Manager Post Inverness Caley Thistle

Link to audio of Allan Johnston`s post match comments

Allan Johnston was a very happy manager after his side scored an equaliser in the fifth minute of time added on at the end of the Ladbrokes Championship match at Inverness:- “It is a brilliant feeling when you score in the last minute.

“I thought we started the game well, Andy Ryan scored a great goal after Lewis Martin did really well and cuts it back to him. It was a really good finish. Then after that they got back into the game from a bit of a soft free kick.

“He was pulling Lee Ashcroft down and just falls down. The referee gave a soft free kick from our point of view. It was a great finish, right in the corner and there is not much you can do when it comes over the wall.

“Second half I don’t think we started well at all. They started the opening fifteen to twenty minutes the better team. Then we got back into the game again. We started putting pressure on and thankfully we got that goal at the end.”

The goal came in the fifth minute of six added at the end of the match. The manager claimed that was the sign of a good team.

“When things are against you, you can see the boys never gave up and kept going right to the very end. It was a great ball but big players step up in big games. It was a great delivery from wee Joe (Cardle), he has come on and Nicky has finished it off like all good strikers do.”

Reminded that the qualification for the play offs remains in his team’s own hands, and a draw against ninth placed Dumbarton next Saturday in front of their home support will do the job, AJ joked with the media “If only football is as easy as that!

“Inverness know that they need to win their games. It is up to us to make sure that we get the job done and result that we need to get into the play offs.”

Asked about his decision to change his winning team and play Andy Ryan in preference to Declan McManus, AJ explained:-

“It is maybe a wee bit harsh on Declan. I thought that he has been brilliant throughout the whole season but sometimes you just need a wee rest as well. He did well when he came on.

“Andy Ryan scored a great goal and he is a goal threat. He is going to be here next year and I’m sure that he will score a lot of goals next year and be a massive player for us.”

Club captain Callum Morris was fit but Jean-Yves M’Voto retained his starting place, the manager commented:-

“Big Jean is a top player, he has come in and his attitude has been first class. It is probably harsh on Callum Morris as well because the competition in the centre half area is the best in the team. They all need to be playing well and the competition is driving us forward.”

The play off spot could be confirmed if Inverness Caley fail to beat Livingston in their game in hand on Tuesday night. At the most there is a week to wait to confirm the play off spot with a minimum of one point next Saturday. That match cannot come quick enough.

“We are all looking forward to it, but the job is not done. We have to make sure that we are focused. I am delighted for the fans who turned up in their numbers today that we gave them something to sing about at the end.

“They kept with us right to the very end, pushed us forward and I’m just delighted that we got that spot for them.”

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