Barry Wilson hailed weekend match-winner Roddy MacGregor for firing Caley Thistle to a third-spot finish in the Championship.
The Inverness first-team coach was delighted the 20-year-old midfielder, who started his first game since December, popped up with a sweet first half strike to earn a 1-0 win at Morton on Saturday.
Setback after setback with a thigh injury hampered the progress of the Invernessian hot-shot, who recently returned to the fold with a couple of appearances from the bench.
🙌 Morning ICTFC Fans
Here's Roddy MacGregor's goal which secured all three points yesterday at Cappielow to confirm 3rd place.
Enjoy your weekend 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/PoFCe2pBCy
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) April 24, 2022
With the team seeking three points against Morton, head coach Billy Dodds handed MacGregor a start and he delivered with the only goal after being lined up by smart-thinking David Carson.
Classy MacGregor makes difference
First team coach Wilson felt his overall display put him in a class of his own at Cappielow as the side made it five wins from their last seven matches.
He said: “Roddy’s some boy. He can work with his left or right foot. For shooting, I would back his left foot more than his right.
“He found the bottom corner with a great strike. We are delighted for him, because he’s been through a lot of hard times over the last two to three months when he nearly came back then breaking down, then nearly coming back and breaking down again.
“It’s great to see him back out there. I felt his energy on Saturday was fantastic. He was probably our man of the match and the fact he got the winning goal tips that in his favour.”
Team to be changed for Accies clash
The deserved victory at Morton means ICT will finish third no matter the outcome at home to Hamilton on Friday in their final regular fixture of the season.
Wilson explained some players who have largely been waiting in the wings will get their chance to press their case against the Accies.
He said: “It was a great team effort overall against Morton and we are happy we can dust ourselves down, give the boys a wee rest and then give some other boys game time on Friday before we go into the play-offs.
“It would be crazy not to change the team a bit for Friday and I don’t just mean rest for some players, but also to get those minutes into the legs of players who need it.
“Some players have been on the bench for five or six games now, like Tom Walsh or young Lewis Hyde. They need game-time to get up to speed – we might well need everybody.
“If you go all the way in the play-offs, you’re playing six games over the next few weeks, so that is vitally important.”
Gearing up for quarter-final tie
With fourth-placed Partick Thistle three points and eight goals ahead of rivals Raith Rovers, it seems almost certain ICT will travel to Firhill next Tuesday then host Thistle next Friday in the play-off quarter-final.
Wilson is not too swayed by having the second leg at the Caledonian Stadium, but also stressed the importance of returning from Glasgow or Kirkcaldy with a positive outcome.
He added: “I don’t see home advantage as being too big a factor in the play-offs.
“Normally it does matter, but you have to go and do a job in the first leg.
“These games are totally different ball games in comparison to league matches. You have to keep yourselves in it then try and win at home.
“Whether it’s Partick Thistle or Raith Rovers, it’s going to be a tough game.”
Wilson – Arbroath firmly in promotion chase
Arbroath are the league’s runners-up after losing their title showdown against champions Kilmarnock 2-1 on Friday.
And Dick Campbell’s impressive part-timers will face the winners of next week’s quarter-final double-header in the semis on May 10 and 13.
Wilson reckons the Angus team will be stern opponents for whoever they face as they chase an incredible chance of promotion to the top-flight.
He said: “We beat Arbroath 3-0 at the start of our good run, a lot of people maybe thought they would have fallen out it, but they bounced back brilliantly.
“They have got to pick themselves up from Friday night, but they have a couple of weeks to do it.”