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Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Scottish Premiership Playoffs clash between Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Arbroath, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle will play host to Arbroath on Tuesday for the first leg of their playoff semi-final.

Both teams are dreaming of a place in the Scottish Premiership, with the winner of the tie set to face the team that finishes in the relegation playoff spot in the top flight.

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Match preview

A third-placed finish meant that Inverness had to face Partick Thistle in the quarter-final of the playoffs.

Caley Thistle picked up a 2-1 victory in the away leg before they returned to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium to face Patrick Thistle on Friday.

A 29th-minute strike from Austin Samuels proved enough to help Inverness win 1-0 on the night as they advanced to the semi-final with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

With their dreams of promotion still alive, Tuesday's hosts will be aiming for a fifth consecutive victory as they bid to take a lead into the away leg.

Inverness have already hosted Arbroath twice this season, with those two games resulting in one victory and one defeat.

Arbroath, meanwhile, advanced straight to the playoff semi-final after finishing in second place in the Scottish Championship.

Monday's visitors missed out on promotion by two points, and they will now be aiming to reach the top-flight of Scottish football via the playoff route.

They collected 65 points from their 36 matches, while they ended the season as the highest-scoring side in the division after scoring 54 goals – one more than Inverness.

Dick Campbell's side have also been resolute defensively this term after ending the campaign with the second-best defensive record in the league.

Although they finished the season with the joint-best away record, Arbroath enter the first leg with just one victory from their last six away games.

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Team News

Inverness are expected to be without Tom Walsh, who picked up an injury in the first leg against Partick Thistle.

Roddy MacGregor will also miss out due to a hairline fracture in his jaw, although Caley Thistle received a boost when they welcomed back Aaron Doran from injury on Friday.

After featuring as a second-half substitute, Doran is expected to be on the bench once again, with Billy Dodds set to name an unchanged lineup.

As for the visitors, they will be without the services of Dale Hilson who has missed the last two matches due to a wrist injury.

Ricky Little was rested for the final game of the season against Greenock Morton, but the defender will return to the starting lineup to partner Thomas O'Brien in the centre of defence.

Michael McKenna ended the campaign as the Scottish Championship top scorer, and the 31-year-old will be pivotal for Arbroath if they are to beat Inverness over the course of the two legs.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle possible starting lineup:
Ridgers; Carson, Broadfoot, Devine, Deas; Welsh, McAlear; Sutherland, Samuels, Chalmers; McKay

Arbroath possible starting lineup:
Gaston; Stewart, Little, O'Brien, Co. Hamilton; Ch. Hamilton; McKenna, Low, Craigen; Hamilton, Donnelly

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We say: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-1 Arbroath

Inverness can draw confidence from the 3-0 victory that they picked up in the most recent meeting with Arbroath, and we think the hosts will utilise home advantage to take a narrow lead into the second leg.

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