Caley Jags head coach Billy Dodds felt his side lacked a cutting edge as they slipped off top spot in the Championship.
He was speaking after the 1-0 home loss to Arbroath, their first Caledonian Stadium league defeat of the season, let Kilmarnock go first on goals scored.
Michael McKenna, the Championship’s top scorer now with eight goals, scored the only goal in a gusty night when his free-kick flew past Mark Ridgers into the net.
Dodds said: “It was one of those nights when you work hard, grind away, get to second balls and maybe take a 0-0.
“I don’t think we did enough. We tried away and had a couple of chances but Dick Campbell’s team were at it and strong.
“I thought it had 0-0 written all over it until the mistake. We probably had the best of the chances in the first half but it wasn’t a night for really good football. I wanted them to just match up and see if we could get a scrappy goal. They got it and on nights like this, it is so important.”
Arbroath surge into third spot
Arbroath’s success moved them up to third, just four points adrift of the joint leaders.
Their manager Dick Campbell explained a word in his scorer’s ear led to a change of tactic for the winner.
He said: “We played Inverness right at the start of the season and there was nothing in it. They scored a good goal, which won them the game.
“Tonight, we scored a great goal from a free-kick. Ironically, two minutes before half-time, we had a free-kick with the wind behind us and we tried to chip it.
“I got into Michael McKenna and told him if he chipped a ball again at the edge of the 18-yard box I’d be taking him off. I told him to hit it and he did that for the goal.
“I don’t think anyone would deny us the right to win the game. We had 53 per cent possession and we had 12 corners to four.”
On the day in which former Rangers and Scotland manager Walter Smith’s death was announced, Campbell added: “My pal Walter would be very happy for me tonight.”
ICT go to Partick Thistle on Saturday, while Arbroath take on basement side Dunfermline Athletic.