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Don Cowie to review Ross County positives and negatives so far this season before granting players international break time off

The Staggies manager says his players have shown positive signs 'in a really tough and competitive league' - but he will outline 'what we still need to improve on'.

Ross County boss Don Cowie. Image: SNS.
Ross County boss Don Cowie. Image: SNS.

Ross County players will get some time off later this week – but only after boss Don Cowie leads a review of their high and low points so far this term.

County go into the latest international break ninth in the Premiership with 12 points from 13 matches after Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Dundee United.

Three second half goals swept the Staggies away just as they were making inroads at Tannadice.

However, they didn’t hit the target once and paid the price against Jim Goodwin’s energised fourth-placed hosts.

Cowie, whose side host Motherwell next, on November 23, said: “The boys will be down after what happened on Saturday, but it’s my job to ensure that we look at what we could have done better and the things we done well with.

“It’s my job to remind the players of the things we’ve done well and what we still need to improve on in a really tough and competitive league.

“We’re training for a few days this week and then the group will get some time off and get ready for a really important game against Motherwell.”

Dundee United’s Declan Gallagher and Ross County’s Jordan White. Image: SNS.

County didn’t ‘react and respond’ against United

United took the lead from a breakaway goal from Luca Stephenson on 57 minutes from a pin-point Will Ferry cross and Cowie expected a better reaction from his players.

He said: “Dundee United started the second half very brightly. We managed to see that period out and not concede.

“We then had a couple of set-plays and you start to think it was an opportunity to build ourselves back into the game.

“We were really disappointed with the (first goal) – you can’t give any player in this league time to step forward with the ball and deliver a ball unopposed, then we got punished in the middle because we didn’t match the runner.

“That was really disappointing, especially given how good we have been recently, defensively.

“Goals are important. They can change the momentum and the feeling of the team that gets the (first) goal.

“Credit to Dundee United for getting that goal, but then you’ve then got to react and respond.

“There was plenty of time to get back in the game and that was the real disappointment on the back of a really good first 45 minutes.”

Prior to the weekend, County had beaten Kilmarnock 2-1, and drawn 0-0 with Hibs at home and St Mirren away.

Ross County defender George Harmon. Image: SNS.

Duo moving closer to Ross County returns

The period off will allow further time for left-back George Harmon and midfielder Max Sheaf to integrate with the squad.

Ankle ligament damage has kept the 23-year-old ex-Oxford City player out since coming off early in the 2-0 win against Dundee in September.

Sheaf, 24, has yet to feature this season due to a torn thigh muscle, having last played in the thrilling 3-2 win over over Rangers in April.

Defender Will Nightingale continues his recovery following a knee operation and won’t return to the fold until the New Year.

The 29-year-old has been out since late August, with a knee injury in training happening just as he had recovered from a hamstring injury.

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