Caley steal point with late goal against 10-man Raith
Inverness boss Billy Dodds is famously known for his cheery disposition, but the former Scotland striker must still have had mixed feelings after yesterday’s top-of-the-table clash at Starks Park finished all-square.
A late equaliser from midfielder Sean Welsh staved off what would have been a second defeat in three games after Caley Thistle went unbeaten in their opening seven fixtures.
It also kept them clear at the top of the Championship, although Kilmarnock’s win saw the Inverness lead trimmed from five points to three.
Dodds, however, must have been unhappy that his team came so close to defeat against a home side reduced to 10 men for the whole of the second 45 minutes.
Midfielder Ross Matthews received a straight red card following an X-rated challenge on Irish striker Billy Mckay.
Not only did Rovers survive, they were cleverly reorganised by their wise old manager John Mcglynn and deservedly went ahead shortly after the hour mark through Aidan Connolly’s left-footed finish.
To irritate Dodds even further, it was only the fifth goal conceded by his stingy defence in 10 league games so far.
Despite being a man down, a fifth win in six games began to appear a distinct possibility for Raith, until Welsh equalised with 11 minutes left with a low right-foot drive from 20 yards.
“Of course it’s a wee bit frustrating to get so close to winning the game,” admitted Mcglynn.
“A win would have cut the gap at the top to just two points instead of five, but I’m still very proud of the players for the way they battled so hard today.
“It’s a long time to go right through the whole of the second half with only 10 men, but I thought we dug in well and competed hard.
“We’ve slipped from second to third but there’s a long way to go and it’s still a hard-won point.”
Dodds added: “People expect you to dominate when you’ve got an extra man, but it’s not always as easy as people think.
“Half-time probably came at the right time for them, and John’s got all the experience in the world to get his players organised for the second half.
“It looked it a bit worrying at 1-0, but Manny Duku did a good job when he came on and Michael Gardyne managed to set up Sean for the equaliser.
“Both teams might have won it at the end, so a point apiece was probably about right.
“It’s maybe a point gained for us, and who knows how important it might be next May.
“Kilmarnock are a bit closer now, but you’ve got to expect that because it’s a tough league and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes all the way to the last game of the season.”