Ross County manager John Hughes feels his players have shown they have the appetite to secure the Staggies’ Premiership survival.
Hughes has taken charge of four games since succeeding Stuart Kettlewell last month, and claimed his first points last week with a 2-0 win at Hibernian on Wednesday followed by Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to St Johnstone.
County remain bottom of the table, albeit they are only behind Motherwell on goal difference, however Hughes has been encouraged by the hunger shown by his newly-inherited squad in their bid to climb the table.
Hughes said: “We had a great result the other day against Hibs but one swallow doesn’t make a summer.
“We still have so much work in front of us.
“But their honesty and integrity, hard work and willingness, that’s the ingredients that gets you out of bed as a manager.
“You can’t wait to get in to training because they work so hard.
“I’m constantly assessing and analysing what I’m seeing. One I’ve said to them from the first minute is they have to embrace the shift and the hard work, and take ownership of it.
“I’m getting that and it makes us a very hard team to beat.”
County were unable to hold out for all three points after Ross Draper gave them the lead against Saints on Saturday, with the Perth outfit responding strongly after levelling through Craig Conway’s penalty.
Although Hughes was more pleased with the Staggies’ first-half display, the former Caley Thistle manager took encouragement from his side’s resistance to spells of Saints pressure in the second half which ensured they did not leave empty-handed.
Hughes added: “In the first half against St Johnstone it was real good football. At half-time something happened, we maybe sat back and rested on our laurels, but I’ll give St Johnstone credit as they hemmed us in. Tactically they might have got it better than us.
“We had to stand up to it. I said to them before the game there would be times it’s backs against the wall, and we don’t buckle.
“That gives me plenty confidence for going forward.”
Hughes handed a first outing to returning right back Jason Naismith, who joined the Dingwall side for a second spell last month after leaving Peterborough United.
Hughes remains keen to further add to his squad during the January transfer window, and he added: “Jason has been training great, he’s a fantastic professional and he’ll be a massive asset to us in the weeks ahead.
“I’m still assessing the squad and I have to get them all back on the training pitch and injury-free, with good numbers to pick from.
“On Saturday I could have just kept a winning team, I just felt I needed to freshen it up and change it as it’s a long season.
“In terms of getting one or two in, I would like to think so.
“We are working hard to do that.
“I would like to think they are better than what we have got, and they are a good character and a good sort.
“Even just a new face can give us a lift, so I’m hoping we will get one or two.”