Source: Team_Talk
Butcher bullish as Caley win again
Former Latvian Under-21 international defender Pavels Mihadjuks opened the scoring by heading home Ian Black's free-kick in the middle of a snow storm at the Caledonian Stadium.[LNB]Like the weather, Caley Thistle improved in the second half but had to wait until the 90th minute to wrap up the win, with Adam Rooney blasting past Alan Combe after a tidy cross from Ross Tokely.[LNB]Butcher praised the efforts of his team who kept their back-to-back clean sheets for the first since December 2007.[LNB]"I'm very pleased with how the lads battled, it was difficult conditions out there," said Butcher.[LNB]"At the end of the day it's all about winning cup ties and we're through to the quarter-finals" he said[LNB]"We were fortunate at times, Kilmarnock threw everything at us in the second half and we had to make sure we stood tall.[LNB]"That's two clean sheets now for the players and they're cock-a-hoop at the moment.[LNB]"It's what they needed and getting the win under their belts helps.[LNB]"It's nice to score first and the boys were saying they couldn't remember the last time they did so in the league. The players haven't been in many winning positions before this season but I thought we coped well.[LNB]"There was a lot of effort, commitment and a good shape to the team and people ran their socks off.[LNB]"Dougie Imrie was fantastic again, but they all were magnificent, they're a good bunch of lads and they're giving me everything they've got at the moment."[LNB]Butcher added: "You defend from the front and then attack from the back if you can, sometimes our two best defenders are our strikers and our best attackers are full-backs.[LNB]"It's just about getting a good shape to the team and I can't stress how much they are willing to work going forward and coming back as well.[LNB]"Keeping two shut-outs helps breed the confidence and togetherness, and if we are going to get out of this relegation fight in the SPL then we'll have to be together.[LNB]"A home tie in the next round would be lovely because we're starting to get some confidence about us now, the fans are starting to get behind us again and they can see what we're trying to do."[LNB]Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies watched from the stands as his side crashed out of the cup and felt aggrieved by referee Iain Brines' decisions.[LNB]Four minutes before the interval snow had covered most of the playing surface and pitch markings, and when Mihadjuks brought down David Fernandez, Brines pointed to the spot. But strangely he then awarded a free-kick.[LNB]He also sent off Killie striker Kevin Kyle in the second half for an elbow on David Proctor which left the Inverness midfielder with a bloody nose.[LNB]Fernandez was unable to see how the referee had not awarded a penalty.[LNB]He said: "If we get the penalty before half-time it changes the game. I had a great view of the game because I was the one who was fouled and the referee pointed to the spot but changed his mind.[LNB]"It was unbelievable because the incident was four yards inside the box. However, the second half the decisions got worse.[LNB]"Kevin (Kyle) was sent off for protecting himself. He's a big man and was unlucky to get sent off.[LNB]"These things happen and we just have to get on with it, but we're disappointed to go out of the cup"[LNB][LNB]
