Former Celtic and Hearts star says Inverness Caley Thistle are really good team despite being hit by administration - Cove Rangers manager impressed with the way head coach Scott Kellacher has Inverness playing
COVE Rangers manager Paul Hartley says Inverness Caledonian Thistle have a really good team despite being struck by administration after they beat his team 2-1 yesterday.
Cove did take the lead through Mitch Megginson early in the first half and he could have doubled their advantage eight minutes before half time, but saw his penalty saved by Musa Dibaga.
Adam Mackinnon made Cove Rangers pay the penalty miss a minute later with a tremendous equaliser from the edge of the box to make it 1-1.
Keith Bray then scored the winner midway through the second half to move Inverness from -2 to one point in League One.
They are now only 11 points behind Dumbarton in ninth place.
Cove Rangers also lost their place at the top of League One as they slumped to second after suffering their first defeat in eight matches.
Cove manager Hartley, who played for Hearts, Celtic and Aberdeen during his career, as well as made 25 appearances for Scotland, says he was impressed with Inverness.
Despite the club being in administration and losing five players last month, he says they still have plenty of quality on the pitch.
He also praised Scott Kellacher, who was appointed head coach last month, for the way he has set up Inverness playing football, saying they deserved the win with their second half performance.
He said: “They were better than us in the second half.
“They won the duels and the battles and have a lot of quality with Billy Mckay at the top end of the pitch.
“I’ve kept saying it that even though Inverness have had their problems what they have got on the pitch is really good.
“They have a really good team and Scott has got them working well.”
Speaking about the result, Hartley said:“It maybe changed on the penalty, but I am not blaming anybody.
“In the first half I thought we were fine with our shape and weren’t under too much pressure.
“We are disappointed but we weren’t at our best. But we have only had one defeat in eight and we have to do that again.”
Read: Scott Kellacher speaks of his pride Inverness win first game since going into administration.
