Connor Randall hailed Ross County’s “desire to defend” after gleaning a crucial three points from an ugly contest with Kilmarnock.
On a day when the spectacle, on a difficult surface, was woefully poor, the huge positive for the Highlanders was the refusal to buckle with a fighting spirit that made it nine points from nine against the Ayrshiremen this season.
That made it three wins from four for the Staggies, who are now tantalisingly close to the top six in the Premiership.
Every one of those nine points taken from Killie has been hard-earned, by a single goal, with Saturday’s ragged battle of wills no different.
Captain Randall, who epitomised those commitment levels from the hosts, said: “It was a good day and a massive result.
“It was a scrappy game, yes, but the three points is the main thing.
“Sometimes, ones like that are the biggest wins, when you are not quite at it on the ball.
“Conditions were quite tough for both teams, with a lot of balls in the air and second balls – it was a fight out there.
“It wasn’t the prettiest and you are playing the football you want to play sometimes but you are battling and showing a different side to your game and sometimes these are the biggest wins.
“We just have to keep focussing game by game. That’s the message coming from the manager and that’s what is in all the players’ heads.
“This result gets us closer to the team above us and that’s the focus.”
Staggies looking up the table
By Saturday evening, County were closer to third top Aberdeen, six points above them, than they were to second bottom Dundee in the relegation play-off position.
They had also amassed 35 points, matching their entire haul for last season with nine games to spare.
“The aim each season is to improve and that looks like an improvement so far, but we can’t rest on our laurels,” Randall stressed.
“We’ve achieved that and now it’s about kicking on again to take this club where we want to go, that’s the next step. Season on season, we want to improve.
“On another day, they had chances they could have put away. We are not naive enough not to think otherwise.
“But that’s what happens sometimes, you have to ride your luck and the most pleasing thing was our desire to defend as a team.
“We were disappointed on Wednesday in Perth. It wasn’t our best performance and it was about bouncing back today and showing that fight to win and we showed that.
“It’s now about us kicking on again and adding to our tally and seeing how far we can go.
“It’s been a unique season the way one win or two wins can change things for most teams.
“We’d rather have been in the cup next week and have a game but we haven’t so we have to regroup and refresh for a massive run in.”
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