MATCH PREVIEW - INVERNESS CT (H).

Following on from our pre season friendly matches we get into competitive action on Saturday afternoon when we host Premiership side Inverness Caledonian Thistle in our opening Betfred Cup group match.

It's a rare visit to Central Park for Caley Thistle who last made the trip on 26th April 1997 when goals from Craig Sinclair and Martin Scott gave us a 2-1 win in a Third Division game against the eventual champions who pulled a goal back through former Cowden favourite Paul Cherry.

Overall we played the Highlanders 12 times in league fixtures after they were admitted to the old SFL back in 1994. Of those 12 Caley have won 6, Cowden 4 while the other 2 were drawn.

Saturday's match however will be the first cup meeting of the sides although we did play the original Inverness Caledonian twice in the Scottish Cup winning 5-0 in Inverness in 1924 and losing 5-3 at Central Park in 1956, the last time a non league side beat us at home in the cup.

It's a new start for both sides as they go into the game with new men at the helm in each dug out. Liam Fox, of course a former Inverness player, has signed 12 new players since taking charge at Central Park in May.

Following the departure of John Hughes , Ritchie Foran has stepped up to take over as manager and he has signed several new players Scott Boden arrived Newport County while Jake Mulraney was with QPR last term.

Earlier this week he also added Billy King on a year loan deal from Hearts while Kevin McNaughton was signed from Wigan Athletic after playing as a trialist in the pre season build up.

It was a relative low key pre season programme of games with a 1-1 draw at Brora which was followed by wins over Nairn 3-0, Buckie 8-1, Clachnacuddin 3-1 and Elgin 3-0.

ADMISSION

ADULTS - £12

CONCESSIONS - £6

Concessions are under 18, 65 and over, students and disabled fans.

PROGRAMME -- £ 2.50

Both programmes and 50/50 draw tickets will be on sale from just inside the turnstiles.

Previewer: Andrew Mullen.