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Game should have been abandoned says Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss despite victory against Arbroath


By Will Clark

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JOHN Robertson says Caley Thistle’s victory against Arbroath should not have reached full time due to 50mph winds battering the Caledonian Stadium.

Strength of the gale force wind highlighted at the Caledonian Stadium. Picture: Ken Macpherson Photographers.
Strength of the gale force wind highlighted at the Caledonian Stadium. Picture: Ken Macpherson Photographers.

Stormy conditions made football heading towards the South Stand almost impossible with both teams dominating the match when playing towards the North Stand.

Arbroath used the elements to their advantage to take a one-goal lead at half time.

Caley Thistle created no chances on goal in the first half due to playing into the storm.

But with the wind at their backs, Inverness dominated the second period to pick up their first win of the campaign in a 3–1 victory.

But despite coming out as victors, Robertson said the game should have been stopped due to the strength of the wind.

“Games should not be played in these conditions,” he said.

“You can’t ask professional footballers to play in that kind of wind, it is ridiculous.

“You're talking about 40 to 50mph gusts out there.

“When the ball is blown back the game should not have gone ahead.

“The boys couldn’t head the ball in the first half as it was swirling everywhere.”

Despite the conditions, Robertson was pleased with how his team responded to pick their first victory of the campaign.

“We just had to dig in and to keep it at one at half time was fine.

“What we needed to do was press early in the second half and we did that by doing simple things.

“We asked them to play diagonal balls into the box and try and make Arbroath defend and we did.

“We did get nervous after the second goal, but we got the third by showing great composure.

"But we just had to battle, there was nothing fancy, we just had to play to the conditions and got the points."


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