Caley Thistle manager John Robertson has warned his side they cannot take Forres Mechanics lightly when they welcome the Highland League club to Caledonian Stadium for tonight’s North of Scotland Cup semi-final.
Inverness will field a mixture of youth and experience against the Can-Cans as they bid to book their place in the final.
Having played Charlie Rowley’s side this season Robertson knows in-form Forres will present a test.
“There will be some first-team squad players involved against Forres. We’re hopeful Angus Beith will start the match after training all last week and there will be at least four or five of the lads who haven’t played on a regular basis.
“We’re taking this competition seriously and we’ll put out a team with the best of the youngsters and members of the first-team squad who need matches.
“Forres have done great and it will be a good test for us.
“We had a very good game against them in pre-season and we know we will have a tough game.
“They have a few ex-Caley Thistle boys in their ranks including Andrew Macrae who is doing very well for them.
“They will be coming here in what is a big occasion for them and looking to do very well.
“Barry Wilson and Ryan Esson will see what squad they want to select from and who they want from my squad to bolster the ranks.”
Mechanics manager Rowley believes the number of first-team players Caley Jags will field tonight will be a factor in his side’s chances.
Rowley said: “It’s the chance for us to get to a cup final but our chances depend on how many first-team players they have in their starting line-up, it could either make it a wee bit easier for us or it could work the other way, it remains to be seen.
“I anticipate them having at least four from their first team players.
“I can’t predict that so we’ll just have to concentrate on ourselves.
“We are in decent enough form although obviously we suffered a disappointing 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Fraserburgh, which is not an embarrassment by any stretch of the imagination. The Broch are capable of beating just about anybody on their day.
“We will go into this cup semi-final full of confidence and give it our all to try to get to the cup final.
“Stuart Soane is in great form up front just now and if we do our best hopefully it will be good enough to win through on the night,” he said.
