Dodds is delighted with Inverness Caledonian Thistle win at Arbroath
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Head coach Billy Dodds paid tribute to his team as Inverness Caledonian Thistle got their Championship campaign off to a winning start at Arbroath.
Shane Sutherland scored the only goal of the game to send Inverness up the road with three points from Gayfield.
After the disappointment of being knocked out of the League Cup group stages last month, Dodds was pleased with the response of his players to get the campaign off to a winning start.
“I thought that the boys showed me what they could do in every department,” he said.
“In the first half we created chances, but it ended up 0-0, I said we needed to be a bit more clinical in the final third and we would go on to win the game.
“But to be fair to Arbroath, they threw on man after man and pinned us back after we scored.
“They looked like they were starting to control the first part of the second half and after we scored.
“We dug in and put bodies on the line and put us under the cosh.
“But that is the sign of a good team, if you can go forward and create things and then dig in, then that is a good thing.”
Dodds heaped praised on match winner Sutherland for the way he took his goal after claiming the ball from the halfway line and then charging towards goal before clipping it past Derek Gatson.
“It was a great finish as Shane was calm and composed,” said Dodds.
“I wasn’t as calm or composed on the sideline as we had missed some great chances.
“Shane had time to think about it and he took it well to score.”
Arbroath may be the only part-time team in the Championship this season, but Dodds was full of praise for their opponents.
“They have an unbelievable home record, and I can see why,” said Dodds.
“If they are not at it, Dick Campbell will change it and throw men and really go for it.
“That is what he did and he reminded me of Jimmy Calderwood who threw men on and put teams under the cosh.
“We did hang in there and showed a grit.”
Dodds also paid tribute to Scott Allardice and Reece McAlear in midfield for their part in the win.
“They controlled the first half and won a lot of second balls.
“I said Arbroath would make it a contest and we got to a percentage of second balls in the first half.”
