Manager Billy Dodds hopes Caley Thistle’s fine record at Ayr United can inspire them as they chase a Championship victory at Somerset Park on Saturday.
Both teams lost their opening league games of the season, with Inverness falling to a 2-1 home loss against Queen’s Park, and Morton beating the Honest Men 3-1 at Cappielow.
Ayr’s home venue has been a happy hunting ground for ICT, with 12 wins and only six reversals over 25 matches there.
Inverness are five games unbeaten at Ayr, including two drawn matches, and it has been the scene of some memorable moments for Caley Jags fans.
The 2010 First Division title party, capped by a 7-0 rout from Terry Butcher’s visitors, was one such moment. A 3-3 draw there in 2001 after being 3-0 down and a Richie Foran treble in a 5-1 rout in 2009 were other such highs.
Boss Dodds is respectful of Ayr, who pipped ICT to a promotion play-off place on the final day of last season at the Caledonian Stadium.
However, he also hopes players are mindful they’ve done well there in recent times as they seek their first points of the new season.
He said: “I hope the players can take confidence from our form at Ayr. Individually, you think about it, and it brings a collective group response. You can quite like going to play at some venues.
“That’s the way I was as a player. You know you’re going to enjoy it at a particular ground where you have a good record.
“But we still have to go and do the job. Ayr are a good team and we saw what happened at the tail end of last season when they denied us our chance of the play-offs.
“Ayr were up there for a reason. They have a strong team with a good manager (Lee Bullen) and it will be difficult.”
Boss eager to cut out ‘crazy goals’
Just 90 minutes into the Championship season is hardly the time for nerves to be jangling as new players slot into sides across the country.
Dodds hopes his team can maintain their focus and cut down on the costly mistakes which led to defeats in the Viaplay Cup and in last week’s loss to Queen’s Park.
He said: “Teams are looking for their best form, their best personnel to get a result and keep everybody around the club, (and) the supporters, calm – and give them a big lift to say we’re off and running.
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“I’m searching for the right kind of performance and that means stopping giving away crazy goals.
“It isn’t a case of our shape being all over the place. It is us being in possession, getting caught on the ball and losing a goal. We dwell on it, someone robs us, and it is in the net.
“They have to look to themselves to make sure they’re not the one who makes that mistake. I’m hoping it is soon, to give us that foundation we need to go on and win a game.”
‘We can beat anyone on our day’
Last year’s relegated Premiership outfit Dundee United were the big opening weekend winners in the Championship as they left Arbroath as 4-0 victors.
Dodds believes this will be another well-contested division, with his team as good as any rival when they are on their top game.
He added: “I see it as very similar to last year. I hope we don’t get the same amount of injuries. We’re still hoping to add one or two.
“We’ll look at it, but we’re not panicking because I do feel the boys here are good enough to go and win games.
“We can beat anyone in this league on our day.
“When you lose the goals we’ve been losing, you ask yourself if we do need to stiffen up.
“But we’ve got defenders who have been here and done well, including last season.
“They have an opportunity to steady the ship and show me what I know they can do.”
Devine and Brooks set for returns
Central defender Danny Devine and forward Adam Brooks should shake off knocks in time to be ready for Saturday, while new striker Harry Lodovica should be ready despite having a shoulder injury last week.
Captain Sean Welsh is sidelined with an ongoing groin injury, while Lewis Nicolson (knee) and Roddy MacGregor (ankle) will be out longer term.
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