Billy Dodds insists there will be no surprises when his Caley Thistle players go head-to-head with Championship runners-up Arbroath this week.
Inverness finished six points and one place behind Dick Campbell’s big-hitting part-timers and were eight points behind league champions Kilmarnock in the end.
A 3-1 aggregate victory last week over fourth-placed Partick Thistle has earned ICT a Premiership play-off semi-final against Arbroath, at home on Tuesday then at Gayfield on Friday.
😁👏 A happy gaffer!
We go again on Tuesday as we face Arbroath in the Premiership Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg at the Caledonian Stadium
🎟 Tickets available now from https://t.co/6z5nBMn9qE
COME ON ICTFC 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/7zMjs6XZag
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) May 7, 2022
Ian Campbell, brother of boss Dick and assistant manager, was at both legs last week as Austin Samuels scored the winners in both games, including the only goal on Friday.
Well-matched rivals ready for semis
As they prepare for meetings five and six against their Angus rivals, Dodds believes the outcome will be decided by which team can handle the heat over 180 minutes or more.
He said: “There might be a wee tweak here and there. But we know what Arbroath are about and they know what we’re about.
“It’s about who can handle the nerves and occasion the best. That’s what will decide which side goes through to have a crack at Premiership opponents in the final.
❤️💙 Let's get behind the Caley Jags!
🎟️ Tickets for Tuesday’s crucial semi-final first leg are now on sale on https://t.co/6z5nBMnHgc
🛍️ The Club Shop is open tomorrow 11am – 1pm
Match Info 👉 https://t.co/Y4qkJothxk pic.twitter.com/cKRRHvGf7d
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) May 6, 2022
“It wasn’t easy against Partick Thistle, but we did handle it. Partick showed a great energy and Alex Jakuniak looked sharp when he came on.
“There were periods where we really had to defend properly and concentrate. I felt we could have maybe caught them on the break a few times, but we managed the game brilliantly in the second half.
“I just wanted us to be a wee bit more clinical to finish them off and me and my staff could enjoy it a wee bit more. But the main thing is we’re through.”
Caley Jags ‘will be ready’ for semis
Dodds’ side were the only team to beat Arbroath at Gayfield all season and that came in a 1-0 win on the opening day of the campaign on July 31.
Overall, ICT took seven of the 12 points available and Dodds wants his players to deliver a massive result which would pitch them in against the top-flight’s second-bottom side on May 20 and 23.
He added: “It will be different having the home leg first and maybe I would prefer the second leg to be at home, but Arbroath finished second and all credit to them and they have the home tie second.
“But my boys will be ready. We have done fairly well against them this season. Even although they finished above us in the league, we’re evenly matched.
“The boys know we are so close to getting a crack at a Premiership team, and it’s looking like that would be St Johnstone.”
ICT took four points away to Arbroath this season, lost 1-0 at home to them in October, but defeated them 3-0 in March, which ended a three-month wait for a win.
Since then, Dodds’ side have won eight of their last 10 matches, losing only once, against Queen of the South.
Tuesday’s home match starts at 7.05pm, with Friday’s return at Gayfield kicking off at 7.45pm.