Caley Thistle should build a team around Alfie Bavidge and Jordan Alonge next season
Inverness have scored 99 goals this term and on-loan Aberdeen ace Bavidge, who is being released by the Dons, is sure to attract suitors - but ICT have to lead the queue.
Inverness are now just one goal shy of the century this season – with Aberdeen loanee Alfie Bavidge now on the 20-mark.
The 19-year-old forward, who has sparkled on loan in the Highlands for a second successive season, has been told by the Dons his contract won’t be renewed this summer, which sparked plenty of debate when we reported this last month.
You would hope Caley Thistle owner and chairman Alan Savage, who helped tee up the initial loan deal last year via Alfie’s dad Martin, a former ICT player, is already doing all he can to ensure Bavidge is their main man up top next year.
The 3-1 hard-fought weekend win against Montrose turned back in the Caley Jags’ favour when Bavidge pounced in the box to restore the lead after Billy Mckay’s first half goal was wiped out by Taylor Steven’s spot-kick just after the break.
Lethal goals rate from Bavidge
Jordan Alonge’s goal late on as the Gable Endies pressed for a second equaliser was the icing on the cake, especially with second-placed Stenhousemuir drawing at Queen of the South. It leaves the leaders two points clear of Stenny, with one game in hand.
The 99 goals scored by Inverness this season is already the highest tally they’ve achieved in a single campaign, no doubt helped by the Challenge Cup routs such as 9-0 against Dumbarton and 6-0 each against Dundee and Dundee United B teams.
Bavidge is their top scorer, with 10 League One goals and 10 in the cups. He’s started 21 games and come off the bench 17 times.
He’s just been named in the SPFL League One player of the month after scoring goals against East Fife, Hamilton Accies and Stenhousemuir during February.
Overall, 15 different players have scored for Inverness this term as they target a League One and Challenge Cup double.
There will be major interest in signing Bavidge come June, but hopefully he will be celebrating a title win next month and the lure of chasing an even higher promotion 12 months from now with Inverness might just keep him in the Highlands.
Alonge step-up works wonders
When Caley Thistle handed Highland League player Jordan Alonge a deal last summer, it was a break from the norm.
For a club looking to win League One and return to the Championship, signings such as Joe Chalmers, David Wotherspoon and Liam Sole, all with top-flight experience, made sense – as did the loan returns of Bavidge and Alfie Stewart from Aberdeen.
Taking in Marine AFC striker Chanka Zimba from National League North side Marine AFC was a considered piece of business. The striker has got 15 goals so far, albeit he’s not added to that in the past two months.
Now 27, Alonge arrived with experience of playing academy football in England, but also built up his experience, earning a scholarship in the USA where he played at the highest level in the NCAA Division 1. He also played in Canada for Thunder Bay Chill in the USL League 2.
Alonge then moved to the north of Scotland, playing for Rothes then Forres Mechanics in the Highland League, scoring 14 goals the season before last for the Can-Cans.
By all accounts, his attitude, ability and determination impressed manager Scott Kellacher and he was handed a one-year deal in July.
He’s had to be patient and built up game-time in the Challenge Cup, like many of his team-mates.
Kellacher is changing his team often to keep them fresh, with a Challenge Cup final next month against Raith Rovers – and it was Alonge’s brace against Ayr United in the semi-finals that took them there.
Alonge is scoring a range of goals
Alonge, who is in the SPFL team of the week, has now started 14 times and scored seven goals overall, including a breakaway third against Montrose on Saturday.
Kellacher said he recently left the attacker out for a game through no fault of his own.
It was merely tactical, and Alonge simply picked up where he left off when he returned to the team.
His headed goals against Queen of the South and Ayr were difficult to execute, but he’s brave, quick and alert and a handful for opponents.
Like Bavidge, he’s another who would surely be in Kellacher’s longer-term plans.
[Source: Press and Journal]
