Alex Keddie insists Dunfermline have only one ambition as they graft out results in the SPL survival.
While Saturday’s hosts have declared that the top six remains an achievable goal, harsh realities have persuaded the Pars players to shift focus.
Keddie, who was immense for Jim McIntyre’s side, is no stranger to Inverness environs having lived in the city during a four-year stint with Ross County.
It was to prove a happy homecoming but only after a late penalty kick award against hapless David Proctor allowed Liam Buchanan to cancel out Gregory Tade’s first-half strike from the spot.
The salvaged point prevented the Pars from slipping down to bottom spot, where Caley Thistle remain anchored.
While the Highlanders’ war-cry remains a defiant tilt at the SPL split places, Keddie said: ”Survival has to be our only aim. Even in some of the games we’ve lost, we have played some good football and that shows we can compete at this level.
”The games against Rangers and Aberdeen, however, were ones where we just didn’t turn up and shipped quite a few goals.
”Against Inverness, we showed we can pick up points and away from home.
”What you’re looking for at the end of the season is to stay in the league. We accept top six is out of our reach, but you just never know in football.
”We started the season well and we then went through a bad patch which every team goes through. Hopefully, we’re past that now.
”Staying in the SPL is the only target we’ve set. If we can better it, fantastic; if not, we’ll take where we are right now.”
A strong wind swept Caledonian Stadium and made measured play difficult.
There was no excusing Austrian Thomas Piermayr’s error, though, as he was booked early on for scything down the lively figure of Joe Cardle.
Paul Burns was then granted time and space to crack a left-foot shot off the home upright after 20 minutes.
Ryan Esson, the Caley Thistle keeper, also produced a spectacular stop from John Potter’s goal-bound header and also admirably blocked a fierce Cardle volley from inside the area.
The match swung sharply to the hosts’ favour, however, after 32 minutes when Gregory Tade met Richie Foran’s inviting cross with a fine diving header.
Dunfermline started the second period strongly as they searched for the equaliser.
But it eluded them until Proctor’s misdemeanour against substitute Buchanan had the foot of the league table rewritten.
A delighted McIntyre said: ”It shows a strong mentality to keep working for the way back into the game.
”It was disappointing to go in at half-time 1-0 down because I don’t think we deserved as much on the balance of play.
”But the character the players showed was immense. I’m thrilled.”
Opposite number Terry Butcher’s mood was dark, to say the least, after the final whistle.
Butcher said: ”This team tantalises you. They give you so much and then they let you down.”