WE CAN’T LET TON RUIN OUR XMAS AGAIN
Coll targets Cappielow festive cheer this time
A YEAR ago Morton stole Caley Thistle’s Christmas.
This time Coll Donaldson wants all the festive joy at Cappielow to be the away side’s.
Inverness travelled south to face Ton 12 months ago and lost to a Gary Harkins penalty.
Now, despite a rash of draws, the Highlanders are in a strong position to challenge for promotion but know Jonatan Johansson’s side are breathing down their necks.
Donaldson said: “We had a similar fixture against Morton down there last year – and got beat. We know what we’re going to face. It will be a tough game.
“But we also had a good experience against them down there in the last game of the season when we won.
“Hopefully we can use that and pick up a good result.
“The next few games are all against teams around about us so it’s important we start to pick up three points.
“Morton are doing well this year, like most years in this league. They are up near the play-offs. It will be a difficult test but we believe in ourselves and will hopefully pick up three points.” Inverness were disappointed to draw at home to an improving Dundee United last weekend – a fact that only adds to Donaldson’s optimism for tests in store. He added: “We were better against Dundee United. I feel they are the best team we’ve played this season.
“When we played Ayr they were down to 10 men quite early so we couldn’t really gauge much from that game.
“But this season our toughest games have been the two draws with United, so it gives us a lot of encouragement how we performed. There were more positive signs.
“We’re right in there, joint fourth at the moment. It will be topsy-turvy before the end of the season with a lot of changes in league positions.
“Hopefully we can just put ourselves in that play-off zone by the time it really matters.”
Donaldson insists the Caley Thistle players won’t let minds flit beyond matters at Cappielow to next weekend’s Highland derby in Dingwall.
He said: “It’s maybe easier this week because of the timing of it with Christmas in between.
“All our focus is going to be on Morton then we can take time to be with our families over Christmas before turning thoughts to Ross County.
“That’s maybe a good distraction, although there are a few big games coming up, not just Ross County.”
Michael Tidser is hoping to make Morton supporters happy even before Santa arrives.
The Ton midfielder said: “It’s our last home game before Christmas and we want to put points on board and send the fans home happy.
“If we can win this one we get closer to the top four.
“We want to make Cappielow a really hard venue for any team to get points from and beating Inverness would send out a strong message.”
Johansson’s side can overtake the Highlanders and possibly move back into the top four for the first time since August with a win.
And Tidser added: “This league is so competitive no team will win five or six games in a row. But if you can win your home games and pick up points in away games you will climb the table.
“We got a point at Falkirk last weekend in a game that was ruined by the weather but a point away from home is a point.
“If we can add to that with a home win over Inverness then hopefully we can start putting together a run that will get us into the play-offs by the end of the season.
“Inverness are a good side and it will be tough to beat them but that’s what we will aim to do. They don’t lose many games but we did well at their place earlier in the season when we got a deserved draw.
“We went there after losing heavily to Ayr and put in a really strong performance.
“We will need another strong performance to secure what everyone wants.”