The Caley Thistle manager made six additions to the first-team pool during pre-season and that was added to on transfer deadline day last week with Stuart Golabek making the return to Inverness, two years after departing to join Ross County.

All seven arrivals featured in the penalty shoot-out success over Partick Thistle on Sunday with Butcher particularly impressed by the performance of former Inverness captain Golabek as he continues to mould together what is very much now his team.

"Stuart talks well and has a good range of passing," he stated. "Overall, I thought he was excellent.

"It's a good, experienced back four that we have. Nauris is the youngest one, but he's learning all the time.

"With Ryan Esson in behind them, then we've got a good chance. We now just need to try and be a bit more creative further up the field. I'm pleased and we are getting there. It's not going as fast as I would have liked, but I feel that we are making progress."

The semi-finals of the Alba Challenge Cup beckon, but for Butcher of even more importance was the response from his players in the aftermath of their 3-1 home loss to Ross County in the Highland derby.

Having been away on Scotland duty in his role as assistant to boss George Burley, Butcher left the preparations for the trip to Firhill in the hands of his number two Maurice Malpas.

Sunday was the first time that Butcher had seen the players since they lost so convincingly to County, but he was pleased with their effort and attitude against a Partick side who, like Inverness, are expected to challenge for promotion from Division One.

"I thought that we got a good reaction from the players, especially in the first half," he stated. "I wanted to give them a second chance. It was disappointing that we didn't continue that into the second half, partly because Partick changed their system and made it more difficult for us to get out.

Caley Thistle striker Danni Sanchez opens the scoring. Ken Macpherson

"We couldn't play with the same fluidity as the first half, but I felt it was fairly even in extra-time and possibly we had the better chances, but it wasn't to be. However, the lads are buzzing because Partick are a difficult team, as they showed in the second period.

"Fortunately, we had the experience of going to penalties against Montrose earlier in the season to fall back on and they've certainly come up trumps."

The addition of Golabek to the squad, allied to the return of Ross Tokely from suspension is a boost for Butcher and both showed up well against Partick.

Both David Proctor and Lionel Djebi-Zadi have been used in the two full-back positions so far this season, but with Tokely available again and Golabek coming in, the former dropped to the bench on Sunday, while the latter was rested having had a difficult time of it from sections of the Caley Thistle support during the Highland derby. The Frenchman was jeered for his showing last time out, something Butcher hopes will not happen again.

"We brought Stuart in at left back, who I thought was terrific, while Ross played right back," he said. "David Proctor and Lionel Djebi-Zadi now have a job on their hands to fight their way back into the team again, but that's what we want - competition for places.

"I decided to rest Lionel on Sunday because it's not nice when your own fans boo you and I've not had a chance to speak to him about it yet. Stuart came in and he needs games, so that's why we brought him in from the start against Partick. I don't like fans getting on players backs and while I hope that it never happens again, we just have to get on with it and make sure they are cheering next time."

sports@inverness-courier.co.uk

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