Billy Dodds is warning Caley Thistle to up their game against basement side Dunfermline Athletic as they aim to catch Championship leaders Kilmarnock.
A frustrating 2-2 draw at Ayr United on Saturday denied ICT the chance to move into first place after Kilmarnock’s 1-0 home loss against Partick Thistle.
As it is, they are one point behind Killie ahead of Saturday’s match at home to the managerless Pars, who were beaten 3-1 by Morton at East End Park at the weekend.
The Fifers, who recently sacked Peter Grant, could well have a new manager in the away dugout at the Caledonian Stadium, but ICT were held by them in Fife in September and lost 2-1 to Hamilton in October when Accies were in the lower reaches of the table.
Pars held ICT at East End Park
That’s why head coach Dodds is on high alert this weekend as they hunt down their first win in five matches after away draws at Raith, Partick and Ayr and a 1-0 home defeat by Arbroath.
He said: “When Dunfermline and Hamilton were at or near the bottom, we dropped points, so that tells you all we need to know about this league.
“We have to be the same every week and the same performance and, if we get a similar performance to Partick recently, we will win more games than we will lose and will not be far away. But, if we dip below that, we will struggle and teams will catch us.”
Last week, Dodds was thrilled by every aspect of his team’s performance at Partick Thistle, apart from their failure to find the net in a 0-0 draw.
On Saturday, his side did have their shooting boots on at Ayr, with goals from Sean Welsh and Michael Gardyne giving them a 2-1 half-time lead.
Joe Chalmers’ goal in between these strikes, which was conceded from a corner, had given Ayr hope, though, and a Paddy Reading equaliser denied Inverness the win which would have returned them to first place in the division.
Frustration followed strong first half
Dodds explained lack of game management and costly switch-offs ultimately cost them the victory at Somerset Park on a wind and rain-lashed afternoon in the seaside town.
He said: “It was like the Partick Thistle game, but I don’t want to give away the goals like we did on Saturday.
“There was so much right with our game at Ayr. Against Partick Thistle, we didn’t take our chances – we took two of our chances in the first half at Ayr, but I’m frustrated we didn’t take away three points. It would have put us top of the league as well.
“It’s going to be like that all season, with Kilmarnock dropping three points at the weekend. After all our efforts and, because of a couple of switch-offs, we’ve gone away with one point again.
“At the start of the second half especially, we seemed to decide to have a wee rest and that’s not managing the game. Ayr, to their credit, started getting to second balls and that’s why they got their (second) equaliser.
“We reacted to that and should have had a penalty, too, but (referee) Steven McLean decided not to give it. No excuses though. We have dropped two points. We had to manage the game better and we didn’t.”
Second-placed ICT are two points clear of Arbroath and Raith Rovers going into the weekend’s games.
Kilmarnock will be looking to respond to their defeat by Partick when they travel to Morton.
