Caley Thistle goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams has stepped up his return to contention after playing his first game of the season in a closed-doors match against Highland League club Brora Rangers on Tuesday.
Wales international Fon Williams appeared on his way out of Inverness after manager John Robertson, who arrived for a second spell at Caledonian Stadium in the summer, told him he was free to find a new club.
Fon Williams is among the highest earners at the club following Caley Jags’ relegation from the Premiership last season but failed to find a new home before last month’s transfer deadline, with nearly two years remaining on his contract.
The 30-year-old returned in the game at home to Brora and Robertson said the door is open for Fon Williams to compete with summer signing Mark Ridgers for the jersey.
Robertson said: “I was very clear about the situation at the time. Up until the end of the transfer window, Owain was contemplating a few options but he was never frozen out in any way.
“He has always been there and there have been other friendlies in which he put his hand up to play but he had to pull out from one of them with a damaged finger and he had a hip problem in the other. That has held him back as well.
“We were pleased to get him his first match of the season against Brora and he did not concede, and he was commanding and vocal.
“It’s competition for places and something we’ve not really had all season.”
Caley Jags, who ran out 2-0 winners against the Cattachs thanks to goals from George Oakley and teenager Danny MacKay, were also boosted by left back Carl Tremarco playing his first 90 minutes since returning from a cruciate ligament injury, while attacker Felitciano Zschusschen also played following a groin injury.
Inverness are searching for only their second Championship victory of the season when they travel to Dumbarton on Saturday.Robertson, who was hugely critical of his players following Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Livingston, said his team must find a way of grinding out results.
He added: “We want a response from any defeat. The frustrating thing for the players and the coaching staff is there have been a lot of patches in the games where we have been the better side, we have created good chances and played good football. In games that are tight it’s crucial we take our chances but we have not been killing teams off.
“Saturday’s game shows where confidence and mental strength can lead us. At 1-1, Connor Bell had a goal wrongly chalked off which I have seen again on video. If we went ahead it would have given us a big confidence boost.
“Livingston, who have lost only one league game this season, had the mental strength to dig out the win and that is what we need to do.
“We still have ambitions to be up there competing for promotion, but we need to win games.”