Cut Butcher’s derby demand

The hurt runs deep for Caley Thistle following two derby defeats by Ross County this season and Inverness manager Terry Butcher wants his men to make amends when they travel to Dingwall today.

The last time the teams met at Victoria Park, on November 7, County won 2-1 after a dominant first-half display.

A capacity crowd of 6,000 is expected this afternoon and Butcher does not want a hat-trick of defeats.

He said: “We are still hurting from the defeat at Dingwall last year as it came after we had scored nine goals in two games against Ayr and Morton.

“We got battered before and it is something we don’t want to endure again.

“Ross County have beaten us twice and, if anything, they are the favourites because of their form against us in the league.

“You can try to treat it like a normal game but it is not. The mental preparation is different. It is about getting the result on Saturday, nomatter what the performance is like.

“I see the game being fiercely fought, exciting and passionate – everything that the crowd wants.”

Ross County manager Derek Adams will urge his players to stick with their passing game.

He said: “Inverness will have to come here and try to win, which will make it a good spectacle. We will try to blend our passing game with aggression but we are definitely not a route-one team.

“We will not resort to that as we don’t have the players to do it. We have shown we can open teams up by passing the ball.”

Staggies defender Steven Watt has a hamstring injury and is expected to miss the game. Caley Thistle midfielder Richie Foran is suspended.