DAVIDSON – SAINTS LOST IMPETUS AFTER GOAL

From page 60

Asked what the momentum-changer was in the game, Davidson said: “Their goal. It’s hard to take because we’ve had some shockers this year.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it. Did I speak to Bobby (Madden)? I’ve stopped doing it. We lost a bit of impetus and allowed Inverness back in the game.

“But that’s football. We move on and we make sure we perform on Monday.

“We have to dust ourselves down pretty quick. We need to look at what we can do better and assess the boys and how they are.

“Melker was not well but he played anyway. Hopefully he will be OK for Monday.”

Davidson added: “I’ve been in football long enough to know things can change quickly but when you’ve four or five chances when we were basically two v two, we have to do better and put the game to bed and kill the tie.

“We didn’t but it was only a draw. We are still in the game. We are all square going into a home tie.”

Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds admits he had to change the set-up after Saints stormed into a 2-0 lead.

Dodds, who took charge of the side for the 50th time, was thrilled to have seen his second half changes work a treat.

He said: “”Sometimes you have to hold your hands up. We tried something different by matching up St Johnstone, going man for man.

“They moved us about, they are used to their system. I didn’t think we did the right things within it. We didn’t pass the ball well, we forced it, so I had to do something.

“Sometimes the manager has to take it on the chin. I hold my hands up as the 3-5-2 didn’t work. I changed it and put on some pace. The subs were great and a threat when they came on.

“I knew the next goal was so important when it was 2-0. If we nick it, we can spook them and that’s what we did.”

Dodds is thrilled to be going to Perth on Monday with the score all-square.

He added: “I just wanted to still be in the tie at McDiarmid. I thought we were out of the tie at halftime. I felt we didn’t believe and then we got the goal and suddenly it changed and the belief is flowing through the team.”