03 MATCHDAY 50/50 TICKETS
The half-time 50/50 tickets are available from the 50/50 Stand beside the Home Pie Hut!
Not only will you be in with a chance to win a cash prize, but your ticket also gives you 10% off at Sea Salt + Sole –valid on matchday only
50/50 DRAW WINNER
The half-time draw at the Peterhead match was claimed by a Alison Smith with winning ticket number 177845.
INVERNESS CT MATCH REPORT
Despite a disciplined display in the Highlands, a first-half strike from Celtic loanee Mitchel Robertson proved enough to give Inverness a 1–0 victory on a wet afternoon.
The manager made one change to the team that faced Peterhead last weekend, with defender Justin Eguaibor coming in for midfielder Mackenzie Strachan - a switch that saw Cove line up with a back three.
It was a bright start from the team despite persistent rain that made for slick and testing conditions. Cove came flying out of the blocks, winning a corner inside the opening minute. A neat routine found O’Donnell on the edge of the area, and after creating space, his shot was blocked - a promising early sign nonetheless.
Inverness began to find their rhythm and carved out their first opportunity on ten minutes when Wotherspoon cut inside from the right before drilling just wide.
Moments later, the hosts created a big chance to take the lead. Sole slid a pass through the Cove back line for Mackinnon, whose low cross found Zimba, but the striker blazed over from ten yards. The forward remained lively and soon headed narrowly wide after connecting with Allan’s looping cross.
The breakthrough came just before the twenty-minute mark. After Darge did well to block a dangerous delivery from MacLeod, Cove failed to deal with the resulting corner, allowing ROBERTSON, the on-loan Celtic defender, to volley home from close range.
Caley Thistle continued to control possession and almost added a second on 28 minutes. Mackinnon found space inside the box and looked certain to score, but a crucial deflection from Darge sent the shot wide.
06 INVERNESS CT MATCH REPORT
Mutch was called into action again shortly after, producing an excellent save to deny MacLeod after a clever flick from Allan opened up the Cove defence.
An injury to Arron Darge ten minutes before the break forced a reshuffle, with Strachan replacing the skipper and the team reverting to a 4–3–3.
Just before half-time, Mutch made another strong stop - this time getting down well to his right to push away Mackinnon’s low drive - keeping Cove in the contest at the interval.
The second half began quietly, with the wet surface continuing to make fluent play difficult for both sides. It wasn’t until the 66th minute that Inverness threatened again, Allan flashing a dangerous cross across the face of goal that thankfully found no takers in blue.
As the game entered its final stages, the hosts turned up the pressure. Substitute Alfie Stewart’s corner found captain Devine at the back post, but Justin Eguaibor made a vital block to prevent a second.
Moments later, Mutch again came to the rescue - diving sharply to his left to palm away a powerful strike from Sole after the winger cut inside from the flank.
The home side’s best chance to seal the win came soon after when a slip from Bisland allowed Allan a clear run on goal, but with only the keeper to beat, he fired high and wide.
Cove’s best opportunity of the match fell to Emslie in the closing minutes. The winger found space on the edge of the box and struck powerfully at goal, forcing Munro into an unconvincing save that just about diverted the effort behind for a corner.
Former Cove man Luis Longstaff combined well late on with MacLeod, whose effort from the right flew wide of the far post.
In the final act of the match, David Eguaibor tried his luck from 25 yards, but his curling effort drifted off target - the final action on a rain-soaked afternoon in the Highlands.
INVERNESS: (4-2-3-1)
Munro; MacLeod, Devine (C), Savage, Mitchell; Allan, Chalmers (Alonge 88’); Sole (MacIntyre 88’), Mackinnon (Stewart 72’), Wotherspoon (Longstaff 72’), Zimba (Bavide 63’)
Substitutes: Ross, Clark, Thompson
Scorers: Jason Brown (7′), Smith (71′)
Bookings:
COVE RANGERS: (5-3-2)
Mutch; Bisland, J.Eguaibor Darge (C) (Strachan 37’), Parker, Harrington; Yule; O’Donnell (Donaldson 83’), McAllister; Emslie, D. Eguaibor
Substitutes: Demus, Milnes
Scorers:
Bookings: Yule (33’)
Referee: Gary Hanvidge
Attendance: 2,102
KDM EVOLUTION TROPHY
FORFAR ATHLETIC MATCH REPORT
The team battled in torrential rain at Balmoral Stadium but were left to rue a costly first half as Forfar Athletic claimed a 1–2 win in the KDM Evolution Trophy. Despite controlling much of the play and pulling a goal back through Reuben McAllister’s second-half free-kick, early defensive errors and missed chances proved decisive on a frustrating night.
With changes made following the weekend defeat to Inverness, the manager brought Balint Demus back between the posts, the number 21 continuing his run in the cup, while Mackenzie Strachan replaced the injured Arron Darge.
In difficult, rain-soaked conditions, Cove began on the front foot, pinning the visitors back from the first whistle.
The first chance came after just five minutes when Parker whipped a teasing ball across the face of goal. David Eguaibor stretched to make contact but couldn’t quite reach it at full stretch.
Cove kept up the pressure, and six minutes later Emslie showed neat footwork on the wing before laying the ball back to Harrington, who delivered a delightful cross into the area. David Eguaibor rose highest but couldn’t direct his header on target, the ball glancing wide to let Forfar off the hook.
Moments later, a costly error gifted the visitors the lead. After comfortably collecting a shot, Demus attempted to roll the ball out from the edge of his box, but his throw fell straight to Lorimer 30 yards from goal. The midfielder quickly found WHATLEY, who burst through and slotted past Demus to make it 0–1.
The goal settled Forfar, who began to enjoy more possession as Cove looked to recover from the early setback.
Just before the half-hour mark, Cove almost found an equaliser through a set-piece. A short corner between Emslie and O’Donnell ended with the latter curling a cross into a crowded penalty area. Lorimer’s attempted clearance sliced backwards, clipping the crossbar before Stafford gathered under pressure to relieve the danger.
In the 36th minute, Forfar doubled their advantage in unusual circumstances. WHATLEY’s inswinging corner caught the swirling wind and sailed directly over Demus and into the net - a cruel blow on a stormy night at Balmoral.
Cove pushed to respond before the break. On 40 minutes, after several blocked efforts inside the box, Yule picked up the loose ball on the edge of the area and clipped in a cross for Parker, whose glancing header flew narrowly wide of the far post.
10 FORFAR ATHLETIC MATCH REPORT
A minute later, Forfar broke down the other end, Shepherd getting in behind too easily down the right before squaring for Cannon, but Justin Eguaibor tracked back superbly to block the effort in front of Demus.
Cove came out after the restart determined to find a way back into the tie and were immediately on the front foot.
On 47 minutes, McAllister curled a free-kick goalwards from 25 yards, his effort taking a deflection on its way through. Stafford managed to push the ball over despite fumbling his save, and from the resulting corner McAllister’s delivery was clawed off the line as Cove pressed hard for an early second half goal.
The team found their breakthrough just past the hour mark. A McALLISTER free-kick from out on the right swung through a crowded box, evading everyone and nestling in the far corner to get back into the match.
Moments later, O’Donnell almost levelled the score, skipping past a series of challenges before cutting inside and curling a strike toward the top corner, only for Stafford to produce a superb fingertip save.
At the other end, Demus denied Sutherland with a strong stop after the striker broke through from halfway and fired low toward goal.
Cove continued to push for an equaliser, with Emslie producing a terrific driving run on 80 minutes to turn his marker inside out before clipping a cross to the back post, where David Eguaibor headed narrowly wide of the post from close range.
Demus was again called into action late on, reacting sharply to save from Richardson after a Forfar counter-attack in the closing minutes.
Despite sustained second-half pressure in testing conditions, the team were unable to find the equaliser. The 2–1 defeat brought the group stage of the KDM Evolution Trophy to a close, but our earlier results in the competition were enough to see us progress to the Round of 32.
COVE RANGERS:
(4-2-3-1)
Demus; Bisland, J.Eguaibor, Parker, Harrington; Yule (C), Strachan; McAllister, O’Donnell, Emslie; D. Eguaibor
Substitutes: Mutch, Donaldson, Milnes
Scorers:
Bookings: McAllister (87’), Parker (90’)
FORFAR: (4-4-2)
Stafford; Lemon, Allan (C), Dolzanski, Martin; Bright, Whatley (McLinden 69’), Lorimer, Cannon (Richardson 46’); Shepherd (Sutherland 46’), Rennie (Mailer 69’)
Substitutes:
Scorers: Whatley x2
Bookings: Dolzanski 34’, Mailer 86’, McLinden 90’
Referee George Calder
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16 25/26 SEASON STATS
Date
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25/04/2026
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22 A VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
WelcometoBalmoralStadium thisafternoonaswereturnto leagueactionlookingtoputa difficultweekbehindusandget backontrackwithapositive result.
Ithasbeenafrustratingweekfor usinthebuild-uptotoday’s game.UpintheHighlandslast weekend,Ifeltweproduceda resolutedefensiveperformance inreallychallengingconditions, andforlongspellswemanaged thegamewell.Unfortunately,a poorgoaltoconcedefromasetpieceundidourhardwork,and weleftwithnothingtoshowfor theefforttheplayersputin.
Tuesdaynightinthecupwas anotherdisappointingresult.It reallywasagameoftwohalves -wedominatedpossessionafter thebreakandlookedthe strongerside,butwedidn’twork theForfargoalkeeperanywhere nearenoughoverthe90 minutes.Foralltheplaywehad, wedidn’tforcehimintothe savesweneededtoturnthe gamearound.Thegoalswe concededwereextremelypoor fromourperspective,andthat ultimatelysummedupour evening.
Weareagainfacingadifficultchallenge thisafternoon,notleastbecauseofour ongoinginjurysituation.ArronDarge,who hasbeenakeyplayerforus,pickedupa footinjuryinInvernessandscanshave confirmedhehasfracturedabone, meaninghewillbeoutforanumberof weeks.Hejoinsalonglistofothersinthe treatmentroom,andonceagainwewillbe callingonalimitedsquadgrouptogoand getaresult.
Ican’tfaultthecommitmentoftheboys I’maskingtogoagaineveryweek.The effortandattitudehavebeenthere—we nowneedtoturnthatintopoints.Every singlegameistoughinthisleague,and todaywillbenodifferent.Wehavetostay positive,sticktogether,anddoeverything wecantocomeawaywithsomething.We reallyneedaresult.
Ouropponentshavehadastrongseason sofarandhaveshownrealresilience despiteeverythinggoingonattheirclub. Theyhavegoodplayersthroughouttheir sideandwe’reexpectinganotherhardfoughtcontest.Butifwebringintensity, defendproperly,andtakeourchances whentheycome,wegiveourselvesevery opportunity.
Asalways,yourbackingmeansagreat dealtotheplayers-especiallyduring difficultspells-andwewillbedoing everythingwecantorewardthatsupport thisafternoon.
Enjoythegame!
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