It’s McAlear hero Reece needs a cap
Billy Dodds can’t believe Inverness hero Reece McAlear has been overlooked for Scotland Under-21 action.
The Caley Thistle gaffer is amazed at the snub after the on-loan Norwich City kid inspired Thistle to a third successive victory.
Sub Austin Samuels added a killer second to l ift Dodds’ men to within six points of second-top Arbroath.
Dodds hailed a great team effort but couldn’t resist a pop at Under-21s coach Scot Gemmill who has seen the Young Lions’ Euro 2023 hopes hang by a thread.
Dodds, who earned 26 Scotland caps, said: “I’m angry – I cannot believe the boy hasn’t had a sniff of the Under-21s.
“I’m not here to do Scot ’s job but I’m astounded. I don’t know if the homework has been done.
“Reece is a top quality player, intelligent.
“He is 20 and can’t get near that team when he has been consistently playing first- team football and scoring unbelievable goals.
“I’m just gutted for him he’s not in it.”
For Dunfermline, it was a crash back to earth in the relegation fight after hammering Partick in midweek.
After breaking an
11-match winless spell with back- to- back victories over Arbroath and Raith, Inverness were sharp and full of confidence.
After 11 minutes, Logan Chalmers glided into space and drew a one-handed save down low from Pars keeper Deniz Mehmet.
Chalmers and Billy Mckay went close then McAlear smacked a 22- yard free- kick against the bar.
But Thistle grasped a 58th-minute lead.
Sean Welsh drove a free-kick into the Pars wall but the ball spun to McAlear, 25 yards out, and his swerving strike flew past Mehmet and smacked in off the top of the inside post.
And it was all over with 13 minutes left as sub Samuels raced clean through onto a Aaron Doran pass to fire in.
Pars boss John Hughes said: “It was a wondergoal but we’ve not shown anywhere near enough.
“We’re better than that and we’re trying to set the right standards at the club.”