Malky Mackay has challenged his new Ross County’s recruits to reach the same level of sharpness as last season’s play-off heroes.
Mackay has made seven new additions during a short close-season since the Staggies secured Premiership survival in their dramatic play-off against Partick Thistle.
The penalty shoot-out victory against the Jags was fewer than five weeks ago, with County playing their first Viaplay Cup group match away to Stranraer next weekend.
County were defeated 2-1 by Queen’s Park in their second pre-season friendly on Saturday, despite taking the lead through Simon Murray’s first half goal.
The Championship side went on to triumph thanks to late goals from Jack Thomson and Ruari Paton, by which point Mackay had a young squad on the field following a raft of second half changes.
Mackay says his new arrivals must reach the same standard of fitness as players who are still fresh from being in the thick of intense play-off matches.
Mackay said: “I’m delighted we got two games under our belt before we go into the Stranraer game at the weekend.
“It was really warm, and my plan was to give the starting group a little bit longer.
“Once the humidity and heat set in, they had done everything I needed them to do in the first half.
“I got them off and got the youngsters on, who are all going to go out on loan.
“It was good for them to taste football at a higher level.
“There is plenty I can see. We have plenty guys coming in, who are all at slightly different stages of sharpness compared to someone like a Connor Randall, who three weeks ago was at a top level in the Premiership.
“There’s a hunger to the ones that have come in. They are not quite up to speed yet, but that’s what this is for. We are only in our second week, after three weeks of a break, so it’s about finding that next level of sharpness.
“You can see the likes of Connor Yan Dhanda, Jordan White, Jack Baldwin and George Harmon are already there – they are just at it. That’s where everybody has to get to.”
County nearly got off to a flying start against the Spiders, with Scott Allardice shooting straight at Calum Ferrie and Simon Murray blasting over from close-range within the opening three minutes.
Queen’s Park showed their threat on the half hour mark, however, with Ross Munro getting down to deny Paton, before George Harmon had to make an excellent saving block to thwart a certain goal by Dom Thomas.
Munro made another block to deny Paton on 34 minutes, but the Staggies rapidly broke upfield to net the opener within 60 seconds.
Dhanda’s long ball picked out the run of Murray, who nipped in ahead of his former team-mate Ferrie before tapping into an empty net.
The Staggies were inches from doubling their lead three minutes later when White’s header from a Dhanda corner came back off the post, while Kyle Turner saw a long-range effort well saved by Ferrie.
Mackay made three half-time changes including the introduction of Matthew Wright, who had the ball in the net with a neat finish on 66 minutes only to be flagged offside.
Ferrie had to make two smart saves in quick succession to deny Wright and fellow substitute Jordy Hiwula, but the Glasgow outfit levelled 10 minutes from time when Thomson was played through on goal before finishing neatly past Munro.
County spurned a glorious chance to regain the lead in the dying stages when Hiwula provided an excellent delivery to pick out Wright in the danger area, however, his close-range effort could not beat Ferrie.
The visitors took the victory with virtually the last kick, when a corner found its way to Paton at the far post, and he had the time to take a touch before slotting past Munro.
Team-lines
ROSS COUNTY: Munro, Randall (Smith 46), Baldwin (Smith 61), Allardice (Sheaf 61), Turner (Macleod 81), Dhanda (Mackinnon 70), Sims (Henderson 46), Murray (Hiwula 46), Harmon (Brown 70), White (Wright 46), Reid (Robesten 81).
Subs not used: Ross.
QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Robson, Bannon, Fox, Spong, Thomson, Paton, Thomas, Healy (Hepburn 74), Bruce, Turner.
Subs not used: McKenna, Tizzard, Hickey-Fugaccia, Williamson, Connolly, Reid, Longridge, Smith, Jarrett.
