Caley Thistle goal machine Carl Tremarco rues missed opportunity for hat-trick
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CALEY Thistle were to the fore in a big way against Arbroath – and Carl Tremarco should have had four.
In a marauding performance from left-back, Tremarco contributed two goals and two assists in the hosts 7-0 demolition of a poor Arbroath side, but rued the missed chances that deprived him of an unlikely hat-trick.
Prior to scoring his first goal eight minutes before the break, Tremarco contrived to miss from just five yards with goalkeeper Robbie Mutch stranded.
His first-half forays were not done there as he still had time to plant a header straight at the under-siege visiting stopper when unmarked. He made up for it in the second half when he acrobatically steered in his side’s seventh after an uncharacteristically mazy run from skipper Gary Warren.
Much of the credit for uncovering a new Caley Thistle attacking threat – he has three goals in two games – has to go to new boss Richie Foran, according to Tremarco, but he regrets not making more of his opportunities.
“He’s told me he wants me in the box as much as I can, especially when the ball is on the right. I’m only really doing what he asks but I’m enjoying it,” said Tremarco. “I should have had four. As a left-back, I should be over the moon with two goals and two assists, but I’m raging that I didn’t get a hat-trick. How many times does a full-back do that!
“I thought either I or Scott were offside for the first miss. But then I saw the linesman’s flag wasn’t up and I thought ‘oh no!’ But that spurred me on and I needed to rectify that. I didn’t want to look at the gaffer coming back down the pitch because I knew he’d give me a cheeky smile!
“I’m a defender at the end of the day and my job is to keep clean sheets. If I can get forward to score or set goals up then that’s a bonus.”
The 30-year-old’s goals have come like the proverbial London buses; it took him until February this year to get his first goal for Inverness, despite joining in the summer of 2013. This was his fourth goal since that effort against Aberdeen and his more advanced positions during the early days of Foran’s management indicate there will be more strikes to come.
His goals have been a small part of Caley Thistle’s impressive ascension from Group C of the Betfred Cup where they will face Alloa in the last 16, which was by no means a certain thing when the draw was made.
Foran’s first competitive task appeared a hugely challenging one in a so-called ‘Group of Death’ but their relatively comfortable progression will have been noticed by the rest of Scottish football, particularly in the light of a number of top-flight teams falling by the wayside.
“If we play to our capabilities we’re a match for anyone. Most people in Scottish football know that and we’ve just got to turn it on,” added Tremarco.
“We want to set a precedent and make a statement about what we can do this season. The word ruthless was used by the gaffer at half-time against Arbroath – he wanted us to win eight or nine-nil.
“We didn’t quite get there but that’s what teams will do to us. If we’re three or four down teams will look to punish us and laugh as they’re doing it.”
Meanwhile, it is understood rumours linking Faissal El Bakhtaouicorrectand Andrew Shinnie with moves to Caley Thistle are wide of the mark.
El Bakhtaoui concluded his trial with English Championship side Blackburn Rovers on Sunday and aimed to win a deal, while speculation about a return for Shinnie have been put down to internet chatter.
