The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dodds calls on his men to keep cool in ‘nervy’ Lichties play-off
Billy Dodds insists there will be no surprises when his Caley Thistle aces go head to head with Championship runners-up Arbroath this week.
Inverness finished six points and one place behind Dick Campbell’s big-hitting part-timers and were eight points behind league champions Kilmarnock in the end.
A 3-1 aggregate victory last week over fourthplaced Partick Thistle has earned ICT a Premiership play-off semi-final against Arbroath, at home tomorrow then at Gayfield on Friday.
Ian Campbell, brother of boss Dick and assistant manager, was at both legs last week as Austin Samuels scored the winner in both games, including the only goal on Friday.
As they prepare for meetings five and six against their Angus rivals, Dodds believes the outcome will be decided by which team can handle the heat over 180 minutes or more.
He said: “There might be a wee tweak here and there. But we know what Arbroath are about and they know what we’re about.
“It’s about who can handle the nerves and occasion the best. That’s what will decide which side goes through to have a crack at Premiership opponents in the final.
“It wasn’t easy against Partick Thistle, but we did handle it. Partick showed a great energy and Alex Jakubiak looked sharp when he came on.
“There were periods where we really had to defend properly and concentrate. I felt we could have maybe caught them on the break a few times, but we managed the game brilliantly in the second half.
“I just wanted us to be a wee bit more clinical to finish them off and me and my staff could enjoy it a wee bit more. But the main thing is we’re through.”
Dodds’ side were the only team to beat Arbroath at Gayfield all season and that came in a 1-0 win on the opening day of the campaign on July 31.
Overall, ICT took seven of the 12 points available and Dodds wants his players to deliver a massive result which would pitch them in against the topflight’s second-bottom side on May 20 and 23.
He added: “It will be different having the home leg first and maybe I would prefer the second leg to be at home, but Arbroath finished second and all credit to them and they have the home tie second.
“But my boys will be ready. We have done fairly well against them this season. Even though they finished above us in the league, we’re evenly matched.
“The boys know we are so close to getting a crack at a Premiership team, and it’s looking like that would be St Johnstone.”
ICT took four points away to Arbroath this season, lost 1-0 at home to them in October, but defeated them 3-0 in March, which ended a three-month wait for a win.
Since then, Dodds’ side have won eight of their last 10 matches, losing only once, against Queen of the South.
Tomorrow’s home match starts at 7.05pm, with Friday’s return at Gayfield kicking off at 7.45pm.