When Harry met Caley: big English striker's Inverness Cup final hat-trick against Clach sparks love-in with Caley Thistle fans
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Harry Lodovica will not waste a moment as he tries to earn favour in Caley Thistle’s fiercely competitive frontline.
To do that he will need to woo manager Billy Dodds, but the big Essex lad is already enjoying a love-in with supporters.
The imposing Englishman was swamped by young selfie-hunters at Grant Street Park on Tuesday night after netting a superb Inverness Cup final hat-trick on his first start.
Looking every bit like a cult hero in the making, Lodovica created havoc against the Lilywhites at times and took his chances superbly in the 4-1 victory.
The revival of the 128-year-old trophy after an 18-year absence marked the 24-year-old striker’s first competitive start and first goals for the club after three prior substitute appearances.
Lodovica, who has played for Essex clubs Aveley, Braintree and Chelmsford, is hoping those midweek heroics propel him squarely into manager Billy Dodds’ thoughts for this weekend’s trip to Airdrie.
“I could not have imagined my full debut to have gone any better and to score a hat-trick is a really good feeling,” he said.
"I should have had a few more, that's what the gaffer will tell me, but it's a good feeling, regardless.
"Whether I'm in training, or working on my finishing after training, I always try to do it to the best of my ability, and the highest quality.
"It could be a pre-season game or a cup tie, or five minutes on the pitch in a league game, I want to show what I can do. I want to be involved as much as I can.
"We have got fierce competition in the squad going forward, so I know how it is. I will do my best."
Relieving the pressure a striker naturally feels to get that first goal at a new club is huge for Lodovica.
"The earlier the better. You don't want to leave it too long, because then the pressure builds," he admitted.
"As a striker, whether I start or come on as a substitute, I always try to score goals, regardless of the situation. We could be 5-0 up or 5-0 down, I just try to score and do my job.
"It was a really good feeling on Tuesday and hopefully I can push on now.
"We have got Airdrie away on Saturday, so hopefully I have given myself a chance to be involved and follow on from Tuesday."
Lodovica has had to be patient since coming to Caley Thistle after a few knocks and niggles. Prior to Tuesday evening, he had managed around 75 minutes of action from the bench .
"I am fully fit now. I had a shoulder injury I was dealing with over the last few weeks," he explained.
"I was trying to play through that, but I am feeling good now. Hopefully I can now kick on."
With respect to Clach, making his mark in the league will be a far greater test for Lodovica.
"The Championship is a good, tough, league. It's physical, but I knew that," he stressed.
"I know at Inverness, some of the players have come from the Premiership, so even after my first training session, I knew what it was going to be like.
"It was nothing I wasn't expecting I wasn't ready for. When you are involved, it's a different feeling.
"Results have not been going our way in the past few weeks, but we're working hard in training and we're determined to turn it around.
"Everyone is fit and sharp. We're a well-connected group and I have no doubt we will turn it around."
