Striker looking to fire Inverness to safety before loan period ends
ARIBIM Pepple says he is confident that his goal was the turning point in the Championship play-off final as Inverness Caledonian Thistle will look to turnaround their 2-1 deficit in the Championship play-off final.
Inverness were left shell shocked when his Hamilton went 2-0 up midway through the first half with an Kevin O’Hara wondergoal after five minutes and Fergus Owens doubling their advantage in the 22nd minute.
Pepple on loan from Luton Town, pulled one back for Inverness in the 68th minute, to reduce the deficit to one in the tiw.
After the match, Pepple says their performance in the second half gives him confidence they can comeback at the Caledonian Stadium tomorrow and secure their place in the Championship next season.
He said: It's a big goal. The final was always going to be alive in the second leg, but this gives us one less goal to drag back.
"By the way we played in the second half, everyone is confident that we can turn this around. One goal is not a lot to turn around.
"It gives us real momentum and we'll go out to attack the second leg.
"It was a really slow start from us. We'd all admit that.
"We were not surprised by Hamilton. They're a very good team and their attack is one of the best in League One, which is not too dissimilar to the Championship.
"We're disappointed with the way we started, but over two games of football, there will be times when they're on top.
"You seen that on Wednesday when Hamilton were on top and then it switched. Saturday will probably be similar when both teams will are going at it.
"It's just about who can weather the storm better.
"Unfortunately, on Wednesday we didn't come out on top, but it's just half-time.
"Even before my goal, we were starting to build. There were a couple of cut-backs in the box where no one got on the end of it.
"The second leg is about us putting the finishing touches to our game. When we get our chances, we must finish them and hopefully we keep them out at the other end.”
Tomorrow will be Pepple’s final game before returning to Luton Town. He says that he would like to finish his time at the club by helping them avoid relegation.
He says whether manager Duncan Ferguson choose him, Billy Mckay or Alex Samuel up front, he is determined to give it his all.
"Whether I play 10 minutes or 90 minutes, I am going to give 100%.
"I trust the manager 100%. It's not as if you can't make a difference when you're a substitute.
"I showed on Wednesday that, as long as you're ready, you can make a huge difference.
"Alex and Billy have been brilliant this season. Alex has scored four (since coming on loan in January) and Billy is the talisman of this team, so it not a case of trying to kick them out of the team, it's about if they get tired, I can come on and make a difference. If I get tired, so
"I want to stay up as much as anyone.
"People say loan players don't care. Trust me, all of us in that dressing room care.
"We go into Saturday fully focused and will try our best.
"I do not want to see this club go down. Everyone has been so good to me since I came to the club. Even when you go into the city centre, you can see how big it is for the city to keep the club up.
"Hopefully, God-willing, we stay up and we will give 100% to achieve that.”