Inverness midfielder Nick Ross arrived in the nick of time!

Nick Ross’ super-sub star turn spurred Inverness Caley Thistle to their first-ever major cup final.

But the midfielder hopes there’s no repeat against Celtic today because he can’t face watching a THIRD semi-final from the bench.

Ross was thrown on with just three minutes left of last season’s League Cup semi against Hearts, with the Caley Jags staring down the barrel of defeat.

Already a goal behind and down to 10 men, within seconds of his arrival, Josh Meekings was sent off, leaving the Highlanders with a mountain to climb.

But just as all seemed lost, Ross scrambled home a crucial injury-time equaliser then scored in the shoot-out to send his side to the final.

Ross is happy to admit last year’s exploits stand out as his favourite moment in football. Now he hopes to eclipse it by playing his part in helping Inverness dump Celtic.

“I’ve been on the bench for the last two semi-finals so that’s been disappointing,” he admitted. It might happen again today. I just have to try and change the manager’s mind.

“Last year is hard to describe, it was all a bit of a blur to me.

“I came on after 87 minutes and thought I’d be lucky to get a touch, then Josh got sent off and I thought that could be us done.

“Then everyone just piled in the box and it fell to me. I still don’t know how it went in I’ve watched it over and over and I’m still not sure and afterwards it was some party.

“I would say that’s the best feeling I’ve had playing for Inverness.

“We beat Celtic 3-2 (in 2011) to stop them winning the League, which was also a big moment, but for me the semi was bigger.”

If Inverness manage to get past Celtic, they will be favourites to win the Cup and avenge their defeat to Aberdeen in last year’s League Cup Final.

“That would be massive,” says Ross. “We are still a young club, so getting to semis and finals is a big achievement in itself.

“We have to push on and after defeat in the last final, we’d like to find out what it’s like to win one. Losing a final was not a nice experience.

“I think we’ve used the pain of that defeat to drive us on this season. We want more success and to come so close and lose on penalties has made us hungrier for more.”