Malky Mackay reckons his Ross County side are learning daily as they seek to get off the mark in the Scottish Premiership.
Saturday’s sore 1-0 defeat at St Mirren leaves the Dingwall club as the only team yet to get off the mark, with earlier 2-1 and 3-1 losses against Hearts and Celtic coming despite some really encouraging spells.
A slow start in the searing heat of Paisley didn’t help them before a quality strike by Buddies midfielder Richard Tait earned the hosts their first points of the campaign.
County did raise their levels in the second half, but only managed one shot on target from substitute Kazeem Olaigbe not long after Owura Edwards struck the post.
Manager Mackay, who signed 10 players this summer, insists his group can soon make an impact after last season saw the Staggies finish in sixth spot.
He said: “We played a Champions League team (Celtic) and Europa League team (Hearts) in our first two fixtures.
“But our bread and butter are the games against maybe seven or eight other teams in this league. I am well aware of that.
“It’s very early in the season and we have to find a way, like everyone else in this league, to ensure we stay in the league and then see what happens after that.
“This is a new group and, for some, it’s their first few weeks playing in the Scottish Premiership.
“It’s all about learning and making sure we do take chances when we get a bit of dominance in the game.
“St Mirren is a tough place to get a result. It always has been for us. They are a team fighting and scrapping, just like ourselves.”
Side will learn from mistakes – boss
Mackay didn’t waste time in making changes at the weekend, with defender George Harmon and striker Jordan White replacing Ben Purrington and Dominic Samuel at the interval.
Further changes in the second half offered County added flair, but they could not find a way through.
Mackay says the fresh legs helped, but they were undone by the real moment of class which came from the boot of St Mirren’s match-winner Tait.
Mackay said: “I felt we just needed to freshen the team up at the start of the second half and I did think it gave us a bit of impetus and energy in the second half to kick on again.
“I talked to the boys (at half-time) about how dominant we were in the first half of the Hearts game. Could we change that into our second half against St Mirren?
“I felt we did that and had a go in the second half and it was a moment of quality which won the game for St Mirren. It was a moment we were lacking on Saturday.
“Everyone is trying their hardest and doing their best for the club. They are a good group, but there are times when you need to change or tweak things if things are not going the way I want them to.
“It’s about making sure you learn from mistakes and situations you’ve been involved in and experiences, and we will do that.”
County will be looking to get points on the board when Derek McInnes takes his Championship winners Kilmarnock to Dingwall.
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