Ross County's Don Cowie: Rivals threatening to leave us behind

Ross County manager Don Cowie insists talking a good game must be replaced with winning matches – starting at Dundee on Boxing Day.

The Dingwall side’s last-gasp 2-1 defeat at home to 10-man St Mirren on Saturday followed losses against Celtic, Rangers and Hibernian.

The misfiring Staggies, who are now 11th in the Premiership table, have scored just four goals in their last eight fixtures… and the 35 goals they’ve leaked is the joint-worst tally in the division, alongside Kilmarnock.

They have also won just three league games so far, which is the fewest victories in the division.

Only by virtue of drawing more games than St Johnstone are they one point above the bottom-placed Perth Saints.

In Thursday’s festive clash against seventh-placed Dundee, the Highlanders will be seeking to win their first away league game since a 1-0 victory at Killie in September 2023.

It is an unwanted streak – which spans management spells with Cowie, Derek Adams and Malky Mackay in charge.

‘Talk is cheap, we must start winning’

Cowie, who kept County up via the relegation play-off final win over Raith Rovers last term, said: “Saturday was a sore one in terms of missing that opportunity to get a victory, but our full focus is now on trying to end that poor run away from home.

“Talk is cheap, we need to start winning games now.

“Everyone else around us are starting to improve, and we are slipping towards the bottom of the league, so we need to get points on the board to strengthen our position.”

‘We over-complicated it in first half’

Michee Efete’s cool finish 27 seconds inside the second half cancelled out St Mirren’s opener from ex-Staggies star Alex Iacovitti.

After Saints player Scott Tanser’s red card for a second booking, both teams were going for it in wet and windy conditions in Dingwall.

Former Ross County defender Alex Iacovitti was reluctant to celebrate his goal at the Jail End of the Global Energy Stadium in St Mirren's 2-1 victory on Saturday. — Former Ross County defender Alex Iacovitti was reluctant to celebrate his goal at the Jail End of the Global Energy Stadium in St Mirren’s 2-1 victory on Saturday. Image: SNS.

Sixth-placed Saints swept home the late winner through an inch-perfect Oisin Smyth free-kick.

Cowie added: “At half-time, I told the players to play to the conditions, and right after half-time we put it into their box and got a goal from it.

“That’s how simple it can be on a day like that.

“I think we over-complicated it at times in the first half, but we got our rewards from doing the basics really well.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough after that to get a second goal.”

Dundee go into Thursday’s game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Rangers at the weekend.

Hearts’ 2-1 home win over St Johnstone on Sunday lifted the Jambos into 10th spot, pushing County to 11th and Saints to last place. Hearts visit Dingwall this Sunday.