Daniel MacKay hopes Caley Thistle’s players have answered any doubts over their commitment in their last two outings against Raith Rovers.
Inverness picked up four points from the double header against the Kirkcaldy side, with last Friday’s 0-0 draw at Caledonian Stadium followed by a 1-0 triumph in Fife on Tuesday.
The victory ended a six-match winless sequence for the Highlanders, with Neil McCann securing his first triumph since temporarily stepping in during the absence of manager John Robertson and assistant Scott Kellacher.
The players came in for criticism following the recent form, which saw Inverness dragged into the relegation zone.
With Tuesday’s result moving them into sixth place, just three points off the promotion play-off spots, MacKay hopes the squad’s desire to claw Inverness out of danger has been plain to see.
MacKay said: “We were in a dogfight a week ago, but we have so many games at the moment we can make it up.
“Luckily with this win, and a good draw against Raith on Friday, we have propelled ourselves up the league a wee bit.
“We can’t worry about play-offs. Obviously it’s a goal, but we just need to take it game-by-game. Hopefully it takes us in the right direction and we can put out positive performances like Tuesday.
“We started really well under the manager against Hearts, and we have let ourselves down in the past few weeks.
“It’s just the way the season has been for us with how things have happened, there has been a bit of misfortune and other things going on.
“The huge part of it on Friday and Tuesday was the dig from the boys. There was a real drive to want to win, and show the fans that we do want to be at the club.
“There have been questions before about whether we care, but hopefully the last two performances show we do, and we want to put the club to where they belong.”
MacKay netted the only goal of the game against Raith with a superb early second half strike which was assisted by a kick upfield by goalkeeper Mark Ridgers.
It was MacKay’s fourth goal of the season, with the 19-year-old keen to continue contributing to Caley Jags’ firepower.
MacKay added: “I have been waiting for four years for Mark Ridgers to kick one right over the top straight on to my foot.
“Luckily it was on the left foot, I knew it was in the minute I hit it, so it was a good feeling. I knew after that the boys would kick on and we would get confidence from that.
“Through the youths I have scored goals, but obviously it’s a bigger step scoring goals for the first team.
“I have started games this year and I have scored four now. Hopefully I can kick on and help the boys out. That’s the most important thing. If I’m scoring and the team is winning I’m happy, but even if it’s someone else scoring I’ll be happy.
“As long as the club I support is back to where it belongs, I’m not too bothered.”
McCann will monitor Inverness’ squad ahead of Saturday’s trip to Dunfermline, with James Keatings picking up an ankle injury and skipper Sean Welsh having been an injury doubt prior to Tuesday’s game.
MacKay admits the busy schedule has taken its toll on him, adding: “The boys are running on empty, it has been non-stop over the past few weeks. You could see in the last 10 minutes on Friday I was struggling big time.
“It was just sheer effort, and it was the same from all the boys. It would have been easier if we had won games, but we haven’t, but that just shows the character of the boys to keep going. Tuesday was a good positive for us and hopefully we can go forward from here.”
