Lewis Hyde insists this current Caley Thistle team have something special brewing as they aim to spark a fresh push in the Scottish Cup.
The 20-year-old midfielder has been a regular fixture in Billy Dodds’ side, with 22 appearances to his name this season and his confidence is growing by the game.
On Saturday, they host Championship pacesetters Queen’s Park – just a week after drawing 0-0 against Owen Coyle’s Spiders in the league.
It’s been a strong start to 2023 for ICT, with a 6-1 rout of Cove Rangers and an impressive 4-1 victory at Arbroath stopping an eight-match winless league slide.
These results have put the Highlanders back to within three points of the top four and 10 points away from Queen’s.
Hyde grateful for being given chances
With more senior stars on the way back from medium to long-term injuries, Hyde feels he has plenty to be pleased about in terms of how his own season has shaped up.
He said: “I will admit the injury crisis has helped me a lot and, at the start of the season, because I’m so young I didn’t think I’d have played as many games as I have.
“If I assess how I’ve performed, I feel like I have stepped up to the mark, especially in the past couple of weeks and I feel I’m getting better every week.
“I am getting into positions where I should be scoring or affecting the game a bit more, but I do feel as if I am part of something really special that’s going on with this squad.
“There is a real togetherness in this team. The faith the gaffer and the coaches have shown in me has helped me to try and improve in training every day. I’m ecstatic and buzzing about everything that has gone on so far.
“You can see from our goal celebrations, everyone celebrates, and that’s the sign of a really strong team.
“The fans will hopefully see we’re all willing to work so hard for one another and press our opponents.”
Falkirk showed the way to reach final
Inverness, under John Hughes, won the Scottish Cup in May 2015, defeating Falkirk 2-1 in the Hampden final, when ICT were a Premiership side.
Hyde was a star-struck teenager as he saw ICT knock out Celtic in the semis then come through a nervy showpiece occasion to pip Falkirk to the silverware.
And he says that is a reminder that teams from the second-tier can sometimes make it through.
He said: “I was there at the final, as well as the semi-final. I was 13 or 14 at the time and was watching from the stands.
“It would be amazing to replicate that with me being on the pitch as a player. In cup football, any team can compete.
“When Caley Thistle played Falkirk in the 2015 final, Falkirk were a Championship side, so it didn’t matter to them. It shows what can happen.
“You want to win every game, but everyone is buzzing when the cup games come around. It’s knockout football and there is a bit more pride at stake if you can progress.
Fourth Round stat attack 📊
➡️ This will be just the second time @ICTFC and @queensparkfc have met in the Scottish Cup.
➡️ @ICTFC are unbeaten in their last six home matches in the Scottish Cup – their last defeat came against Dundee in 2018.#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/PxozM9ljvP
— Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) January 16, 2023
“We’ve been undefeated at home in our last six home Scottish Cup ties, so we want to build on that. There is always a bit of magic around the cup. Anything can happen in knockout football and it gives the fans a buzz especially.
“A cup run can also lead to added confidence in the league.”
Numbers up at Inverness training
Hyde felt last week’s draw with Queen’s Park, who had won eight of their last nine fixtures, was a fair outcome, with both goalkeepers having key stops when it mattered.
And he believes on-loan St Mirren midfielder Jay Henderson and ex-Manchester United and Burnley kid Ben Woods have lifted the battle for places this month.
He added: “The boys have started the new year, looking sharp and hungry. We just wanted to get out of the rut and I feel in the past three games we’ve shown that quality.
“Taking seven points from nine is a good start, although we would have liked nine points.
“The boys who have been added to the squad, Jay and Ben, along with the boys who have come back have made a difference.
“We were struggling for numbers at training at one point, but we have at least 20 players training every day now.”
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