Robbo calls for fans to be patient
John Robertson is urging Caley Thistle supporters to show greater patience after growing restless during a vital home win over Dunfermline.
The Highlanders cemented their second place status behind runaway leaders Dundee United, with goals from defenders Shaun Rooney and Jamie Mccart securing the points.
Dunfermline slipped out of the play-off zone and into fifth place after defeats to Dundee and now Inverness.
With 18 matches now played, Robertson revealed his team had come close to meeting their own points target for the first half of the season.
But the former Hearts striker feels momentum is building in his quest to reclaim Premiership football after three seasons in the Championship.
Robertson said: “At 1-0 up, we kept sporadically creating chances and I know the crowd get frustrated, but Dunfermline are a good side and they’re on a good run of form.
“We’re not going to boss the whole game and it is frustrating that the fans, instead of rallying behind us, they start to moan a wee bit.
“We had two or three chances to make it more comfortable, but in the end I’m really pleased with the result, the performance and the application of the players.
“We want to finish the year with another strong performance at home to Arbroath. We’ve got a target for points.
“We aren’t quite where we wanted to be in the first half of the season, but not too far away – very close to it.
“Already, we may have won more games at home than we did in the entire of last season.
“We need to keep putting points on the board and see where it takes us. It is promotion by whatever means possible.” Caley made the breakthrough in 34 minutes.
A corner on the right was played back to Keatings who curled in a fine cross and home defender Rooney, showing the deft touch of a striker, lifted his right foot high to guide an angled volley into the corner of the net from 10 yards.
The killer second came 10 minutes from time.
Doran’s corner from the left was fired high to the back of the penalty box where Mccart directed a header into the far corner of the net.
Pars manager Stevie Crawford said: “I’m not too despondent. We won three games on the bounce within the space of a week. We’ve come to two difficult places, Dens
Park and Inverness.
“We’ve improved in the second quarter from what we did in the first – and that’s what we have to look at going into the remaining games.”
ICT:
(4-2-3-1) Ridgers 7; Rooney 7, Donaldson 7, Mccart 7, Mchattie 7; Carson 6, Trafford 6; Doran 7 (Todorov 89, 2), Keatings 7 (Vincent 74, 3), Storey 6; White 6 (Curry 84). Subs – Mackay, Harper, Machado, Macgregor.
dunfermline:
(4-2-3-1) Scully 6; Comrie 6, Devine 6, Ashcroft 7, Martin 6; Beadling 5 (Turner 43, 5), Paton 6; Dow 7, Mccann 7 (Mcdonald 62, 5), Thomson 6 (Ryan 75, 3); Nisbet 7. Subs – Gill, Lang, Cochrane, Edwards.
I’m convinced Caley are on the rise. We’re going to catch Dundee United!
@jagz4lyf