minute.
The decibels from the home support went up after Kennedy embarked on a tricky run up the left and then along the 18 yard line. There were a couple of efforts to fire on target but the defence blocked them out. Back at the other end Kirk Broadfoot headed over from another Walsh corner this time from the right.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Inverness Caley Thistle 0
Both sides made substitutions before the restart Craig Wighton replacing Kevin O’Hara and Cameron Harper coming on for Aaron Doran. Paul Watson collected an early yellow card for a challenged on Duku before the Pars threatened through Dow in 53 minutes. It was Pybus who teed him up but his effort was blocked.
With Wighton looking lively Inverness were pegged back for a period but the Fifers could not get a shot away. Kennedy was halted on the left before Todorov earned a free kick on the right. The Pars fans chants were loud and clear but Edwards required treatment before the setplay could be taken.
Kennedy took charge of the free kick but the ball escaped just outside the far post. In front of the Dunfermline goal Duku headed at Deas cross wildly over Fon Williams crossbar.
Deas foul on Dow could have forced a second yellow but no card was shown and Dorrans delivery from the 63rd minute free kick was defended. A great move created as a consequence of a strong Wighton run from deep inside his own half was switched on through Todorov to Dow on the right but he was squeezed out at the right byeline.
Dom Thomas was introduced for Dan Pybus on 69 minutes and his first touch was from a free kick as a result of Macgregor’s tackle on Kennedy. The Pars man sent the ball invitingly through the Caley box without any connection.
There followed two opportunities for Caley Thistle both of which whistled narrowly outside the left upright, firstly from Walsh and then from McKay. Dunfermline were showing mettle and another ball came on from Dow on the left that reached Thomas who shot but again blocked before the keeper was called into action.
In 76 minutes Thomas picked out Kennedy who threaded the ball through for Wighton but his effort was headed away and then next minute Ridgers was called upon to make a save as a Wighton cross lined up Todorov close in but his header went straight to the man in all orange.
With eight minutes remaining Reece Cole was sent on for the luckless Nikolay Todorov and was yellow carded within four minutes conceding a free kick 23 yards out that again soared wide left.
With time running out Ridgers beat Wighton to a through ball and Cole 35 yards out just could not find the shot at the open goal. Then in the second minute of added time Cole sent Wighton away through the middle and with Devine in his slipstream and the crowd egging him on, managed to fire a shot from 15 yards out that Ridgers palmed away.
It would end 0-0 with the point not enough to lift Dunfermline off the bottom. They trail Hamilton and Morton by two points with a game in hand. The Pars first shut out of the season against the form team in the Championship should be a real boost to Peter Grant and his squad.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Pybus (37), Todorov (43), Watson (49), Cole (86)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Kirk Broadfoot (c), Robbie Deas: Tom Walsh, Scott Allardice, Roddy Macgregor, Aaron Doran (Cameron Harper HT), Shane Sutherland (Billy McKay 36), Manny Duku (Sean Welsh 71)
SUBS NOT USED: Reece McAlear, Wallace Duffy, Lewis Jamieson, Cameron Mackay (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Deas (27)
REFEREE: David Munro
WEATHER: Sunny 17°C
ATTENDANCE 3158
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (home) v Hamilton Academical, Saturday 25th September 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
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Preview Inverness CT
Saturday, 18th Sep 2021cinch Championship (home) v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Saturday 18th September 2021, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park
Dunfermline Athletic will take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday in search of a first league win of the season which would be the Fifers seventh ever home win over the Highlanders. Stacked against them is a record of just ten wins over their opponents in the 45 previous meetings since the first one in August 1999.
Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 17/10/20 | 3-1 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 25/02/20 | 1-2 | Championship
Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1
Last Goalless Match | 19/12/09 | 0-0 | Division 1
First Ever Meeting | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Last time at East End Park
Dunfermline 0 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Saturday 20th March 2021, Championship
Dunfermline 0-1 Inverness CT
Sat, 13th Mar 2021
Undefeated in their six home games since losing to Morton on 12th December, Dunfermline were hosts to an Inverness side under the new temporary management of Neil McCann and Billy Dodds.
The first senior goal for 25 year Englishman David Carson nine minutes from time was enough to win the match for Inverness Caley Thistle over a lacklustre Dunfermline team.
A pass to pick out David CARSON on the right let the full back in to draw Euan Murray and stylishly tuck his shot away in off the far post. 0-1
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson (Vytas Gašpuitis 72), Euan Murray (c), Kyle Macdonald: Scott Banks (Declan McManus 68), Steven Whittaker, Iain Wilson (Lewis Mayo 57), Fraser Murray, Dom Thomas: Craig Wighton.
SUBS NOT USED: Josh Edwards, Kevin O’Hara, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Watson (14), Wighton (79), McManus (82)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Brad McKay, Robbie Deas: Roddy Macgregor, Scott Allardice, Sean Welsh (c), Daniel Mackay (Kevin McHattie 87), Shane Sutherland, Nikolai Todorov (Miles Storey 60).
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Harry Nicolson, Lewis Hyde, Shane Harkness, Cameron Mackay (GK)
The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen three Dunfermline wins, three draws and six Caley Thistle wins.
Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
20/03/21 (H) L 0-1 [0-1] Carson
29/12/20 (A) D 1-1 [1-0] Turner, [1-1] Todorov
17/10/20 (H) W 3-1 [0-1] Todorov, [1-1] E Murray, [2-1] Dow, [3-1] McManus
25/02/20 (H) L 1-2 [0-1] Doran, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Walsh
21/12/19 (A) L 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
14/09/19: (H) L 0-1 [0-1] Welsh
04/05/19: (A) L 0-1 [0-1] Austin
16/02/19: (H) W 1-0 [1-0] Thomson
30/10/18: (A) D 2-2 [1-0] Keena, [1-1] Calder, [2-1] Keena, [2-2] White
01/09/18: (H) L 0-3 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Polworth, [0-3] Oakley
21/04/18: (A) D 2-2 [1-0] Ryan, [1-1] Chalmers, [1-2] Austin, [2-2] Clark.
13/03/18: (H) W 1-0 [1-0] Craigen
Recent Form
Dunfermline’s last win was six matches back in the Premier Sports Cup match against Stenhousemuir. They have lost their last four matches and scored only once.
Inverness Caley Thistle have won their last six matches and have taken maximum points from their first five Championship fixtures. Their victories include wins against the teams currently sitting second, third and fourth.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Ayr United (A) L 0-3
Arbroath (H) L 0-3
Rangers (A) L 0-5
Partick Thistle (H) L 0-3
Morton (A) D 2-2
Stenhousemuir (H) W 4-1
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-1
Buckie Thistle (H) W 4-0
Kilmarnock (A) W 1-0
Ayr United (H) W 1-0
Raith Rovers (H) W 1-0
Arbroath (A) W 1-0
Current League Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 10th
League Points: 1
Goal Difference: -8
League Record: P4 W0 D1 L3 GF3 GA11
Last Six Match Form: WDLLLL
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
League Position: 1st
League Points: 5
Goal Difference: +6
League Record: P5 W5 D0 L0 GF7 GA1
Last Six Match Form: WWWWWW
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Owain Fôn Williams: Leon Jones (Craig Wighton 71), Paul Watson, Ross Graham: Aaron Comrie, Graham Dorrans (c), Josh Edwards: Dan Pybus, Ryan Dow (Kai Kennedy 62): Nikolay Todorov, Kevin O’Hara.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Vytas Gašpuitis, Paul Allan, Dom Thomas, Deniz Mehmet (GK).
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Partick Thistle): Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Kirk Broadfoot, Robbie Deas: Tom Walsh (Cameron Harper 74), Scott Allardice, Roddy Macgregor (Sean Welsh 79), Aaron Doran, Shane Sutherland, Manny Duku (Reece McAlear 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Billy McKay, Lewis Jamieson, Cameron Mackay (GK)
The referee will be David Munro, his first return since officiating the 2-1 defeat to Morton in December 2020 that ended the Pars 15 match unbeaten run.
Other Championship Fixtures
Hamilton v Ayr United
Morton v Raith Rovers
Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock
Queen of the South v Arbroath
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