Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development are Highlands and Islands League champions
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INVERNESS Caledonian Thistle Development were crowned Highlands and Islands League champions for the first time after a 2–0 victory over Clachnacuddin.
The runaway league leaders are now officially out of reach of the chasing pack with one game to spare during a ruthless campaign of winning every match in the division so far.
In their seven victories, they have scored an incredible 85 goals and only conceded twice, averaging 12 goals a game.
But they were made to work hard to secure the title on Sunday against a stubborn Clachnacuddin.
Manager Iain Firth says the reason for his team’s success was down to fitness, believing performances over the entire 90 minutes was the difference between them and the rest of the league.
“We seem to have been able to build the fitness up,” he said.
“A lot of teams that we faced appeared to just run out of petrol.
“But we didn’t, we just kept going on.
“Rhea Hossack was a goal machine for us this season, but we were scoring goals from everywhere.
“Even when the chips were down and it looked difficult, we always managed to get a goal from somewhere and get off and running.
“Our players seemed to have a point to prove that they were good enough to win things.”
“I hammered into them not to be frightened of anyone and they stood out.”
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development are trying to find the next stars to play in the club’s first team which play in Championship North.
Firth believes there are players in his team who are more than good enough to make the step up.
“That is the hope and I think that some of them will,” he said.
“I think there are a few of our players who are not far away from getting a shot at playing a higher level.”
Caley Thistle Development have one more game to play when they head to Helmsdale to take on Sutherland on Sunday, October 10.
Firth says he does not expect his players to ease off now the league title has been clinched.
He says they will be going all out to complete a perfect league season.
Firth said: ”We still have one game to go but we are looking for the clean sweep and get eight wins out of eight.”
