Billy Mckay is backing Caley Thistle to return to winning ways at Ayr United this Saturday – because there’s no shortage of chances being created by the Inverness team.
The experienced striker was picked out by Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall for special praise at the weekend, despite the 0-0 draw at Firhill which saw ICT fall two points behind leaders Kilmarnock in the Championship.
Michael Gardyne and Tom Walsh hit the woodwork, while Sean Welsh had his penalty saved in a match which the Highlanders largely controlled without finding the net.
📅 Our Fixtures for November 👇 pic.twitter.com/t2SBEF2ML0
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) November 1, 2021
Finishing touches will return
Mckay, who has scored seven times this season in all competitions, has gone three without a goal, while the team has won just once in their last five outings and lost 1-0 last Tuesday at home to Arbroath.
The Caley Jags have only scored 13 goals in 12 league matches, which is lower than Arbroath and Partick Thistle (23 each), Raith Rovers (20) and Kilmarnock (18).
Former Northern Irish international Mckay is sure the goals will come down at Ayr as Inverness chase victory.
He said: “We were disappointed not to have won on Saturday. We felt we created enough chances, including hitting the post and the bar and missing a penalty.
Tough week but can’t fault the effort today! Good to get another clean sheet and a much better performance. Unlucky not to get the win in the end. #ICTFC🔴🔵
— Mark Ridgers (@MarkRidgers) October 30, 2021
“It was just one of those games where you feel nothing is going to go in for you. However, if we continue to play like that for the rest of the season, we will win a lot of matches.
“We have got scorers throughout the squad, including boys on the bench who have played this season. They have come in and scored goals as well.
“We have a really good squad and we back ourselves to score. We have not scored as much as we’d have wanted to lately, but we are creating plenty of chances and that’s all you can do as a team.
“If you can create chances, the goals will come.”
Best defence in the Championship
On the flip side, the latest clean sheet for ICT ensures they have the best goals against record in the division, leaking a mere six goals over a dozen games.
Mckay felt the strong showing at shutting out Thistle was ideal on the back of the reversal against Arbroath.
He added: “We have been solid all season and we showed that again on Saturday. The defence has been great and, against Partick, we showed we had put the disappointment of last Tuesday behind us and put in a really good performance.”
Forward options for Dodds
Head coach Billy Dodds reverted to using Mckay as the solo striker after playing him alongside Manny Duku last week.
For the 33-year-old ex-Ross County star, he reckons using Aaron Doran just behind him worked to good effect at Firhill at the weekend.
He said: “The manager will assess the line-up for different games this season.
“I enjoyed it on Saturday, having Aaron just behind me and he was always in and around me. He was able to hold the ball off for me and I was able to get myself in the box. We linked up really well.
“I also felt the wingers (Michael Gardyne and Tom Walsh) played really well. There are plenty of options up front for the manager, whether he plays one or two up top.
“There are times when you could even go three up.”
Three away points is goal at Ayr
After successive Saturday away games against Raith Rovers at Kirkcaldy and Partick in Glasgow, the Caley Jags are raring to hit the road again and return from Somerset Park with three points.
Mckay will rise and shine early as his team-mates seek to deliver a fresh boost to their Championship challenge by defeating their sixth-placed hosts Ayr.
He said: “It will be another early start for us, but on the back of playing really well against Partick Thistle, we will aim to do it again on Saturday.
“We haven’t won many games recently, so we have to turn these chances into results and I’d back us to win at Ayr.”
