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We kick-off 2023 with a trip to the Highlands, for our third visit of the season to the Caledonian Stadium, but Jim McIntyre will be without influential midfielder Charlie Gilmour.

The hammer blow came with confirmation that Charlie faces a lengthy layoff after having to be replaced against Hamilton. He suffered an injury to his ankle and a scan has revealed seriously ruptured ligaments. A decision will be taken shortly as to whether he is going to require an operation. It was the news the manager was dreading:

“The scan realised our worst fears. It’s a bad one, the ankle was black and blue, three or four times its normal size, and we don’t expect to see Charlie back out there for at least six to eight weeks, possibly longer.

“It will affect the balance of the team as Charlie had built up an excellent partnership with Blair Yule, and he will be a big miss.

“Shay Logan will also still be out because of his calf injury, so I’m going to have to reshuffle the team a bit, but I have every confidence in the players, and we’ll certainly be able to put out a starting eleven capable of winning the game.”

In addition, Max Johnston will also have to be replaced, as he has now been recalled from his loan spell by parent club, Motherwell.

Having ended the year with a crucial victory over bottom side Hamilton, Cove are now within touching distance of both Billy Dodds’ side and Raith Rovers, and a win would go a long way towards easing any fears of being dragged into the relegation dogfight.

Leighton McIntosh was the hero against Accies, netting twice late on, and he believes the team should be looking up the way:

“It’s been proved that any team can beat any other team in this league. I know they’re a bit depleted because of injuries and we just need to capitalise on that.

“I don’t really look at the table, it’s too early for that and a lot can still happen. You’ve seen how much it’s changed over the last few months, and we want to be looking up rather than behind us. If we can get a bit of a run going, why can’t we be thinking about targeting a play-off place?”

That’s a theme Jim McIntyre was quick to pick up on:

“I was really pleased to finish the first half of the season with a win, because that was very important. We can’t rest on our laurels though; we have got to try to push up the table. There are a couple of teams within touching distance now, and we’ve not had that for a couple of months. That’s the challenge for the players that I want them to embrace.

All six of Leighton’s goals this season have come as a substitute, and he has had to be patient while club captain Mitch Megginson and Gerry McDonagh have secured the starting slots. He admits that has been frustrating, but says he will keep doing what he can to try to claim a place in the side:

“Of course, you want to be in the team, but throughout my career I’ve backed myself to get opportunities and score goals, whether I start the game or come off the bench. I need to try to make an impact. It is frustrating, but what can you do, other than to keep finding the net and hope that gets you into the side.”

The manager was delighted with his super sub’s contribution:

“Leights has got a brilliant habit of coming on and making an impact from the bench. He’s got that knack when the game is stretched and he can exploit the opposition, and his goal return has been excellent.

“Throughout my career, there have been players like that who come on as a substitute and are able to create chances, take chances, and he’s definitely one of those guys. It’s a very important part of the game and Leights has done that for us numerous times this season.”

Whoever starts, Jim says he will be looking for the team to carry on where they left off against Hamilton when they were clinical at one end of the pitch and defensively solid at the other:

“We know all about Inverness’s injury problems, they’ve been well documented, but we’ve got a few ourselves. It will be all about the twenty-two players who take to the pitch, and our focus will be solely on trying to improve our away record and getting that first win.

“It’s an opportunity for us to drag them back in, but they’ll also see it as a chance to pull away from us again, and those factors will, I’m sure, be used in both team talks.

“They’ve bagged two wins against us this season, so we’ll be going there with a determination to reverse that, and that’s exactly what we’ll try to do.”

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