Boyce wants more cheer in new year
LIAM BOYCE insists Highland derby victors Ross County must do better in 2017 — after falling short of expectations last year.
With two fine goals ahead of Martin Woods’ match-clinching third, the Northern Ireland international trampled all over Inverness Caley Thistle’s hopes for the second time this season.
The versatile 25-year-old, who hit a hat-trick in County’s derby triumph in Inverness back in August, also edged ahead of Celtic’s Scott Sinclair as the Ladbrokes Premiership top scorer with 13 goals.
While it was a moment of triumph to savour for County after five straight defeats previously to their great foes in Dingwall, Boyce chose to spend the Hogmanay aftermath reflecting more on where Jim McIntyre’s men can improve in 2017.
‘It felt extra special to score two goals as we haven’t beaten Caley Thistle here since I joined the club,’ he said. ‘They always seem to get that goal at the end.
‘They made us sweat towards the end but we deserved to win.
‘I tried to put the ball in the area and I think it was going straight towards the goalkeeper but, thankfully, it managed to go over him and into the net.
‘We’ve underachieved in terms of the goals we’ve scored, which is why it was good to see Martin Woods get on the scoresheet as well. We know we can push on in 2017 and turn those draws into victories.
‘We want to keep aiming higher. We got into the top six before the winter break and we’ll regroup now and look to push on after the break.’
County have Boyce tied up for another full season after May but the Dingwall club know they may have to fend off interest in him given his form. The double made it seven in eight games for him.
He said: ‘I had a slow start to the season but the chances have started to come for me and I’ve been able to take them.
‘I don’t worry about goals personally, I just try to focus on helping the team. I played wide left against Celtic and Jay McEveley helped me get through the game.
‘I had a big chance in the game which I should have taken but I’m happy to play wherever the manager needs me.
‘Since I’ve been here, even in the summer, I haven’t had much of a break as I’ve been involved with Northern Ireland, so it’s nice to recharge the batteries.’
The run of games without a win for Richie Foran’s side now stretches to ten — the club’s worst spell in a decade. They also sit with their lowest ever points tally at this stage in a season.
What the visiting team didn’t need was to fall behind within one minute and 45 seconds. Frenchman Christopher Routis saw his corner flicked to the back of the box by the head of Andrew Davies.
Kenny van der Weg was there to whip the ball back across to Boyce, who thumped a header in off the underside of the bar. Inverness claimed it hadn’t crossed the line but referee Bobby Madden and his assistant were in no doubt.
Caley Thistle found a 28th-minute reply. Greg Tansey’s free-kick from deep right wasn’t dealt with at all by the home defence and fell nicely into the path of Carl Tremarco, who knocked a fine diving header past Scott Fox from eight yards.
County midfielder Woods them stamped his mark in the heart of midfield and reignited the Staggies’ threat. First, his 34th minute free-kick had to be punched, two-fisted by Owain Fon Williams before the Welsh keeper parried another powerful strike by the same player.
The ball broke to the far angle of the Inverness box and Boyce drilled a right-footed shot into the back of the net to restore County’s lead.
Boyce then missed a glorious chance for his second successive Highland derby hat-trick when he fluffed his shot from a Alex Schalk cross to the back of the box.
Crucially, though, away central defender Josh Meekings was off the field and still being bandaged as County picked another hole in the Caley Thistle defence.
Schalk’s low ball in from the right found Woods in acres of space and he beat Fon Williams from 10 yards.
Foran’s men kept fighting and it was game on again as substitute Billy King forced a low parry from Fox before fellow replacement Alex Fisher followed in to slot Caley Thistle’s second with nine minutes left.
The away side’s siege was incessant but County held out.
‘We just haven’t been good enough,’ said Caley Thistle’s English defender Gary Warren.
‘I think we’re at the stage where it feels like we’re coming off the pitch saying the same thing. So close, but not close enough.
‘It’s about time things started to change. It’s probably the worst run I’ve been on since I’ve been at the club.
‘We’re thankful 2016 is out the way for us, now we look to look forward to 2017 and make sure we come back after this break better, more organised and more determined to succeed and do better than we have in the first half of the season.’