Boss Robertson will wait until 11th hour for Polworth

Caley Thistle manager John Robertson is hopeful midfielder Liam Polworth will return from a knee injury for tonight’s Scottish Cup fifth round replay against Ross County.

Polworth sat out his first game since January last year when he was sidelined for Saturday’s 1-0 Championship defeat to Dunfermline, having suffered the injury in the build-up to the East End Park encounter.

Although Robertson is prepared to give Polworth until the 11th hour to prove his fitness, the Caley Jags boss is reluctant to take a risk that could jeopardise his condition for the remainder of the season.

Robertson said: “We’re still waiting on Liam. He had treatment over the weekend and is still feeling it a little bit.

“We’ll give him every opportunity, right up until kick-off time.

“He trained on the Thursday and Friday as expected, but just jarred his knee. It was really painful on Saturday, but eased Sunday and today.

“We’re hopeful, but we’ll leave it until the very last minute because the most important thing is we still have 12 league matches to play after this which is every bit as important.

“We won’t risk the rest of Liam’s season by pushing him too far, too quickly.”

And Robertson does not feel playing at Caledonian Stadium will be significant tonight.

He said: “I don’t think home advantage helps either team. They have a few ex-Inverness players who know all about this stadium, while a lot of their players live in Inverness.

“I don’t think playing here or Dingwall gives either team an obvious advantage.”