Manager Malky Mackay insists Ross County will be ready rather than weary when they take on Hibs in Edinburgh on Tuesday night in the final leg of a 1,000-mile travel week.
Blowing 2-0 and 3-1 leads before drawing 3-3 at Motherwell on Saturday kept the Staggies 11th in the Premiership when a fast, flowing and clinical display looked to have them heading for the top-six.
In such a tight division, victory for County tomorrow against a Hibs team who drew 0-0 with leaders Celtic at the weekend would catapult them into fifth spot before the Wednesday fixtures.
This is the third successive away match for Mackay’s men within seven days, following last Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Dundee and then their journey to Fir Park.
However, the Staggies boss is urging his shell-shocked players to respond to the disappointment of failing to win at Well by standing up to the Hibees, who are just one point ahead, having played a match more.
He said: “We turn to Tuesday night, and we’ll need people physically and mentally ready for that.
“We’re travelling 1,000 miles between Dundee, Motherwell and Hibernian, but I can’t have hard-luck stories or anyone feeling sorry for themselves, so we have to be ready.
“Ross County are always a team people think will be fighting at the bottom of the division.
“That’s okay, because we’re a small-town club in the north of Scotland with a small stadium and a small budget.
“I’ve got a team that I know on any given day can take on anyone in the Premiership, and we have done in the last three years.
“I think the Old Firm are one set of teams, and then we can go toe-to-toe with the rest of them.
“We will continue to make it difficult for teams everywhere we go.
“We were outstanding on the ball to create chances at Motherwell, we just have to finish them.”
🦌 Simon Murray netted his 10th goal of the season with this curling effort finding the bottom corner in yesterday’s game. pic.twitter.com/FqP50UPbu8
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) October 29, 2023
Boss Mackay has plenty in reserve
One of the key decisions Mackay made on Saturday was to replace Yan Dhanda with fellow midfielder Kyle Turner at the break.
Although Dhanda played well in the first half, Turner made a real impact, asked questions of Well and lined up Eamonn Brophy for his goal to make it 1-0.
Mackay said strength in depth is vital when games are so closely contested.
He said: “The fact that this year we’ve got a bench that can make a big difference is great, and that’s the consistency we didn’t show last year.
“I want people to not give me a choice of whether to pick them, so people coming on and being better than the one going off is what’s needed.”
🐺 Eamonn Brophy opened the scoring in yesterday’s draw with Motherwell, netting his first league goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/Ej5LjWLNw1
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) October 29, 2023
County should have had interval lead
All six goals at Motherwell came in the second half, yet County had decent chances to have held the interval lead.
Mackay had mixed emotions after reflecting on a pulsating 90 minutes in North Lanarkshire.
He added: “We should have scored. It really gave us a lift and it quietened the crowd, which is really vociferous here at Motherwell.
“That’s testament to the way we played, but we have to take those chances.
“Eamonn Brophy and Ryan Leak should have scored, and then I thought – after the ones that did go in – we should have seen the game out.”
🇨🇦 Victor Loturi with his first SPFL goal on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/c83x3zcqtt
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) October 30, 2023
Just one loss so far for Montgomery
Hibs’ new manager Nick Mongomery is getting a decent return from his players since taking over at Easter Road.
His only defeat in his first seven games was a 4-0 loss against Rangers at Ibrox, with wins against St Mirren and St Johnstone and four draws making up his tally so far.
Second-bottom County, who are only below Aberdeen on goal difference, hold a five-point lead over rock-bottom St Johnstone, who sacked manager Steven MacLean on Sunday.
The Staggies return to Dingwall this Saturday when they host Celtic in a 12.30pm kick-off before going to St Johnstone one week later.
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