Winger Nathan Shaw didn’t enjoy his first experience of gusty Arbroath – but he’s determined to help steer Caley Thistle to title glory in the Championship.
The creative wide player, snapped up in the summer from AFC Fylde in the National League North, was warned by his ICT team-mates to expect a tough game where the wind would make play testing.
In the end, ICT took a 0-0 draw back up the road to add to the opening day 1-1 result against newcomers Queen’s Park.
The Highland team are just two points off the summit ahead of Saturday’s home showdown against Cove Rangers.
Shaw explained a game where the weather had such an impact was a new experience for him.
He said: “It was always going to be tough at Arbroath, with the wind.
“I had never played in anything like that before – I was new to it.
“All the boys told me it was a difficult place to come. But we dug in and we found a way to get a result.
“It was a very tough game, but we’re still unbeaten and we go on to this weekend against Cove.”
Hungry Caley Jags targeting title
And, having been beaten in last season’s play-off final against St Johnstone, Shaw insists the Caley Jags are fired up to go for glory this term.
He said: “We’ll take it game by game and see where it takes us, hopefully to the top of the league.
“There’s confidence within the squad we can be right up there.
“After the disappointment at the back end of last season, the boys are hungry to go one better.”
Shaw eager to make Inverness impact
Shaw is finding his feet in the second-tier of Scottish football and demonstrated a further glimpse of his skill when he went on a surging run at Arbroath, a move which ended when Billy Mckay shot just wide.
The 21-year-old is embracing the challenges as he comes up against new opponents on a weekly basis.
Speaking about that surging run at Gayfield, he added: “I like to go forward like that. I like to get on the ball and go past players and hopefully have an end product and score goals.
“Overall, I’m finding it really good so far. I just want to play more and more, and become more familiar with the Scottish Championship.
“You learn every week as you face a new opponent and you face the challenges against them.”
Change of focus needed on next visit
Meanwhile, head coach Billy Dodds believes to gain another win at Gayfield, as they did last season, they will have to change their approach when they return to Angus in January.
He said: “Arbroath played the wind well. They just get the ball and try to shell it over the top.
“We, as a team, try to keep playing and we’re a little bit naïve. I’ve said to the boys next time we go to Gayfield just get the ball over the top, try and turn them and play in their final third.
“I feel sorry for our fans who made the journey on Saturday. I feel sorry for our players and for the Arbroath fans because it wasn’t a spectacle.
“You won’t get free-flowing football (in conditions like that) and that’s what people want to come and see – good passes, good creation of chances and goals. I’m sorry it wasn’t there on Saturday.
“We’ve been down there too many times and there have not been many chances created.”
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