Scott Kellacher found common ground with The Special One after Caley Thistle’s astonishing failure to score in an all-out 90-minute siege on Annan Athletic.
Just as Jose Mourinho declared after Fenerbahce’s luckless European exit to Rangers, Kellacher felt that “the better team lost”.
This was no empty claim – Caley Jags had 17 attempts at goal to Annan’s two and two-thirds of possession.
They also forced six excellent saves from goalkeeper Jamie Smith, hit the post, had a penalty claim rejected and a goal disallowed.
Had they completed the week with three wins from three, the gap on Annan and the relegation zone in League One would have grown to a mighty eight points with seven games remaining.
As it is, the margin now stands at just two.
Kellacher, who has never been drawn into excited chatter about mounting an unlikely bid for the promotion play-offs, admits the focus remains purely on survival.
“I don’t think we could ask for more out of the boys. They gave us absolutely everything,” the head coach said.
“We just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. In both boxes, we’ve let ourselves down and that’s the really frustrating part because we completely dominated the game.
“As soon as they got their goal, we could see what their agenda was and that’s football sometimes.
“Tuesday night was a massive high, great result, performance, everything.
“But I thought the performance today was every bit as good as Tuesday night, just without the goals to show for it.
“They clung on for dear life and credit to them. We can’t get too down.
“I’m not the type who is going to go into the dressing room and crack up on the boys. I say it every week, they give us absolutely everything.
“They have got us into the position we’re in with seven games to go. Would I have taken two points above Annan at this time in the season? Yes, no question.
“It is great that people have been looking upwards and we all want to look upwards, but we realise the most important thing is the next game.
“We’ll put it to bed.
“I said to the boys in there ‘you were brilliant today’.
“Mourinho said it through the week there (against Rangers). It was one where the better team on the night lost.
“I knew it was going to be a hard week. People don’t realise how hard it is to win three games in a week.”
Caley Jags pay for slow start
Inside three minutes, Paul Smith was lethal as he caught the hosts cold with a brilliant low strike from the edge of the box.
Caley Thistle produced some lovely football at times, but time and again chances went astray.
Midway through the first half, Paul Allan shot one straight at Smith, Remi Savage had a decent shout for a penalty waved away and Billy Mckay cut an attempt wide from a good position.
The best chance of the day came from an Adam McKinnon cross from the left close to half-time, with Paul Allan’s volley agonisingly striking the post with the Annan keeper beaten.
Smith was brilliant, though, into the second half, pushing the ball over the bar from James Nolan’s attempt and parrying a McKinnon attempt.
Nothing would fall for ICT and Mckay saw another one blocked on the line, while Kieth Bray flashed a header wide.
Injury update on Alfie Bavidge
It was a day when Aberdeen loanee Alfie Bavidge might have made the difference, but the 18-year-old missed out with a hamstring issue sustained in midweek.
Kellacher, with Alloa next up in Inverness, is hoping for good news.
“Alfie has gone for a scan so the physio will be assessing him on Monday,” he said.
“We will hopefully find out Monday or Tuesday what the timescale will be. Hopefully, it is not too bad.
“He says he is not feeling too bad with it, but we will just have to wait and see.
“We are starting to pick up wee injuries now which makes it harder. A lot of the boys have played through knocks.
“We just have to look after them and wrap one or two of them in cotton wool.
“It is going to play a part, but it plays a part for every team. I’m not going to use it as an excuse.”
CALEY THISTLE (4-2-3-1): Dibaga 6; Brannan 6, Devine 6, Savage 6, Nolan 7 (R. Thompson 84, 4); Gilmour 7, Allan 7; McKinnon 7, Stewart 6 (Cairns 73, 5), Bray 6; Mckay 6. Subs: Rebilas, Strachan, Gardiner, Walker, Keogh, S. Thompson, Ewan.
ANNAN ATHLETIC (4-4-1-1): J. Smith 8; Hooper 7, Gibson 7, Kilsby 7, Maxwell 7; Trialist 6 (Bisland 77, 4), McGowan 7 (Bell 78, 4), P. Smith 7, Todd 6, A. Smith 6, Brown 6 (Ross 62, 5). Subs not used: Fleming, Muir, Strachan.
Referee: Sean Murdoch 6
Man of the match: Jamie Smith (Annan)
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