Caley Thistle midfielder Paul Allan is warning quality alone won’t keep the club from escaping League One’s relegation play-off spot – they need fire.
A punishing 4-1 defeat in rain-lashed Dumfries against Queen of the South on Saturday, combined with Annan Athletic winning 2-1 against Kelty Hearts, has drawn ninth-placed Annan level on 33 points with eight-placed ICT.
Inverness, who were docked 15 points this season due to entering administration, are only now above the relegation play-off position on goal difference. They have five games to go, including a trip to second-top Cove Rangers coming this weekend.
Strong displays at the Caledonian Stadium didn’t produce the results they needed before their trip to Palmerston, as they fell to a 1-0 loss to Annan and a 1-1 draw against Alloa Athletic.
Hamstring injuries have sidelined on-loan Aberdeen attacker Alfie Bavidge and winger Luis Longstaff, while they missed the experience of suspended Remi Savage in defence v Queens.
‘We need to show a bit of fight’ – Allan
Allan admits the largely young Highland team have to put hard work first in order to come out on top in these high-pressure clashes.
He told The Press and Journal: “We’ve done well to get ourselves into eighth position, but the last three results have not been good enough.
“We need to look at ourselves, be better and take chances when they come along.
“The two home games were massive and we let ourselves down by not winning them when we should have won them both.
“On Saturday, we were right in the game and we let ourselves down in the second half.
“There are five massive games to go, starting at Cove Rangers. But we have to roll the sleeves up and show a bit of fight.
“We have really good players in this team, but we if you’re not willing to fight or scrap, or let teams walk over you, then there’s no point having quality at all.
“We will get back on it on Monday – and show against Cove we’re up for the battle.”
‘Queen of the South wanted it more’
On-loan Aberdeen midfielder Alfie Stewart put ICT ahead at Palmerston, but slackness at the back let Jack Hannah in for a quickfire headed reply.
Jordan Allan’s angled drive and a brace from ex-Caley Jags forward Adam Brooks saw the match run away from off-colour ICT.
Ex-Dunfermline star Allan, in his first season with Inverness, had no complaints about the outcome.
He said: “We started the game well and were playing some decent football and got in front.
“Then we conceded a really poor goal.
“We scored again through Keith Bray, but it was disallowed for offside. I haven’t seen it back, but I didn’t think he was offside at the time.
“The second half was very poor all round. We lacked a bit of everything, to be honest.
“Queen of the South looked like they wanted it more and they played the better football. They scored the goals they deserved.
“We were miles off it in the second half.
“Their equaliser in the first half gave them momentum, so they started well in the second half and we didn’t match it.
“We didn’t really create anything and they were better than us in the second half. It was a poor day.”
As well as chasing the victory at Cove this weekend, Inverness will be looking to fourth-placed Queen of the South to help their cause by winning their derby against Annan.
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