The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Vigurs gives penalties a miss
Caley Thistle: Midfielder will let other team-mates seek spot-kick glory
If Caley Thistle are awarded a penalty in today’s Championship encounter against Dumbarton, Iain Vigurs will resist the temptation to step forward.
Midfielder Vigurs looked to have passed up Inverness’ chance to win the IRN-BRU Cup when they last played the Sons in March, with his 83rd minute spot kick saved by goalkeeper Scott Gallacher.
Vigurs, who also missed a penalty in the semi-final victory against Crusaders, had his blushes spared minutes later when Carl Tremarco struck a stoppage-time winner.
Caley Jags’ focus has since returned to league matters and the bid to reach the promotion playoffs, with eight points separating them from fourthplaced Dundee United.
Although John Robert- son’s men are still outsiders Vigurs is determined to push his side all the way – but will let others take the glory from 12 yards.
Vigurs said: “Hopefully, we don’t get a penalty – although it’s safe to say I’m off them anyway. I’ve put that one to bed.
“They are a hard team. They put in a hard shift against Morton on Tuesday, they were very unlucky to lose 3-2, they put a lot into that as we did against Falkirk.
“It’s going to be a hard game. We’ve got home advantage and we need to make that count.
“We need to keep this going to try and make these play-offs.
“Even if we don’t make them, we need to just do what we can.”
Inverness have kicked on since their silverware triumph, with the Highlanders on a seven-match unbeaten run going into today’s game, including three straight victories.
Vigurs says the form has helped keep the squad going through the busy schedule, with the 29-yearold adding: “At the start of the backlog of games, around the time of the cup final, we said that if we could win that we could build up some confidence and momentum.
“That’s a big thing in football, especially when games are coming thick and fast.
“When you are winning, you can run that little bit further, make that lastditch tackle or make that extra pass.
“But when you are losing it’s not the same – you start to feel the aches and pains in your body. You still do when you are winning, but just not so much. When you are winning, it makes you feel a bit better than you actually are.”
Vigurs says substitute Jake Mulraney’s goalscoring impact from the bench in Tuesday’s 1-0 victory against Falkirk shows everyone in the squad has a role to play, with the Aberdeen-born midfielder adding: “You always look for good depth in a squad and we have had that more maybe since the backlog of games.
“Through the season we have been quite thin through injury or suspension – or we just didn’t have the personnel.
“But we seem to have a strong squad and it’s vital for this part of the season because we need everyone. There are going to be changes again this weekend with the suspensions but we have got boys who are more than capable of coming in.”
“Hopefully, we don’t get a penalty. It’s safe to say I’m off them anyway”