Caley Thistle manager John Robertson says the credit for his side’s impressive recent defensive record must go to the full team and not just the backline.
The Highlanders have racked up six successive clean sheets and have avoided conceding for a period of 567 minutes since Sam Wardrop’s goal in a 2-1 away loss to Dumbarton on September 23. It is a marked improvement by Caley Jags, who initially struggled in the Championship following their relegation from the top flight.
Robertson says the defending begins from the front and added: “Six clean sheets in a row is fabulous – and they all deserve it for the intensity they put in.
“The front three start it off for us by making sure the opposition don’t play the ball out easily, then the midfield presses and the defence presses.
“Balls were thrown into the box on Saturday by a Livingston side that was a real threat in the air, but we headed them away.
“Mark Ridgers had one shot to save in the first half and one in the second, as well as a couple of punches.
“There’s a resoluteness about us, we don’t want to concede. But it’s not stopping us from creating chances at the other end, which is pleasing.
“We’re showing the hard work off the ball and being brave to keep passing it when on the ball.”
Inverness’ focus switches away from league action this weekend when they host Falkirk in the quarter-finals of the IRN-BRU Cup.
Robertson hopes to have a strong squad available for the tie, with a place in the last four of the competition at stake.
He added: “We don’t play again in the league until November 21 against Brechin.
“We’ve now got Falkirk, so we will dust the boys down. There were a few bumps and bruises from Saturday and we will just have to make sure everyone is ready for the cup tie and then we will push on to two home league games.”