Ross County manager Malky Mackay is sweating over the fitness of winger Josh Sims after the winger took an untimely knock in training.
Sims had made an earlier than expected recovery from a badly cut leg, which he suffered in the latter stages of last month’s 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen in the Viaplay Cup, and impressed after being brought on as a second half substitute in the 0-0 draw against Dundee in midweek.
However, Mackay revealed Englishman Sims has suffered a fresh setback in training, meaning he is touch and go for Saturday’s trip to Motherwell.
Mackay said: “Unfortunately Josh took a knock on Thursday morning and I don’t know how he will be for Saturday.
“It is not the same injury. It is something completely innocuous in the last couple of minutes in training.
“I was delighted. We were being careful with the scar’s healing, but threw him into a half-session the other day and he was razor-sharp.
“We put him on the bench against Dundee and it was always my plan to bring him on.
“He must be so frustrated because he has taken a couple of really innocuous things.
“He is certainly one of the ones who has a lively spark about him just now, as far as I’m concerned.”
Nightingale absence a precaution
Defender Will Nightingale was absent from Tuesday’s squad at Dens Park, with Mackay revealing he is not being risked due to a thigh injury.
The Staggies boss added: “He took a little thigh strain or knock in the Hearts game which we were wondering, was it something or not?
“It is enough we didn’t want to risk him doing it again, because after the Celtic game he had the same thing.
“I’m just cautious about him. He will be one more week.”
Mackay not looking at league table
County make the trip to Fir Park this weekend, aiming to build on the point they took against the Dark Blues on their long-awaited return to action on Tuesday.
Although the result keeps County second bottom in the Premiership, they are only three points adrift of fourth-placed Hearts.
Mackay is paying little heed to the standings at an early stage in the season, adding: “At the moment I think you could throw a rope around six or seven teams.
“I’m really not looking at that to be honest. I’m just looking at going into these games and chopping them off one at a time, like we always do.
“It’s just another tough game. We are on a tough run of games in a short period of time, with a lot of travelling involved.
“We just make sure we handle that properly. That started on Tuesday night, and we got a point out of that away from home.
“I said it after the game, sometimes we have got to realise how good an away point is.”
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