Luis Longstaff wants to help Caley Thistle put on a winning show on Hampden’s big pitch and boost their survival bid by beating Queen’s Park.
The Championship’s eighth and ninth-placed sides will trade places on Saturday, if ICT walk away as the winners at the national stadium.
Having beaten League One-bound Arbroath 2-1 last week, they need to register back-to-back league victories for the first time this season, and will escape the relegation play-off spot if they do so.
Their own pitch in Inverness, battered by a harsh winter, has not offered the best surface for ICT, who went almost five months without a home league win until last week.
🔜 This Saturday we face Queen's Park away in another big #cinchChamp match
Come on ICTFC 🔴🔵
Ticket & Supporters Bus Info: https://t.co/m85rT92jnK pic.twitter.com/3esXKHzoAG
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) April 8, 2024
ICT ‘want to get ball down and play’
Winger Longstaff – who has just returned from a knee injury – hopes they can find the same crisp passing and killer touch as they did when they beat Queen’s 4-1 in December in Glasgow before Callum Davidson became the home side’s boss.
He said: “We want to play football, get the ball down and play, so a big pitch with a nice surface appeals to us.
“Maybe that’s why our record is much better away from home than in Inverness.
“Some of the pitches away are ones where you can get it down and play – and that’s definitely the case at Hampden.
“The groundsman here (at Inverness) is excellent and does the very best he can to get the pitch in the best condition possible, but it has been difficult.
“At the national team’s stadium, obviously the pitch is going to be the best it could be.
“We’re looking forward to getting it down and showing what we can do.”
Longstaff is wary of Spiders’ bite
While Inverness were edging out Arbroath, Queen’s Park slid to a 5-0 defeat against leaders Dundee United.
Former Liverpool youth player Longstaff, 23, warns the Spiders will be out to bite back after last week’s sore set-back.
He said: “For any team coming off the back of a result like that, it can go one of two ways.
“It can either make them lose confidence, or it can be a kick up the backside because they’ve been doing well up until that result.
“They will have looked to regroup through the week and will probably be pushing even harder to bounce back from it.
“We’re prepared for that, as a group, but we’re just focusing on going into the game in the best position possible.”
Longstaff ‘in good place’ after injury
Until coming on as a substitute against Arbroath, Longstaff had not played since losing 1-0 at home to Queen’s Park in early February.
Even if boss Duncan Ferguson continues to use him off the bench, Longstaff is focused on making a positive impact.
He said: “I’ve had quite a few weeks out, so I’ve got that eagerness to get back playing and try to help, and impact, the team as much as possible.
“It was difficult, but it could have been a lot worse
“I’m lucky it was only eight weeks, rather than a lot longer.
“In rehab, it was about getting back as quickly as possible and I feel in a good place now to help the team as much as possible going into the last four or five games.
“Whether that is from the bench or by starting matches – I just want to help us push through the last few games.
“If we perform the way we know we can, we don’t need to rely on anyone else.”
After Saturday, ICT will host Raith Rovers on Friday, Dunfermline (away) on April 27 before finishing at home to Morton on May 5.
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