Terry Butcher wants return to solid form at expense of Dunfermline

Inverness manager Terry Butcher has urged his players to use today’s visit to Dunfermline Athletic as the launchpad for a top-six push. Caley Thistle are four points off the top half of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League ahead of their clash at East End Park.

The Highland side went seven games unbeaten before consecutive defeats by Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup and SPL. Butcher wants his side to return to that form and force themselves into the pack chasing for a top-six spot over their final eight games before the split.

“Anything is possible,” Butcher said. “We’re in tenth position now and if we can get on a good run and get back to what we were doing before the Celtic games, which I’m confident we can do, then we’ll certainly have a go.”

Inverness have already played Dunfermline four times this season, following three score draws with a 3-1 cup replay victory at East End Park last month.

“There’s plenty of goals and plenty of action and plenty of mistakes,” Butcher said. “We want to make as few mistakes as possible and score more goals than them.”

The Pars have the chance to move themselves off the bottom with Hibernian playing Celtic tomorrow and Butcher saw enough fight in Jim McIntyre’s team during their 4-1 loss to Rangers last week to know they will face a tough 90 minutes.

“They certainly did okay last week when they went 1-0 up against Rangers and hit the post,” Butcher said.

“They’ll be fighting and scrapping like they normally do but we have got our own agenda. We’re not looking down – we’re looking up.”

Dunfermline will be without goalkeeper Iain Turner (back) and midfielder Mark Kerr (ankle) for today’s game.

Midfielder Nicky Phinn could return after being plagued by a hamstring problem all season as McIntyre’s side continue their search for a first home win of the campaign.

However, forward Andy Barrowman remains sidelined with a calf injury.