Managers Post Inverness CT

08/08/09: JM - "We played some lovely stuff and we created without having the final cutting edge. You need a little bit of luck at times and today we didn't have that."

Jim McIntyre felt that his side didn't deserve to be beaten and told the post match press conference that Dunfermline were the better side.

"We had them hemmed in for a while and had a right few goes at the goal but we just didn't have that little bit of luck on the day.  We have lost to a wonder strike really.

"Andy Kirk got into some good positions; the one where he spun after a great first touch and just hit the wrong side of the post.  If it hit the other side of the post it would probably have rolled along the line and gone in but that's just the way it was falling for us today.

"I was really proud of them. I thought they kept at it and kept trying to play on a pitch that I was absolutely fuming about before the game because of the length of the glass. That is not the way we have the grass here but the groundsmen have been caught short. That doesn't help our style.

"It is the first time that has ever happened and it will never happen again. The boys used a different machine but I do not want to bleat on about that.

"We played some lovely stuff and we created without having the final cutting edge.  You need a little bit of luck at times and today we didn't have that.

"Every team in this league, bar one or two, are wanting to be challenging - it is that type of league. The games are not easy and you have got to work your backside off.  Inverness are a big strong side with tricky players and some good footballers in their team.  We knew it was going to be hard but the bottom line is that we didn't deserve what we got today.

"Terry Butcher was honest enough to say at the end 'that was robbery'. It is nice to hear but it is fine for him to be away up the road with my three points.

"There are a lot of positives to take from that and the way they played."

Inverness Caley Thistle boss Terry Butcher was thrilled with three points and he was quick to say

"We didn't deserve three points and I said that to Jim McIntyre. They battered us in the second half, particularly in the first twenty minutes.Although Ryan (Esson) has not had a lot to do, they certainly whistled in a good number of shots in and put us under a severe amount of pressure.

"We had one or two little opportunities but it was a wonderful goal to get us the three points and with the great support that we had it is good to send them home happy.We were very fortunate to get the three points today. We didn't give them a lot to sing about in the second half until right at the end.

"The game was a very open game today - quite entertaining in some aspects because it was an open game with missed opportunities and shots and all that sort of thing. Probably too open for both managers but fair play to Dunfermline - they came out in the second half really well and created some opportunities.  Grant Munro had a great block, they hit the post although we hit the post in the first half."

Terry freely admitted that he would have been happy with a point and done cartwheels up the touchline but now, he joked "Having got three I don't know what I am going to do."

He noted that the Dunfermline fans clapped their team off the pitch at the end:-

"That doesn't happen many times when you lose 1-0.They can see that their team played well today.

"I am sure that Jim and Cabie and the rest of the players here will bounce back because they are a quality side. They look a side that are well capable of scoring goals and doing well.

"A lot of people said it was going to be a two horse race but if you look at the First Division last year, teams beat each other on a regular basis so it is going to be difficult.

"We know that we have a lot of work to do and that it will be a long campaign but when you get a bonus of three points like that it certainly helps confidence.

"First half was pretty even, we could have scored, they could have scored so you say for the second half 'let's get our game up a gear' but it was Dunfermline who did that.  They started off really well in the second half, forced us back and we could get out.  We couldn't get our players up front on the ball so fair play to them.  If they had scored at that stage I think they would have gone on to win the game."

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