I’M STILL THE TOD ONE OUT

CHALLENGE CUP Caley ace insists goal’s not enough after penalty miss

NIKOLAY TODOROV wore an expression as glum as his Bulgarian countrymen on Saturday evening.

Only this was the Caley Thistle striker before the 4-0 beating by England and after a club victory and stunning goal of his own.

The 23-year-old had just sent a brilliant 25-yard strike high into the net.

But it was the one that got away that wiped the smile from Todorov’s face, a fluffed penalty kick turned around the post by Morton keeper Sam Ramsbottom.

Todorov’s grim mood and sense of frustration should send a shiver down the spines of Championship rivals.

This, finally, is a John Robertson squad with real competition for places.

A team with eight changes had just filleted Ton for a second week running and looks to have quality in depth.

The former Hearts striker knows the fight for selection is so intense at Inverness that every chance must be taken.

A Todorov double, in the absence of regular pick Jordan White, would have sent a clear message to Robertson.

For the downbeat Bulgarian one goal was not enough.

He said: “It was a nice finish but I’m disappointed I didn’t double up. I’ll learn from the mistake and move forward.

“I’m happy about getting into the team and scoring, just a bit down that I didn’t add to it and finish the game off with the penalty. I’m happy to be here, happy to improve every day, happy to work with the gaffer and to learn from him.

“The most important thing is to keep winning. If we do we’re going to improve as individuals and as a team.

“In training it’s been really competitive and the last few games show everyone’s ready.

“If you go to the gym every day, you see players there in their spare time, trying to improve. Hopefully I showed enough to get a start in the next few games.”

While Caley Thistle made eight changes from the side that hammered Ton 5-0 in the league eight days before the visitors made nine switches.

The home breakthrough came in 25 minutes with Todorov sending an exquisite connection soaring from outside the left angle of the box high over keeper Sam Ramsbottom and into the net.

Then six minutes later it was 2-0 with Irishman Aaron Doran nicking a finish through the keeper’s legs.

Miles Storey raced clear after 57 minutes to repeat the nutmeg on Ramsbottom for the third.

Caley Thistle should have added a fourth after 75 minutes when Morton’s Brian McLean knocked down Charlie Trafford in the box.

But Todorov’s low penalty was weak and touched around the post with the Highlanders paying for the miss with a Morton reply after 78 minutes when sub John Sutton struck.

Ton gaffer David Hopkin said: “It wasn’t frustrating, we made nine changes.

“The most important part was those who played got a good 90 minutes. You could see a few of them, towards the end, were out on their feet but we lost poor goals again.

“Things we’d worked on all week we didn’t do but credit to the players they came back later on.” RAITH forward Lewis Vaughan is relieved to see the end of “the toughest seven months of my life”.

The 23-year-old came on against Falkirk for his first match since a serious knee injury in January.

Vaughan hit the bar and gave away a penalty that Charlie Telfer missed. But Raith won thanks to two Regan Hendry spot-kicks

Vaughan said: “I was just delighted to be back.

“With my first tackle I gave away a penalty. I’ll probably not try that again!”

Falkirk midfielder Ian McShane said: “We don’t look threatening as a team.” STENNY ...... 1 TNS ..... 1 STENNY keeper Graeme Smith pinched the match ball after making three shootout saves to dump Welsh champs TNS.

The home side had scored through Kieran Anderson but Ryan Brobbel nicked a leveller late on.

Smith said: “It’s a goalie hat-trick so I’m whipping the ball for the guys in my brother’s five-a-side team.

“But all the lads worked so hard for this result.”