Inverness Caledonian Thistle prepare for tough games in push for play-off
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle may have already qualified for the play-offs, but head coach Billy Dodds is looking no further ahead than securing third place in their last two games.
A trip to Greenock Morton tomorrow will be followed by a home match against Hamilton Academical next Friday, and with just two wins from the combined eight games against them so far this season it is a tough run-in.
The flip side of that is that two victories out of two will provide a massive confidence boost ahead of the play-offs, but Dodds knows that will be a difficult task.
"It's Morton and Hamilton – they don't get any tougher," Dodds insisted.
"I know they didn't start well, but they are two teams that have shown since the turn of the year that they can go on a really good run of form. These are two tough teams we're going to be facing.
"We'll be doing our own business, we won't be looking elsewhere. We want to get the job done off our own backs, we don't want to be coming off after another disappointing result wondering how others got on. We'll take it if it happens, but we want to do it off our own merits.
"We know it will be hard, but we've got a good squad. In the last couple of weeks, we've had nearly everybody to choose from apart from Scott Allardice.
"I hope they go out with the hunger and edge to get third place done. We want to make sure we get there and get the home second leg for the first round of the play-offs."
Having as many players as possible available will be crucial to a successful play-off campaign, with six matches in store over three weeks to earn promotion to the top flight.
As well as Allardice, there are doubts over Kirk Broadfoot – who missed the midweek defeat at Queen of the South – and Danny Devine who suffered a head knock in Dumfries.
"Danny's going to get checked out, and we hope he's fine, because it was brave from him and a brilliant clearance.
"He's given himself a sore one, and he's got three stitches just above his eye.
"Kirk had an operation on his back years ago, and he looks after himself, but he was just feeling a wee twinge, so we're hopeful for him as well.
"We're juggling those ones, we don't want to push them too quick to make a comeback if that will scupper them for the play-offs.
"I don't want to put pressure on Scott. He's up at the training ground and he has moved on a stage, he's now working with the ball.
"He's doing checking, turning and twisting – all football movements, which he wasn't doing to start with.
"He's getting his stamina built up, and Scott is in a good place now, but remember he hasn't had any games for a long time.
"We know it's a big push for him, but we're really pleased. He's pushing, let's put it that way. Scott's grafting away like you wouldn't believe."
