Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds refused to hit out at referee Willie Collum after his side dropped two Championship points in a 2-2 draw with Queen of the South.
The result saw ICT slip four points behind leaders Arbroath, but still with a match in hand.
After watching what initially seemed like two controversial goals earn Queen of the South a point at the Caledonian Stadium, he spoke about it in a measured fashion an hour after full-time.
He said: “It’s about an interpretation of the laws. People give Willie Collum pelters, but I don’t think so.
“(For the equaliser), they say it was in the second phase. The ball was headed, David Carson reacted and it fell to the boy (Ally Roy) who was slightly offside and he sticks it in the net. By the new laws, it’s a goal.
“For the first one, it was very close. I have looked at it again and again and I have to get the right angle. He might just be offside, but officials can get it wrong.
“It’s frustrating because it is a couple of points dropped. We were good in stages and were caught on the counter. We don’t like it turning into a game where we’re getting desperate because we were chasing.
“I thought my team were brilliant – it was a kick in the teeth but we go again.”
The Highlanders now face back-to-back away league games, against lowly Dunfermline Athletic and title rivals Kilmarnock to see out January.