Nathan Shaw insists Caley Thistle have not given up hope in challenging for promotion from the Championship – but admits time is fast running out.
The winger showed great resolve on Saturday when he put Inverness back in front against Partick Thistle just after he’d conceded a spot-kick from which Brian Graham levelled the scores at 2-2.
78' | 3-2
GOALLLLLLLLLL! NATHAN SHAW MAKES IT 3-2! pic.twitter.com/ooCyYb4Nen
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) February 17, 2024
Goals from Cammy Kerr and Remi Savage had ICT coasting at 2-0 before Thistle’s fightback.
However, after Shaw’s goal, slack defending was punished by Graham’s lethal volley, and it ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
It’s a result which keeps Caley Thistle eighth in the table, just ahead of Dunfermline Athletic on goal difference and six points in front of Arbroath, who are their hosts this Saturday.
Next Tuesday, Dunfermline visit the Caledonian Stadium, therefore the pressure remains on Duncan Ferguson’s team, who have not won at home since November 11.
With a promotion push not out of the question, Caley Thistle have 12 matches left and are eight points adrift of fourth-placed Morton, having played one match more than the Ton.
Partick thriller ‘was a real contest’
Shaw was gutted to have seen their two-goal advantage vanish and to have let the regained lead through his strike also slip away.
The 23-year-old said: “It was a real contest – I thought it was a good game, to be fair.
“It is disappointing because we had our chances to put the game away.
“We got ourselves in front and then conceded two poor goals, with me giving away the penalty, which is not good enough.
“A point is better than nothing, so we have to build on it with two important games next week.”
Shaw ‘owed team’ after penalty error
Shaw caught Partick substitute Scott Robinson to give away the second half spot-kick, but was grateful to have atoned for his misjudgement just 60 seconds later.
He said: “I thought I was getting the ball and didn’t know how close he was behind me. The momentum of the slide has taken me into the back of him and gave the referee no option, really.
“It was silly from me, but I managed to get a goal to get us straight back into the lead, which was massive.
“I felt like I owed the team one and was determined to make it right by getting the goal.
“It was just so disappointing to concede again.”
‘Games are beginning to run out’
Having back-to-back matches against their two nearest chasers gives ICT the chance to not only dampen any relegation fears but reignite their hopes of pushing for a promotion place.
Shaw added: “We’re looking behind us a little bit at the moment, thinking we need to pick up wins. If we can get some momentum, we can start looking above and thinking about getting at the teams competing for a play-off spot.
“It has been difficult. We’re on a poor run of form at home.
“We need to turn it around quickly as the games are beginning to run out.
“I still think if we can change that home form and put a few results together, there’s no reason we can’t challenge for the play-offs and nick fourth place.”
