Ross County manager John Hughes believes the Staggies are better than their league position suggests but insists they must show the consistency to prove it.
County remain a point adrift of Hamilton Accies at the foot of the Premiership, ahead of today’s home game against Aberdeen.
Hughes has taken four points from five games since replacing Stuart Kettlewell last month, with the standout performance coming in a fine 2-0 win over Hibernian at Easter Road on December 30.
Hughes feels the Staggies must replicate those levels in the coming weeks in order to string together a run of form that can lead the Dingwall side to top-flight survival.
Hughes said: “I feel the boys are in a false position, what I have seen of them on the training pitch, with their attitude, commitment and honesty.
“The problem, like most of the teams in the bottom half, is inconsistency.
“When we are good, like we were against Hibs, we can beat anybody.
“All I have said to my players is to tell my players to let them know the opposition they have been in a game.
“It will be the same against Aberdeen as well, they will know they have been in a game.”
County followed up their triumph over Hibs with a 1-1 draw at home to St Johnstone three days later, however, they were unable to make it three unbeaten last Sunday when they went down 3-1 to Livingston.
Hughes still feels the Staggies are on the right track, however, and he added: “We were on a good run, we were starting to get that bit of confidence and momentum.
“It wasn’t a great game of football at Livingston, but at 1-1 it could have gone either way.
“It was a case of stick or twist for us. We tried to have a go to win the game, but it never went for us and we lost the goal.
“I’m just working with a bunch of honest boys and trying to make them better. Even in defeat, I feel for them because they are giving me everything.
“When we’re not getting a result I’m hurting for them.”
Poor weather has caused disruption to the fixture schedule, with today’s opponents Aberdeen seeing their away match with Livingston postponed for the second time due to a waterlogged pitch at Almondvale on Wednesday.
Although County’s fixture list has not been affected, Hughes says the wintry conditions in the Highlands have had an impact on the Staggies’ training plans in recent days.
He added: “My focus and motivation is because I’ve been out of it a while, so coming here my batteries are recharged and ready to go.
“The weather is a problem though, because I need to get the players on the training pitch to coach them and educate them, and give them a gameplan.
“That’s been difficult because our training pitches, and even our outdoor astroturf, are solid.
“We are very lucky we have a big indoor arena, so we can always train the players and work them hard.
“It’s not the same as playing 11 v 11, and going through what the opposition will do.
“It’s been a problem getting them on the coaching pitch two or three times a week.
“I want to give the players plenty information, and basically take them by the hand, but also give them the freedom to play their football.
“A lot of the stuff has been on the tactics board, video analysis, and trying to give them all the information we can and hope we can implement it.”