Ross County winger Josh Mullin feels squandering the opportunity to return to the top of the Championship makes Saturday’s trip to leaders Ayr United all the more vital.
County missed the chance to return to the summit as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Queen of the South at Victoria Park on Saturday with Mullin’s early second-half strike cancelled out by Doonhamers substitute Andy Stirling.
A victory over Queens would have seen the Staggies go top after Ayr’s match against Caley Thistle on Friday was postponed but with just a point separating the sides, Mullin is determined not to pass up another opportunity when the Staggies make the trip to Somerset Park this weekend.
Mullin said: “It’s massive – we wanted to go top, it would have made the table look that bit better.
“But it just makes next week even bigger now. We will just need to dust ourselves down and prepare as best we can. All the boys are gutted but, as the managers say, we cannot let it get to us as we have a massive game next week.
“It probably puts the pressure back on Ayr next week because we are not going there trying to stay top.
“They will be seeing it as a massive opportunity if they beat us as they will create a wee gap.
“I think the pressure is on them now and maybe that is the only good outcome of it. But we will go there ready to go again.”
Mullin was frustrated at relinquishing a winning position against the Dumfries outfit, adding: “It’s pretty frustrating the way teams come here. If anybody is watching it, I think it’s quite clear to see what teams are coming here for – it’s a point and that’s obvious.
“We’ve got good players who can go and pick people off, but if teams are coming up here and sitting in it is going to be difficult.”