Dodds’ play-off delight

BILLY Dodds admits it was a tense watch – but he’s relieved and thrilled that Caley Thistle beat Partick Thistle 1-0 in their Premiership play-off quarter-final last night.

The Inverness CT head coach was on cloud nine after his side booked their semi-final double header with Championship runners-up Arbroath on Tuesday and Friday.

An Austin Samuels strike in the first half earned a 3-1 aggregate triumph over the Jags after he also bagged the clincher in Tuesday’s 2-1 comeback win at Firhill. However, the joy was mixed with relief as the Highlanders progressed.

Dodds said: “We’re through and that’s the main thing. We had to defend properly and I felt our defenders were great.

“Thistle asked a lot of us and kept going at us. I can’t say they had outstanding chances, but they were a credit to Ian McCall.”

Austin Samuels (left).