Brechin City boss Darren Dods praised the tenacity of his side despite them shipping four goals at home to Inverness Caley Thistle, a result which leaves them still looking for their first league win of the season.
The former Inverness and Dundee United defender said: “I can’t fault the effort of my players. They kept fighting, even when they went four down.
“For the first 20 minutes we matched them and there was nothing in it.
“They scored with a deflected shot, then it was disappointing to lose another goal minutes later from a corner. We had a number of corners which came to nothing, then they scored from their first.
“We lost our way a bit in the second half and gave away cheap goals, while never troubling their keeper.”
Dods acknowledged some “good management” from his opposite number John Robertson, who substituted defender Matt Elsdon on 48 minutes, just a minute after he had escaped a second yellow card when he chopped down City’s Isaac Layne.
“The boy got away with a couple of fouls and might have seen red and that might have made a difference to the game,” Dods said.
“Inverness have some good players who have played in the Premier Division and they will certainly be in the top four.
“We played well for large periods of our last two games, but we never got going today.”
Inverness had the first real chance on 14 minutes. Liam Polworth had a shot blocked and John Baird sent an overhead kick wide from the rebound.
Brechin had a chance on 22 minutes. A Willie Dyer free-kick caused Inverness problems but Euan Spark could not get the ball on target.
Three minutes later, Sean Crighton headed wide from a Jordan Sinclair free-kick.
Caley broke the deadlock on 26 minutes. Polworth set up captain Iain Vigurs and his shot took a deflection on its way past Graeme Smith.
It was 2-0 five minutes later. Alex Cooper swung in a corner and Brad McKay scored with a looping header.
Early in the second half, Mark Ridgers saved a Jordan Sinclair free-kick at the second attempt, then Smith did well to block from Connor Bell.
On 62 minutes, Cooper beat a defender and found the bottom corner.
Inverness added a fourth on 73 minutes when a cross from Polworth was headed home at the near post by Vigurs.
Brechin were denied a consolation on 78 minutes. Sinclair sent in a cross and Paul McLean headed against the post.
ICT boss Robertson said: “We played well considering we were down to the bare bones and some players were suffering from a virus all week.
“We scored some really good goals but it wasn’t until we scored our third that we killed the game off.
“We took our chances today and that was the difference. Hopefully the win will settle our players and the fans down.”