Run-in can give ICT boss glimpse of future

Caley Thistle Women manager Karen Mason plans to use the final three games of the SWF Championship season to prepare for next term.

ICT host Ayr United tomorrow in their first post-split match, with Mason’s side securing a place in the top four with an emphatic win over Hutchison Vale a fortnight ago.

The highest the fourthplaced Caley Jags could finish would be third but it would be a difficult task as they currently trail East Fife, who are third, by eight points.

With league position no longer a priority, the Inverness boss hopes to put the building blocks in place for next season during the final run-in to this league campaign.

Mason said: “For us now it is about getting these fixtures completed and looking ahead to next season. In terms of having anything left to play for, for us, it is pretty minimal and getting top four was probably the end to our target-setting for this season.

“It is planning with the ones who will still be here with us. We know some of the younger players will be going off to university in September.

“It’s going to be about working on different things and giving game time to some players who haven’t had much throughout the season.

“It is very difficult to see what next season is going to be like because we don’t know the extent of what our squad is going to look like, but I think it could be another year of rebuilding again.”

Another incentive during the run-in, Mason says, will be to “throw a spanner in the works” for the three teams above them competing for the title and promotion to SWPL 2. Rossvale could win the title this weekend if Ayr drop points in Inverness and the league-leaders fail to draw or beat East Fife.

Mason added: “We haven’t achieved our target of promotion, so why don’t we inflict a bit of a challenge on the rest of the teams. We could still play a part and have a say in how things end up. I just hope none of them are resting too much on thinking that playing against us is an easy three points.”

Elsewhere in the Championship, Westhill side Westdyke start their post-split run of fixtures with a trip to Hutchison Vale, who sit bottom of the league with no points.

SWFL North leaders Inverurie – who have a 100% record in the league – will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s League Cup defeat to Glenrothes Strollers when they travel to Dyce – as will Grampian, who were defeated in their SWFL Plate semi-final against Musselburgh Windsor, when they host Huntly.

The other SWFL North fixtures are: Arbroath v Buchan, Dryburgh Athletic Development v Westdyke Thistle, and Elgin City v Stonehaven.

There is only one game in the Highland and Islands League as Orkney host Buckie Ladies.

Caley Thistle Women head coach Karen Mason.