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Caley Thistle boss Billy Dodds content to grind out win against Ayr United in tough conditions

Cammy Harper (right) celebrates his goal against Ayr United earlier this season. Image: SNS.
Cammy Harper (right) celebrates his goal against Ayr United earlier this season. Image: SNS.

Billy Dodds admitted Inverness had to battle for their lives to make it three away wins on the trot but insisted they can do much better.

Cammy Harper’s header means Somerset Park remains a happy hunting ground for the Caley Jags with only one defeat in 10 visits there since 2009.

But Dodds is still squirming at two that got away last season after twice throwing away two goal leads to draw 2-2.

“I’m a perfectionist,” admitted the manager after a 1-0 win kept up their hot run at the seaside.

Not that it was beach weather with torrential rain and a howling wind testing both teams to the extreme.

Dodds revealed: “It looked as if the pitch was energy sapping and there were heavy legged players on both teams. We weren’t at our best, we can be much better than that.

“On the odd occasion we did pass the ball we looked a threat but we have to be better although it’s a huge three points.

Cammy Harper (centre left) celebrates his Somerset Park winner. 

“I’ve said to the boys so many times, in this Championship you aren’t playing well every week.

“The teams know one other too well and it’s hard to play brilliantly every week but when you’re not playing well you need to go and dig one out because that keeps the momentum going.

“We’ve had three big away games on the trot and we’ve handled every one of them. We had to dig in, we defended well but we had to.”

Ayr won the corner count 20-3 with 14 of them coming in the first-half when the wind-assisted hosts threw everything at Mark Ridgers who stood tall.

Dodds reflected: “Ayr asked questions of us – you can see why they are where they are. Their confidence is up as well and they probably think they are unlucky to lose the game.

“We didn’t play as well as we could but I thought we managed the game well. I said to them at half-time that we hadn’t played well but we defended well although we had to.

“A lot of their attacks were after we gave the ball away, a throw-in high up and they nearly scored and then at a corner we were passing the ball slack and they were breaking on us.”

Mark Ridgers (centre) making a save from Akinyemi at Somerset Park. 

Harper was the match winner when he guided home a header from Steven Boyd’s cross but Caley Jags survived late penalty shouts when sub Jayden Mitchell-Lawson went down under a challenge by Danny Devine. Harper also popped up at the death with a crucial goal-line clearance.

Dodds added: “You’ve got to admire the job that Lee Bullen has done here. I looked at the penalty incident again and it’s not a penalty. There is not even a contact.

“I told the players at half-time that they’ve defended well but not asked Ayr a question. The first time we do, I said feed your winger, get it in the box and see what happens. Carson feeding Boyd, cross, Harper running from midfield and we get a goal.”

Billy McKay tries his luck from a tight angle against Ayr.

Caley Thistle were denied a killer second when a header from George Oakley was brilliantly saved by Charlie Albinson.

Dodds concluded: “It’s a big win for us. We’re not hiding the fact that we weren’t at our best but week after week in this championship you’ve got to grind and we did that.”

AYR (4-4-2) – Albinson 6; Houston 6, Musonda 7, McGinty 6, Reading 6; Mullin 5 (Mitchell-Lawson 61), Murdoch 7, Dempsey 6, Ashford 5 (Young 61); Akinyemi 6, McKenzie 5 (Chalmers 61). Subs not used – McAdams, O’Connor, Smith, McAllister, Kirk, Bangala.

CALEY THISTLE (4-4-2) – Ridgers 6; Carson 6, Deas 6, Devine 6, Delaney 6; Daniel Mackay 5 (Doran 69), Harper 7, Allardice 6, Boyd 6 (MacGregor 85); Billy Mckay 6, Oakley 6 (Shaw 78). Subs not used – Cameron MacKay, Duffy, Ram, Hyde.

Referee – Colin Steven 6.

Attendance – 1,866

Man of the match – Cammy Harper

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