Division One: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 Partick Thistle 1

Feb 1 2010 By Alasdair Fraser

Adam Rooney gave Partick Thistle a massive kick in the "cojones" - and then picked up a new Spanish nickname for his heroics.

Team-mate Dani Sanchez had the dressing room in stitches after praising the Irishman's considerable "bottle" in his native language.

Rooney certainly showed nerves of steel with barely two minutes left as he shrugged off an earlier saved penalty to fire Caley Thistle right back into title contention from the spot.

Manager Terry Butcher said: "I never doubted Adam would score the second penalty - but he certainly showed guts to step up again after missing the first one.

"Wee Dani Sanchez had a Spanish phrase for it after the game - he says Adam has got 'grand cojones'. I'll leave it to your imagination.

"I didn't particularly think either of our two awards was a penalty and had they been given against us I'd have been aggrieved.

"But you just get on with it. We've had harsh decisions against us, both this season and towards the end of last season in the SPL.

"So I feel we have deserved a little bit of luck and not just in this game. It was nice when the second penalty was given but, even then, Adam still had to step up and put it away."

Partick boss Ian McCall and his staff were left raging over Caley Thistle's two penalty awards and Rooney admitted referee David Somers may have got it wrong.

Before kick-off Ross Tokely was presented with a medal marking last week's 500th club appearance by Steve Paterson, the boss who signed him as a 17-year-old.

He was also handed the No.9 shirt - the only jersey he hadn't worn during 14 years at Caley.

But Partick, despite a host of absences, looked like wrecking his big day when Mark Corcoran hit a 30-yard opener in 15 minutes.

But the hosts were level after a brilliant move seven minutes before the break that saw Jonny Hayes' left foot apply the finish. Chris Erskine cracked the bar before half-time - one of a clutch of Partick missed chances.

But it was Jonny Tuffey's brilliance that kept Caley Thistle at bay, particularly in 67 minutes when Bryan Hodge was adjudged to have clipped Rooney's heels in the box.

Tuffey reacted brilliantly to divert the Irishman's kick over the bar.

But in the closing minutes Rooney surged through and Ian Maxwell was harshly sent off for bringing him to ground in the box. This time, Rooney sent Tuffey the wrong way.

Jags boss McCall said: "I really feel for our players because they gave everything. It looked like they were very proud to wear the jersey out there."