Luton Town striker Aribim Pepple insists Caley Thistle’s loan players are doing all they can to keep the Highland club in the Championship.
The 21-year-old stepped off the bench to pull a goal back with his first touch in midweek as Inverness lost 2-1 at League One runners-up Hamilton Accies in the first leg of the Championship play-off final.
Tadhal do Caley!
Aribim Pepple scores with his first touch after coming on from the bench! pic.twitter.com/bV0P2coyEI
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) May 15, 2024
His second goal for the club since joining on loan from the English Premier League side has given Duncan Ferguson’s team a glimmer of hope going into Saturday’s second leg at the Caledonian Stadium.
Several Inverness players are only on short-term switches from other clubs.
Defenders Morgan Boyes and James Carragher are in from Livingston and Wigan Athletic, Dundee midfielders Max Anderson and Cammy Kerr are mainstays in Ferguson’s team, while forward Samson Lawal is in from Livi, Alex Samuel is a Ross County loanee, and they have had now-injured Sean McAllister impress during his stint from Everton.
Pepple’s powerful presence and lethal finish struck a blow to Accies, who led 2-0 in the first half thanks to a Kevin O’Hara wonder strike from 47 yards and a header from their rising star defender Fergus Owens.
Pepple stressed he is determined his loan stint in the Highlands will end with the Caley Jags remaining in the second tier.Tadhal do Hamilton!
Off the post, off the head of Ridgers and into the back of the net! Hamilton take the lead! pic.twitter.com/WY6JtjdaCh
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) May 15, 2024
He said: “I want to stay up as much as anyone.
“People say loan players don’t care – trust me, all of us in that dressing room care.
“We go into Saturday fully focused and will try our best.
“I do not want to see this club go down. Everyone has been so good to me since I came to the club. Even when you go into the city centre, you can see how big it is for the city to keep the club up.
“Hopefully, God-willing, we stay up. And we will give 100% to achieve that.”
Squad game matters more than starts
Pepple, whose first Inverness goal came after coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw at Dunfermline last month, says his focus is not on replacing Billy Mckay or Samuel in the starting line-up.
Instead, he wants to contribute to the cause, even if he’s not a starter, and says that squad mentality is vital at Inverness.
He said: “Whether I play 10 minutes or 90 minutes, I am going to give 100%.
“I trust the manager 100%.
“It’s not as if you can’t make a difference when you’re a substitute.
“I showed on Wednesday that, as long as you’re ready, you can make a huge difference.
“Alex and Billy have been brilliant this season. Alex has scored five goals (since coming on loan in January) and Billy is the talisman of this team – it is not a case of trying to kick them out of the team.
“It’s about if they get tired, I can come on and make a difference.
“If I get tired, someone else can do the same.
“We’re a team and it’s not about ‘this player has to start’. It’s a whole team effort.
“Whoever starts gives 100%, and whoever is on the bench will give 100% when they come on.”
Tadhal! Tha Hamilton dhà air thoiseach!
Hamilton are 2-0 up in this first leg of the Championship play-off! pic.twitter.com/8HmGJsdJGG
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) May 15, 2024
Pepple – ‘We can turn this tie around’
Pepple believes his strike from a Cammy Harper cut-back gives Inverness a fighting chance to sink John Rankin’s impressive Accies.
He added: “It’s a big goal. The final was always going to be alive in the second leg, but this gives us one less goal to drag back.
“By the way we played in the second half, everyone is confident that we can turn this around. One goal is not a lot to turn around.
“It gives us real momentum and we’ll go out to attack the second leg.”
Saturday’s second leg at Inverness is a 5.30pm kick-off due to being screened live on BBC Alba.
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