Caley cruise into seventh heaven
INVERNESS CT 7 King (10) Boden (17, 24, 71) Tremarco (36, 87) Vigurs (47)
ARBROATH 0
RICHIE FORAN believes the best is yet to come from rampant Inverness Caley Thistle despite coming within a whisker of a club- record scoreline against battered Arbroath.
But the Irishman is warning his new charges will face a whole different level of examination in next weekend’s league opener away to Partick Thistle.
The Highlanders’ magnificent seven fell just one goal short of the 1998 record 8-1 thrashing of Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup.
It was thoroughly impressive stuff, though, with Dick Campbell’s men completely filleted by a display brimming with attacking flair.
The victory means Dundee United must now match or better the scoreline at home to Dunfermline today if they are to dislodge Caley Thistle from the top of Group C.
Foran said: “I knew we had that kind of performance in us. We’re improving every game. We played some decent football, although our final ball could have been better at times.
“Real men go and punish teams, they don’t let up, and we didn’t let up in the second half. We kept pushing.
“But we’re up against a different animal next week. No disrespect to Arbroath but we’re up against experienced, quality Premiership players.”
Jake Mulraney, ICT’s summer signing from QPR, was to tease and torment the League Two side and consistently left markers for dead with his pace.
The hosts had a stonewall penalty turned down in the 10th minute when Gary Philips brought Billy King crashing down.
But within seconds Campbell’s men were behind with Mulraney finding King for a tight-angled finish from six yards that bobbled through hapless keeper Robbie Mutch’s legs.
After 17 minutes, Scott Boden doubled the advantage, neatly controlling a Mulraney ball through the middle and finishing calmly.
A third arrived in 24 minutes when Carl Tremarco’s cross from the left was nodded back across goal for Boden to head home on the line.
After 36 minutes, Tremarco headed in
the fourth after Boden touched on a David Raven cross from the right.
Mulraney then cut inside and struck a shot off the underside of the bar with Tremarco heading the rebound straight into Mutch’s arms.
Arbroath’s agony deepened, though, within two minutes of the second half re-start. Liam Polworth released Mulraney with a lovely pass and the winger strung a simple pass across the six-yard box for Iain Vigurs to tuck away.
Arbroath’s first attempt on goal came after 55 minutes but a neat move ended with Steven Doris clipping a net-bound shot past keeper Owain Fon Williams, only for Tremarco to nick the ball off the line with a timely lunge.
It was 6-0 after 71 minutes, with Boden slicing into space in the box from Vigurs’ supply and clipping the ball easily past Mutch.
Tremarco bundled over the seventh after a tremendous Gary Warren run and cross.
Gut ted Arbroath manager Campbell said: “The second goal killed us. It was offside and that killed the game as a contest for us.
“It’s so important these guys get it right.”