Caley Jags should take chances and defend goal

INVERNESS: Robetrtson tells players to forget about United in Championship

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Robertson has told his players to forget about Dundee United.

United have increased their lead at the top of the Championship to 13 points following their 1-0 win at Arbroath on Saturday while Inverness lost ground due to a 3-1 defeat by Partick Thistle at Firhill.

Robertson has been impressed by the consistency shown by Robbie Neilson’s side but he has told his players they must focus on themselves.

He said: “We can’t affect what Dundee United are doing. They have put together a phenomenal run of victories and fair play to them.

“They are in a very commanding position and all we can do is focus on our matches on a game by game basis.

“We have already played worse than we did on Saturday and won but we missed that bit of luck.

“It was a good three points for Partick and Ian McCall will be pleased but we are disappointed.

“However, if we keep playing like we did and making those chances we’ll win more games than we lose.”

Robertson is frustrated his side left Firhill with nothing to show for their efforts but believes his players should not be downbeat after their latest defeat.

He said: “We’re disappointed as we put a lot into the game but I can’t fault my players for their attitude or application.

“It goes back to the same thing we say week in, week out. You have to take your chances and defend your goal. Partick did it better than us.

“We had some great chances in the first half but you have to take them. The second goal is not the sort of one we’ve lost of late but we didn’t react.”

The outcome could have been different had referee Steven McLean opted to award a penalty after Jordan White was sent sprawling by Jags captain Tam O’Ware.

But McLean booked both the Inverness player for simulation and Robertson for his querying of the decision.

The Caley Jags boss says his side has every right to be aggrieved.

He said: “To book Jordan added insult to injury but did it affect the game? We can’t really say that as we didn’t get it.

“We asked the referee and he said he felt Jordan propelled himself and it would have been a soft penalty.

“(Former official) Willie Young used to tell me penalties are like eggs. Hard or soft they are still eggs. We felt it was a penalty but we didn’t get it and we made our feelings known.

“You wonder with the new rules about yellow cards. I didn’t swear or say anything derogatory. All I said was it was a poor decision.”

Picture: SNS. Inverness manager John Robertson.