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Home Sport Football Caley Thistle

Caley Thistle Women take stock after four losses ends promotion hopes

Manager Karen Mason admits confidence is at an "all-time low" after their impressive title push turned into a slip down to fourth spot.

By Paul Chalk
Caley Thistle Women manager Karen Mason.
Caley Thistle Women manager Karen Mason. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

Caley Thistle Women’s boss Karen Mason has vowed to regroup after four successive SWF Championship defeats shattered their promotion bid.

Sunday’s 3-2 loss at East Fife – their fourth successive defeat – destroyed their hopes of securing a top-two spot.

They are now fourth in the division, three points below East Fife and seven points adrift of second-placed Ayr United.

Just over a month ago, ICT Women were hot on the heels of pacesetters Rossvale, whose 3-1 win in Inverness was a crushing blow to the Highlanders as they conceded two stoppage-time goals.

Losses against Renfrew and Dryburgh Athletic before the East Fife reversal compounded the misery for Mason’s team.

Inverness have no fixture this weekend and return to league duties on March 17 when they are home to seventh-placed Westdyke.

Caley Thistle Women confidence dropped in recent weeks

Mason explained how the manner of the late double-blow against now runaway Rossvale was the point where all their fortunes flipped on a downward spiral.

She said: “We have not lived up to the heights of what we produced at the end of 2023.

“When you look back at that game against Rossvale, as tight as it was, since losing out to goals in the 96th and 97th minutes, nothing has really been going our way.

“In terms of any big decisions, or player injuries and availability, nothing has been going in our favour.

“Our confidence has hit an all-time low. We’re not going to be in the promotion race any more, so it’s a case of trying to regroup and take each game as it comes.

“We have three games left before the split then depending on where we finish, there will be three or four games after that, but promotion is completely out of our reach now.”

Younger players gaining experience

And the manager explained bringing through the next batch of talent is the priority for the Caley Jags as the main target disappears from view.

Mason added: “More and more of our younger players have been introduced into the team, so this period gives them more chance to gain more experience and integrate within the squad.

“That has got to be our outlook now for the remaining games.”

This Sunday sees the semi-finals of the Scottish Championship and League One Cup as Ayr United take on Dryburgh Athletic at noon before Rossvale host Renfrew Ladies at 4pm.

Top side Locos next up for Westdyke

In SWFL North, Westdyke Thistle, in eighth position, are away to leaders Inverurie Locos this Sunday.

Fourth-placed Dyce Thistle will aim to increase their two-point and two-place gap over visitors Huntly.

The other games are: Arbroath Women v Stonehaven Ladies, Buchan v Grampian Ladies, Dryburgh Athletic v Elgin City.