Peterhead 0-1 Caley Thistle: Managers’ reaction as Billy Mckay goal lifts ICT to within one point of first place in League One, but hosts are angry

Caley Thistle boss Scott Kellacher expressed his delight as a 1-0 victory at in-form Peterhead cut the gap on League One leaders Stenhousemuir to one point.

However, the winning strike from Billy Mckay came just after the hosts felt striker Chanka Zimba, already on a booking, should have been sent off for a jersey pull.

This was Peterhead’s first league loss on home soil since Edinburgh City won 3-2 here last November and they were gutted to lose it in such a fashion.

After picking up just one point from their last two league matches, this result amid sweeping wind and rain was a shot in the arm for an Inverness team many believe will become champions come the end of the season, despite a five-point deduction for being in administration last year.

Hamilton were the leaders until midweek when they were hit by a six-point SPFL deduction for breaching transfer embargo rules, a decision the club will appeal.

That left Stenny as the sole front-runners and they were held at Alloa Athletic today, allowing Inverness to move to within one point of first place.

‘Always got a chance to win it’

Kellacher felt his team’s efforts were the foundation for the players to go on and find the winner.

He said: “It’s a massive three points. Peterhead’s record here is incredible and you can see why it’s so good. They’re a good side and they work ever so hard.

“Conditions were horrendous. It was an awful game in terms of trying to get the ball down and play, but we tried to do the right things, the percentage ball, and pass it when we had to pass it.

“Sometimes, you have to win games the hard way. We did that, but all credit to the boys, who worked ever so hard.

“To a man, we were excellent, including the subs who came on. If we can be hard to beat, we will always get a chance because of the quality we’ve got in our team.

“I also felt we could have had two penalties, one for Liam Sole and one for Billy Mckay, but we’ve come away from a really hard game with the points. I’m delighted.”

ICT’s record scorer Mckay is now on 125 goals for the club as well as being the assistant boss.

And Kellacher added: “Billy brings such experience and he links the play up so well.

“He’s organising things on the park as well along with the older boys. Being organised is massive.

“Billy has been a breath of fresh air. Off the field, as assistant manager, he is always there and offering his opinion. I listen to him a lot. He’s got great ideas.

“But he still has a fair bit to offer on the pitch. There is no getting away from that.”

Sole main source of danger from ICT

Peterhead made just one change to the team which defeated Queen of the South 3-0 the previous week, with Jack Brown replacing Andy McCarthy in midfield.

From the Inverness team which drew 2-2 last week at home to Kelty Hearts, there were four changes.

Kellacher handed a first League One start to on-loan Celtic defender Mitchell Robertson, with midfielder Adam Mackinnon and forwards Mckay and Zimba also in his starting XI.

Inverness were the team on the front foot for much of the opening half an hour, with Zimba, who had been booked early on for persistent fouling, then deemed to have illegally challenged goalkeeper Jack Newman when he lurched in to attack a cross.

Sole, playing on the right side, was forever lively for ICT and he lined up Mckay for a shot which he guided just beyond the left post.

There were then appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Daniel Graves when Sole went down under a challenge in the box, therefore play raged on.

Mckay pounced to fire ICT in front

Zimba was first to threaten early in the second half when he was lined up by Mckay, but drove his shot into the side-netting.

Dylan Forrest then had a drive from 25 yards after a free-kick was swiped away by ICT, but it deflected wide for a corner as the hosts sought an opening.

Peterhead forward Kieran Shanks, with eight goals from 16 outings, was not far off the mark next when he was played on by Jack Brown, who robbed Joe Chalmers of possession, but the long-ranger had too much height on it.

There was anger from the hosts just before the only goal of the game when Zimba stopped an attack, seemingly with a pull of an opponent’s jersey.

However, he was not booked for a second time and was replaced by on-loan Aberdeen attacker Alfie Bavidge.

Moments later, on 67 minutes, the breakthrough  arrived when Bavidge whipped in a low cross and Mckay was on hand to slot the ball into the net after an initial attempt was blocked on the goal-line.

This rapid response earned Mckay his seventh goal of the season.

Smith almost levelled for the Blue Toon a couple of minutes later at the end of a swift attack, but his low shot was blocked and cleared off the line by Remi Savage.

It then took a save from ICT number one Ross Munro to turn Max Barry’s effort over the crossbar then he got down smartly to save from Shanks as time was running out.

Match-winner Mckay was booked in the closing minutes for what the referee deemed to be simulation when he went down in the box.

Peterhead reeling at ref’s decisions

Home co-boss Jordon Brown, who was red-carded after the game for disputing the Zimba decision, was reeling his team lost the game in such controversial circumstances.

He said: “The conditions were tough for two teams who like to play football the right way.

“In the first half, defensively, we were excellent playing against the conditions and never gave up too many chances. Jack Newman didn’t have too much to do in the whole game.

“I thought a draw would have been fair, bit fair play to Inverness, who found a way to find the goal. The first goal was always going to be crucial.

“With a bit of luck at the end, we might have got the equaliser, but it wasn’t to be.

“We’re gutted. We pride ourselves on being strong at home and it came down to fine margins.

Co-boss speaks of ‘raw emotions’

“I’m speaking through raw emotions right now, but I felt it was a blatant second yellow card for Chanka. He had two or three fouls after he had been booked.

“If you pull a jersey back, we’re told, with no intention of going for the ball it’s a yellow card.

“There’s no excuse for it and you could tell from the reaction within the stadium, and from the reaction from Scott (Kellacher) who took him off 30 seconds later.

“Alfie Bavidge came on, and we know his strengths, and he created the goal out of nothing.”

And on his red card, Brown added: “I went over to try and ask the referee (for clarification), but I didn’t get much dialogue and he gave me the red card pretty sharply.

“It’s disappointing and I apologise for my frustrations. We spend out life preparing for a Saturday and sometimes, when an uncontrollable is out of your hands, it can boil over.

“I just feel sorry for the effort the boys put in.”

Peterhead v Caley Thistle ratings

PETERHEAD (4-2-3-1): Newman 6, Goldie 6, Steele 6, Jason Brown 6, Duffy 6, Forrest 7, Jack Brown 6 (McGinn 81), Barry 6, Smith 7, McGuffie 6 (Horn 75), Shanks 7.

Subs not used: Oluyemi (GK), Danny Strachan, Ryan Strachan, Jordon Brown, Mackie.

CALEY THISTLE (4-4-2): Munro 6, MacLeod 6, Devine 6, Savage 7, Robertson 6, Sole 7 (Wotherspoon 88), Allan 6, Chalmers 6, Mackinnon 7 (Stewart 79), Zimba 6 (Bavidge 65), Mckay 7 (Alonge 88).

Subs not used: Ross (GK), MacIntyre, Wotherspoon, Strachan, Thompson.

Referee: Daniel Graves.

Attendance: 671.

Man of the match: Liam Sole.

[Source: Press and Journal]