Scottish Premiership Jim McIntyre praises Ross County players
Monday 6 October 2014 13:04, UK
Ross County boss Jim McIntyre was delighted with his team’s performance as they drew 1-1 against Highland rivals Inverness Caley.
County went ahead on 20 minutes when Yoann Arquin headed in Rocco Quinn's cross and they created numerous chances as they penned the hosts inside their own half.
But Caley Thistle recovered when Marley Watkins volleyed home Ryan Christie's deflected cross four minutes after the break and they then piled on the pressure.
Former Inverness Caley goalkeeper Mark Brown thwarted the home side as his team came under a late barrage, with one save impressing in particular, from Billy McKay's close-range flick.
But having arrested a run of seven straight league defeats for County, McIntyre’s team have now picked up four points from the last two games.
"The first half we were excellent,” McIntyre said. "We just need to be a bit more ruthless, but the way we pressed them and winning the ball high up the park, we created some real good goalscoring opportunities, which we have done every week since I've been here.
"We have a great chance to score with Arquin if he passes to Rocco right after half-time, but he has his head down and chooses to shoot.
"That was a real good opportunity but Inverness threw everything at us.
"But the heroic goalkeeping and heroic blocks tell me the spirit is there - all fighting for each other and throwing their bodies on the line. But I thought a point was fair."
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Inverness manager John Hughes admitted his players struggled in the first half and he was disappointed with the manner in which they lost the first goal.
Hughes said: "We got in at half-time and just tweaked it a bit, tactically we asked them to do one or two different things, and we pointed out the importance of a derby match and what it means.
"For them to go out in the second half and implement what we said to them in the dressing room, all credit to them.
"I think we had enough chances in the second half to win two games. Just that bit of lady luck or that final bit of decision-making has deserted us at this moment in time.
"But in terms of effort and commitment, and total domination of the second half, I can't ask for any more of the boys.
"Mark Brown had a few good saves and he had one different-class save from Billy McKay. He was inspired in that second half.
"They were flinging themselves in front of balls and it just wouldn't go in for us."
