Ross County captain Jack Baldwin has urged his team-mates to grasp their chance to make amends in their Aberdeen rematch on Wednesday.
The Staggies were beaten 4-0 by the Dons at Pittodrie on Sunday but with the two teams due to go head-to-head again in the Viaplay Cup quarter-final in Dingwall on Wednesday Baldwin is determined to put the weekend mauling behind him.
He said: “It wasn’t an ideal day at the office but we need to park it as quickly as possible because we have a quick turnaround because they are back to our place on Wednesday.
“We have to look at that as a chance to put it right.
“After a game like that you kind of hope you have a game in the midweek to recover as quickly as possible, rather than having to wait for the full week until next Saturday.
“It is going to be another tough game.
“They are a top team and a top bunch of professionals and it is a chance for us to dust ourselves down and try to bring some pride back.”
‘Sunday was miles off it’
County have started the season in decent shape and had lost only to Celtic and Rangers prior to their arrival at Pittodrie.
But Baldwin knows the performance levels of previous weeks was nowhere to be seen from his side in the Granite City.
He said: “Sunday was miles off it. We weren’t good enough all over.
“We’ve had a relatively half-decent start to the season, amongst the clubs who are expected to be in and around the top six.
“We saw Sunday as an opportunity but we lost our goals that on our behalf we are really disappointed with, to concede.
“It is one where we have to put things behind us as quickly as possible and to try and put things right.”
Players know it was not good enough
The Staggies skipper insists no harsh words were required among the players following their Pittodrie loss.
Every player knows the performance was not good enough.
Baldwin said: “We’ve got a group here where there isn’t too much you can say. Everybody knows it wasn’t good enough.
“After that, you have to let people sit with their own thoughts because emotions are high after the game and things can get said in the dressing room that are brushed aside or taken the wrong way.
“We will do our analysis and watch the game back with the coaching staff and look where we need to improve.
“We have a good bunch of lads in there and I know they will be urging Wednesday to come sooner rather than later, so they can put things right.”
Staggies hope to grasp chance to play at National Stadium
County hope to show their true qualities when the two teams meet again on Wednesday and Baldwin hopes he and his team-mates can grasp their chance to play at Hampden in the semi-final.
He said: “There is a big carrot dangling there for everybody.
“There is a big chance there for a lot of the lads who haven’t played at the national stadium to play there.
“It is a huge opportunity to put things right and to look forward to a possible semi-final.
“Like I said, we’ve had a relatively good start in the league and the sooner we can put Sunday to bed the better.”
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