Inverness Caley Thistle 7 - 0 Arbroath: Tougher tests ahead

Inverness manager Richie Foran was restrained in his emotions and reaction after a near-club record display destroyed Dick Campbell's Arbroath, with the Irishman wary of the much tougher demands looming for the league opener against Partick Thistle.

Caley Thistle manager Richie Foran remained restrained after big win

Foran, pictured, believes the best is yet to come from his new charges, despite a magnificent seven goals falling just one short of beating 1998’s 8-1 thrashing of Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup under Steve Paterson.

It was thoroughly impressive stuff, though, with the victory leaving Dundee United needing to match or better the scoreline at home to Dunfermline today to dislodge Caley Thistle from the top of Group C.

“I knew we had that kind of performance in us. We’re improving every game,” Foran said. “The most pleasing thing for me was our work off-the-ball and how quick we worked to get the ball back after we lost it. But we’re up against a different animal next week. No disrespect to Arbroath but we’re up against experienced, quality, Premiership players and it’s a big test.”

Arbroath had suspension troubles and could only name three players on the bench. Their problems were only beginning, though.

Jake Mulraney, the summer signing from QPR, was to tease and torment the League Two side and consistently left markers for dead with immense pace.

The hosts had a penalty claim turned down in the tenth minute when Gary Philips brought Billy King crashing down. But, within seconds, Campbell’s men were behind with Mulraney finding King for a tight-angled finish from six yards.

After 17 minutes, Scott Boden doubled the advantage, finishing calmly from a long Mulraney ball through the middle. Iain Vigurs’ header then smacked against the crossbar before the third arrived in 24 minutes. Carl Tremarco’s cross was nodded back across goal for Boden to head home on the line.

After 36 minutes, Tremarco headed in the fourth after Boden touched on a David Raven cross from the right.

Within two minutes of the second half restart, Liam Polworth released Mulraney with a lovely pass and the 20-year-old winger strung a simple pass across the six-yard box for Iain Vigurs to tuck away. Tremarco bundled over the seventh after a tremendous Gary Warren run and cross.