Captain Connor Randall insists Ross County will give everything they have got to ensure they turn the club’s ailing fortunes around.
It hasn’t been a week of festive cheer, as Don Cowie’s men head to Dundee for their Boxing Day showdown at Dens Park. County have lost four-in-a-row – scoring just four goals in their last eight games.
Yet, in an ultra-tight Premiership bottom half, a win against Tony Docherty’s seventh-placed Dark Blues would haul them to within one point of their opponents, albeit having played one match more.
Midfielder Randall filled in at left-back for the injured Eli Campbell in Saturday’s late 2-1 defeat against 10-man St Mirren.
County have not won a league game on the road since winning 1-0 at Kilmarnock 15 months ago.
However, Randall insists the players have the bit between their teeth to end that run on Thursday.
‘We know we need to start improving’
He said: “We’re just at Christmas, but we’re not ignoring the situation.
“We realise where we are, and what we need to do to change it. That’s what everyone at the club wants to do.
“At the same time, two wins for example, or a couple of good results, can change your season around.
“We’re looking at how, as a group, we get out of the position we’re in.
“We need to start improving – we know that as a group of players.
“We’re going to Dundee to try and get back to what we have been good at and hopefully start picking up some positive results.”
Ross County eager to deliver festive cheer for fans
Sponsors, bus operators Stagecoach, have provided a free bus for County fans to and from the Dundee showdown, and Randall says the ongoing supporter backing the players get means plenty to the squad and management.
He said: “The players really appreciate fans travelling to these games.
“We probably don’t often get the chance to say that, but we really all appreciate the support from the fans.
“We will be doing everything we possibly can to try and give them positive results on Thursday and Sunday, over this festive period.
“They’re travelling to Dundee on Boxing Day, and it would be nice for them if we could pay them back for their support with a positive result.”
Collective responsibility to net more goals
As the Premiership’s lowest scorers, with just 14 goals from 18 matches, County need to start taking their chances.
The 29-year-old skipper says that responsibility lies with every Staggies player – not only those in attack.
He added: “We have more than enough quality to score goals. We have proven that this season at times.
“We need to be scoring more goals… and that’s not just on the strikers – that’s down to us all!
“The more chances we create as a team, the more chance we have of scoring.”
‘We’re ready for Dundee’ – Randall
After surviving top-flight relegation via play-off final wins in 2023 and 2024, Randall is focused on landing results against survival rivals.
He said: “You don’t want a gap between ourselves and the teams above us, as we’ve had in the last couple of seasons.
“Every season we come in looking to improve.
“If you get a few good results in this league, it can really turn your season around.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to do, but it hasn’t happened at the moment.
“We’ve dusted ourselves down from the weekend and we’re ready for Dundee.”
After facing Dundee, County round off the year on Sunday when Hearts visit the Global Energy Stadium.
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