Goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw insists Ross County go into the New Year determined to prove they are still Premiership class.
The Staggies slumped to the foot of the table after a 3-0 defeat at Dundee United on Wednesday in a game where they squandered big opportunities, especially when just a goal down in the first half.
They aim to notch victories early this month, starting against an Aberdeen side who, like them, have lost four matches on the spin.
Shot-stopper Laidlaw explained there is immense pride within the walls at the Global Energy Stadium at being an almost constant fixture in the top 12 for more than a decade.
County ‘contribute’ to Premiership
And no one at the club is willing to let that go as they bid to rise above nearest rivals Dundee United and Motherwell, who they trail by one and three points respectively.
He said: “We’ve only been out of the top-flight for one season since the club was first promoted (in 2012).
“We want to stay in the Premiership. No one has a right to be there, but we believe we can contribute to this league. There is not much of a difference between many sides.
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“We just need to cut out wee mistakes and be a bit more clinical – that’s how this league is decided and we need to improve on that.
“The bottom half of the league is especially tight. We just want to go on a strong run, have a spell unbeaten where we can try and bridge the gap.
“We don’t want to get detached and be needing two or three wins to try and catch teams.
“We’re still so close to the teams above us and we want to get a win. Over the next five games we have the chance to do that. It will be difficult, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“The boys are disappointed with the defeat at Dundee United, but we want to prove we should be in this league and we’re fighting to get into a better position that we’re in.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’re all sticking together. It’s not a bad camp and everyone here wants the same things.”
Keeper confident of future goals
County have scored just 14 goals in 19 league games this season, with Jordan White the top marksman on four goals.
Laidlaw says the team believe the net will soon be bulging with goals at the right end.
He said: “The hardest thing in football is to put the ball in the back of the net.
“We had some really big chances on Wednesday and in the Rangers game recently where we probably should have scored.
“We’re creating chances, but just not putting them away, but games can change on one goal going in for us. It would give us a bit more confidence. When you keep missing chances, it’s frustrating.
“We still have the belief the boys can put the ball in the back of the net.”
County believe they can net result
Before losing 1-0 and 3-2 to Celtic and Rangers respectively in December, Aberdeen had been in powerful and free-scoring at home this season, with their only other Pittodrie slip-up being a 3-2 reversal against Motherwell in August.
Laidlaw, 30, says the Dons have shown what they’re capable of in the Granite City, but also pointed to County’s 1-0 away win in April, which secured a top-six spot last term.
He added: “Pittodrie is still a difficult place to go. You just need to look at Aberdeen’s results there, especially at the start of the season when they were flying at home.
“They have had a wee blip recently and that can happen. They are the same as us, they’ve had Celtic and Rangers during their recent spell.
“It’s such a tight league and confidence can be affected a bit (by poor results), but it’s still a difficult place to go.
“That said, we went there last season and got a good result, so we believe we can take something.”
When County hosted Aberdeen in September, the sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, with Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes’ late goal cancelled out at the death by William Akio.
Key moments so costly for Staggies
Looking back at the defeat at Tannadice, in a game where Owura Edwards was also sent off and County had a goal ruled out by VAR, Laidlaw feels pivotal moments prevented a swing in their favour.
He said: “We had three massive chances in the first half after they scored, including one off the post (from Keith Watson), and we just couldn’t quite convert them.
“If we’d taken one of those chances, it would have been a completely different game, which is frustrating.
“We then conceded a cheap goal from a set-piece to make it 2-0, which was also disappointing. The third goal came when the game was gone and we were trying to chase it.
“It’s still positive. We’re creating chances and we just need to believe we’re going to take the next ones that come along.”
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