CALEY Thistle last night snapped up Latvian trialist Pavels Mihadjuks to complete a hat-trick of Friday evening signings.

CALEY Thistle last night snapped up Latvian trialist Pavels Mihadjuks to complete a hat-trick of Friday evening signings.

Hibs pair Filipe Morais and Thierry Gatheussi finally put pen to paper late last night after passing medicals.

Both are now fully signed Caley Thistle players until the end of the season, having secured their release from the Easter Road club.

They are also both free to play in today's Homecoming Scottish Cup fourth-round tie with Partick Thistle.

But the capture of Mihadjuks, a powerful 28-year-old centre half, came much sooner than expected. Mihadjuks, a former Latvian under 21 player, had failed to settle with the Baltic state's top flight champions FK Ventspils after moving from FK Riga in last summer.

Craig Brewster, the Caley manager, was instantly impressed after the player's arrival on Monday, and said last night: "Pavels came to us earlier in the week and it was immediately clear he was a quality defender.

"He has a real presence about him and I'm confident he will be a very good addition. I felt it was important to tie him up as soon as we could and I'm delighted to have him on board."

However, Caley Thistle were last night facing a race against the clock to complete his registration in time for the Partick match.

Graeme Bennett, the club's director of football, said: "Although Pavels has signed, we were unfortunately unaware there is a four hour time difference with Latvia.

"That means the final bits of paperwork will have to be tied up on the morning of the cup game if we are to have him available. However, both of the former Hibs lads are now signed Caley Thistle players, not loan players, until the end of the season.

"Hopefully, after a week or two we can extend their contracts if things are working well."

Meanwhile, Andy Barrowman is eager to silence the critics who have been speculating about his imminent departure from the Caledonian Stadium.

The former Birmingham City and Kilmarnock striker has taken more than his fair share of the criticism flying amid Caley Thistle's run of six straight defeats.

With only two goals to his name, some supporters have singled him out for vocal criticism while baying for Brewster's head with only slightly greater enthusiasm.

Interest from past club Ross County, where he hit 29 goals last season, seemed to offer an easy escape route from those troubles, but Barrowman has no intention of giving up on his SPL career quite yet.

The 24-year-old said: "I came to this club in the summer to score goals and prove that I can cut it at this level. I'm not about to give up on that after a few months unless I'm told otherwise by the manager.

"If you ask the gaffer, during the last couple of weeks in training I have been back to the sort of standard I set myself last year. Hopefully I can now take that into games.

"I was pleased with my performance last Saturday against Rangers, even though it was a defeat. I can take heart from it and I will look to take it into the Partick Thistle game tomorrow."

Barrowman welcomed the signings of Morais and Gatteussi. "Filipe looks a good player and it can only benefit the club if we get players in as it creates competition for places," he said. "It is only going to enhance the quality we have and whenever I've seen both of these lads in games or on television, I've been impressed.

"We need a lift from somewhere and whether that comes from a win or a new face coming through the door it can certainly help lift the dressing room."

Speaking of the challenge of Partick Thistle, Barrowman said: "The league is our priority, everyone knows that, but this is still an important game. We want to progress in the cup and get a win on Saturday. Winning breeds confidence, but it is not going to be easy - Partick are riding high in the first division.

"We are not expecting to just turn up and win the game. We will need a good performance to progress."