Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Morton - Match Preview 

by Russell Gordon

Having enjoyed a productive month of December, which has seen Morton accumulate more points than in the entirety of the season before the month began, Dougie Imrie’s side make the arduous journey to the Highlands to visit Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

With the ‘Ton currently sitting in fifth place, ahead of their hosts by a point, a victory over the Highlanders would be a fantastic way to wrap up 2023.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Squad News

Kirk Broadfoot is again available, having served a one match ban for an accumulation of bookings against Airdrie last weekend, but unfortunately George Oakley’s extended festive break continues following his scandalous ordering off against Queen’s Park a fortnight ago.

Broadfoot may however, find it difficult to regain his place in the starting eleven, after Darragh O’Connor impressed on completing his first ninety minutes since September, having been nursed back into action over the last month or so.

Jai Quitongo and long-term casualty Calum Waters will both sit out, so I wouldn’t expect too many changes to the side, with the probability of Lewis McGrattan continuing in the starting line up and Robbie Muirhead up front on his own.

Current Connections

Most of the connections between the two squads are in the Morton camp, with Broadfoot enjoying a relatively successful 2021-22 campaign in the Highland capital, making the play-offs and only falling short in the second leg of the final as St. Johnstone preserved their Premiership status thanks to a 4-1 aggregate victory.

With Inverness remaining in the Championship the following season, Broadfoot moved onto pastures new at Lowland League circus act Open Goal Broomhill and in came George Oakley and Steven Boyd.

Oakley didn’t last too long in Inverness, allegedly falling out with the notoriously difficult Billy Dodds and heading south to Cappielow in a move that upset nobody, not least the Cappielow faithful.

Boyd was to follow his teammate to Cappielow this summer, having sat on the bench in their Scottish Cup Final defeat by Celtic in June.

Morton boss Dougie Imrie of course, had a two-year spell in the Highlands between 2008 and 2010.

The only former Morton employee in Inverness is defender Wallace Duffy, who joined Morton on loan from St. Johnstone in 2020, but left immediately after his parent club agreed a permanent deal with the weekend’s hosts for him to join Inverness.

Tale of the Tape

After the original Cappielow fixture was called off because of travel difficulties for the visitors in travelling down the A9, a luxury that wasn’t afforded to Morton a mere fortnight earlier when members of the Morton squad couldn’t even get out of Greenock to travel to an away draw with Queen’s Park, Inverness eventually graced us with their presence earlier this month, although few would have noticed they’d turned up, as Duncan Ferguson’s on-form side were ruthlessly put to the sword by a resurgent Morton side who produced arguably their best performance of the season in recording a 2-1 victory that flattered their opponents.

George Oakley capitalised on a mistake by Inverness defender Nikola Udjur to deftly lob the ball over a stricken Mark Ridgers into the net to give Morton a 20^th minute lead. Ten minutes from time, Jack Baird lashed home from close range following a Lewis Strapp long throw to double Morton’s lead.

An injury time Adam Brooks header gave Inverness a scarcely-deserved consolation, but that, was all they had other than a misplaced sense of superiority that they play beautiful football in comparison to Morton, to take up the road with them, which was a real shame.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Opposition Analysis 

After a difficult start to the season saw Inverness rooted to the foot of the table in the campaign’s early weeks, the axe fell on manager Billy Dodds, and after rumours of the imminent appointment of ‘Ton gaffer Dougie Imrie came to nothing, Inverness appointed former Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson to the hotseat.

Ferguson had an immediate impact, recording a 3-2 debut success against Arbroath at Gayfield which lifted them off the foot of the table at the expense of Morton.

They followed up that success, embarking on a six-match unbeaten league run and progressing to the next round of the Scottish Cup before hitting the buffers somewhat in December. Having led late on against big-spending Raith Rovers, they succumbed to 86^th and 94^th minute goals from Lewis Vaughan and Jamie Gullan as Ferguson’s men snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

That looked only to be a temporary blip though, following a resounding Hampden victory over struggling Queen’s Park. However, that was to prove a false dawn, as they travelled to Cappielow hoping to follow that success up only to find Morton a far tougher nut to crack. Having lost to the bottom side in midweek, they followed that up with defeat to Arbroath, the side who replaced Morton at the bottom of the league to continue a miserable month for the Caley Jags.

Thistle then travelled to Firhill, where they recorded a 1-1 draw with Partick last weekend, one of a full set of draws that saw the Championship table retain a status quo.

What’s Happening Elsewhere?

The Championship’s biggest game of the weekend takes place at Tannadice as a stumbling Dundee United will look to get back on track against third placed Partick in the Friday evening game in front of the BBC Scoaltnad cameras.

Big-spending Raith Rovers will be looking to continue their good form with a win over Arbroath at Stark’s Park, while Ayr United host Dunfermline and Airdrie travel to Hampden to face a Queen’s Park side who are struggling at the foot of the table.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Betting Guide 

All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7am on 29th December 2023 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.

Inverness are the favourites going into the match, priced at 23/20, while Morton are priced at 21/10 and the draw is 23/10.

Morton to win 1-0 is 17/2 and Grant Gillespie to score at any time is 7/2.

Match Officials 

Referee- Colin Steven takes charge of his first Morton game of the season. He last officiated the ‘Ton in April, sending off George Oakley in a 1-1 draw at Somerset Park on an afternoon I suspect he’d rather forget.

AR 1- David Roome

AR 2- Robin Taylor