Inverness Caledonian Thistle head coach Billy Dodds emphasises need for focus in home second leg of Premiership play-off after beating Partick Thistle at Firhill
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle have the upper hand going into the second leg of their play-off quarter final against Partick Thistle, but head coach Billy Dodds feels that is only reason to reiterate the need for focus.
Speaking after last night's 2–1 win at Firhill, Dodds revealed that he expects Partick to come out swinging in the return leg in Inverness on Friday.
Caley Thistle, then, would have to withstand pressure to hold on to their advantage and make it into next week's semi finals.
That is a challenge Dodds is confident his players can rise to, though, given recent displays have seen them win seven out of their last nine matches.
"We want them to focus and realise what is at stake," Dodds said of what will be required at the Caledonian Stadium.
"We have to have the same effort and not give away cheap goals.
"Thistle will come and have a go – I would in the same situation. It was a big result for us and we just need to ensure we focus. Hopefully we can catch them and get the tie killed off.
"We have been coming back like this in big games, such as when we were 2–1 down at Raith Rovers with a few minutes to go and won 3–2.
"My players have character, desire and determination – all you need in football – to turn it around. I believed in them and in the first half we pretty much matched one another up.
"When they got the goal, we had a little switch and went 4–4-2, had a go, and it paid off.
"We now have an advantage. We perhaps shaded the second half and were the team looking the most likely to win, but it was an even, hard-fought game, so there's plenty to play for."
