Vigurs nets hat-trick as Caley Thistle put five past unlucky Dunfermline
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A HAT-TRICK from Iain Vigurs helped Caley Thistle thump Dunfermline 5-1 and take them joint-top of Betfred Cup Group C.
Vigurs gave the visitors the lead after a quarter-hour and even though Andy Geggan pegged them back, Vigurs' second put them ahead at the break.
A wonderful strike from Billy King extended Caley Thistle's lead in the second half and Vigurs completed his hat-trick with a well-placed header.
It means Richie Foran's side head into Saturday's final group fixture with their destiny in their own hands and if they better United's result against Dunfermline, will progress to the second round as group winners.
Foran kept faith with Cammy Mackay after his assured display against Dundee United, leaving the more experienced Owain Fon Williams on the bench. The only change from the 1-1 draw with United was the lively Jake Mulraney, inserted into the line-up for Ross Draper.
This game was the only Group C fixture on Tuesday night, giving both the chance to close the gap on United at the top of the group.
Penalty appeals at either end were waved away – Jake Mulraney and Joe Cardle the unfortunate parties – but all the early shots came from those in black and white shirts.
But, against the run of play and with a helping hand, Caley Thistle led with 16 minutes on the clock. Ben Richards-Everton gave goalkeeper David Hutton a pass he did not want and he sent his hurried clearance straight to Vigurs' feet. With Hutton well out of goal, the former Motherwell man calmly found the bottom right-hand corner.
Allan Johnston's side were behind for all of 10 minutes as the pesky Kallum Higginbotham, who often saves his best games for the Caley Jags, delivered a cross from the right that was on the money for Geggan to power a header in at the back post.
After some rough treatment for Mulraney afforded Inverness a chance from a set-piece, Vigurs delivered a masterpiece by beating the wall and goalkeeper as the ball went in via the crossbar.
Dunfermline started the second half with a point to prove, spurred on at what they believed was the injustice of several decisions going against them in the first period. That would have been forgotten had Michael Moffat, getting on to the end of Rhys McCabe's cross, done more with his effort than steer it straight into Mackay's arms.
He would be made to pay by an incisive yet patient Caley Thistle move, which included upwards of 15 passes before finding King on the left flank. He drove at goal and let fly from an acute angle, seeing his shot deflect off Ryan Williamson before finding the top corner.
After having a penalty appeal turned down in the first half, Dunfermline felt they had a stone-wall shout on the hour. David Raven blocked Cardle's free-kick and when the rebound came to Richards-Everton, his smash back into the penalty area cannoned back off Tremarco. Referee Crawford Allan was unmoved and Cardle's exuberant protestations earned him a caution.
Vigurs rounded off his treble by beating two defenders in the air to meet King's cross with 25 minutes to go, putting Inverness in cruise control.
Greg Tansey seemed determined to get in on the act and come close twice in two minutes – a cross-shot shaved the head of Scott Boden and narrowly missed the far post before a low drive from 30 yards smacked the outside of Hutton's upright.
With five minutes to go Vigurs was rightly given his rest and Tremarco sealed the win, heading in after Tansey's free-kick came back off the post.
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC: Hutton; Williamson, Ashcroft, Richards-Everton, Talbot, Geggan, McCabe, Spence, Cardle (Thomas, 89), Higginbotham (McMullan, 73), Moffat (Smith, 78). Subs unused: Gill, Martin, Paton. Booked: Geggan, Cardle.
CALEY THISTLE: Mackay; Raven, Warren, McNaughton, Tremarco, Tansey, Vigurs (Sutherland, 85), King, Polworth, Mulraney (Draper, 59), Boden (Fisher, 80). Subs unused: Fon Williams, Brown, Horner. Booked: none.
Attendance: 2580.
Referee: C. Allan.
