Caley Thistle midfielder Aaron Doran feels his side can kick start their Championship form with a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup last eight victory over Clyde today.
Inverness host the Bully Wee with a semi final berth at stake, with the Highlanders having defeated Morton and Alloa Athletic in the competition so far.
John Robertson’s men go into the game with just one win from their last five league matches, which has seen them slip 10 points adrift of leaders Dundee United in the table.
Doran – who was part of the Caley Jags side which won the Challenge Cup courtesy of a win over Dumbarton in 2018 – feels the tournament can help his side regain their stride.
Irishman Doran said: “A couple of seasons when we won this, it gave us real momentum going into the last stretch of the league. That’s what we hope to do again.
“It was a good night out for all the lads, and it’s a good day out for the fans. We want to add more silverware to the club. We will go out there and give everything we have.
“I think we definitely need momentum. The last two games were pretty bad – we didn’t do ourselves justice and didn’t play the football we can play.
“We need to get back to passing the ball. Our style of play over the last two games wasn’t great, and it’s probably not great for the fans to watch. We need to get back to what we are good at.”
Robertson has shuffled his side for both matches in the tournament so far, with youngsters such as Cameron Harper, Roddy MacGregor and Matheus Machado handed their chance.
Vice-captain Doran insists every player is under pressure to impress, with the 28-year-old adding: “The manager has brought some young lads into the team for this competition. It’s good for them to get out there to see what they can bring to the team.
“For players that haven’t been playing, they need game time. If they can impress the manager enough I’m sure he can give them a chance in a league game, because he has been chopping and changing. It’s a fight for places at the moment.”
Today’s opponents sit seventh in League 1 at present, but having recorded victories over Championship sides Queen of the South and Arbroath, Doran is refusing to take Danny Lennon’s men lightly.
He added: “We have worked on Clyde a bit this week. They are a good passing team and we have worked on what our strengths will be playing against them, and what their strengths are.
“I think they will give us a tough challenge. They have beaten some bigger teams than themselves, so it will be difficult.”
