Ross County manager Malky Mackay insists the Premiership play-off against Partick Thistle cannot be won or lost in Thursday’s first leg at Firhill.
The Staggies’ top-flight status is on the line when they face the Jags over two legs, with the tie coming to a close at Victoria Park on Sunday.
Thistle have comfortably defeated Queen’s Park and Ayr United on their way to the final, while County come into the tie on the back of an 11th-placed finish in the Premiership.
Mackay says there will be no jubilation or despondency come full-time in Glasgow on Thursday, knowing the job will be far from done either way.
He said: “The ones I’ve been involved in as a player, coach and manager, you have to look at the 180 minutes. Full-time at Firhill is half-time.
“There’s no cause for beating yourself up or celebrating.
“You hope you are not beating yourself up and it’s close coming into the game here, but at the same time it is over two legs and it is the end of the 180 minutes back up here that matters.
“You have to have that focus and that steely-mindedness.
“Coming off Thursday evening, we have our work to start the following morning for the next leg.”
Mackay keeping preparation normal for play-off double header
Although the play-off format is a unique format which is new to a number of his players, Mackay is aiming to keep the preparation as normal as possible.
He added: “Every game is prepared for in a certain way and this is no different in that respect.
“Certainly in my career, when I had that preparation and knew exactly what’s coming and when it was, it always seemed to be the best.
“In my own time as player and coach, having dealt with the randomness of some managers where preparation could be all over the place, then playing and working for other managers who were very prepared and process-driven, I always found it personally better.
“Players enjoy that stability and that sense of knowing exactly what’s coming.
“That’s the way I’ve done it always as a manager and found it best especially in play-offs which I played and managed in.
“As far as I’m concerned, we prepare properly and just like we normally do, for Sunday.”
Mackay insists he is treating the challenge of Kris Doolan’s high-flying Jags no differently to that of a top-flight opponent.
The Staggies boss said: “We take them the exact same way as any of the Premiership teams. They are on a really good run and are playing well at the moment.
“We make sure we look at their strengths and weaknesses.”
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