Ross County manager Malky Mackay will give his players the chance to bounce back from individual mistakes – unless they continue to occur.

The Staggies have been undone by costly defensive errors in their last two matches, which have seen them fall to defeats against Dundee United and St Mirren.

Following Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to the Buddies, on-loan Arsenal player Harry Clarke held his hands up for losing his man at a corner in the build-up to the Paisley side’s second goal.

Fellow defender Jack Baldwin was also at fault for the third goal, when he allowed a long ball from Saints goalkeeper Jak Alnwick to bounce straight through to the onrushing Scott Tanser.

Although Mackay is prepared to give players an opportunity to redeem themselves, he says he will have no option but to make changes if mistakes continue to be repeated.

Mackay said: “You hope over a period, people learn. Like anything, if they keep making the same mistake, they have to come out of the team and you reassess where things are.

“We’ve had three or four crazy deflections, and we’ve had three or four very individualistic mistakes.

“If we can cut those out, we then get to the point where somebody has to work hard to score a goal against us.

“If we make it harder for teams to score against us, we’re going to see improvements and be better.”

Mackay praises impact of newly-signed defensive pair

Speaking specifically about Baldwin and Clarke, the Staggies boss has backed the pair to respond strongly.

Mackay has otherwise been impressed with their impact since making the switch to Victoria Park in the summer, adding: He added: “There are times you can’t legislate for certain things. The third goal against St Mirren was one.

“Jack Baldwin’s a good player. In the space of two weeks, he’s headed one when he should have let it go and he’s not headed another when he should have.

“But you don’t captain teams in England and play 300 games without being a good player. I’ve seen it already.

“I can’t legislate for Harry Clarke losing his man at the second goal and he knows that as well. He’s been so good for us.

“You have to get it out on the table. There’s no point in hiding from that.

“My belief has always been there is no magic wand in football. It is hard work.

“It comes in the work out there on the pitch, in the culture which I drive in there, making sure they all live to a certain standard.”

Mackay hopes repeated efforts to draw players’ attention to errors can pay off.

He added: “In terms of individual errors, what you do is show them. It isn’t easy viewing because I’ve been there myself.

“The manager is about to flick something on and you’re thinking: ‘this is me, this next bit’.

“You want to disappear behind your chair.

“It’s purely education. It is the exact same as any other profession, you’re learning your trade.

“We put it up on the board, watch it, and point out what they should have done.

“You don’t tell them, you ask them. You want to know if they’re actually getting it or not.

“The visual side is striking – once you see it, that’s when it sticks in the mind as a little picture for the next time.

“Over a period of years, I’ve seen that’s where most people learn. Next time, the wee alarm bell is ringing in there.”