The prospect of playing on Hamilton’s artificial pitch has had no effect on the preparation of Ross County goalkeeper Mark Brown before his side’s Premiership match against Accies today.
County have had mixed fortunes on the surface this season, defeating Stranraer 2-1 in the League Cup in August but losing 4-0 on their last visit to Lanarkshire four days later, prior to an impressive 3-0 victory against Kilmarnock in November.
Brown played in all three matches and with many grass surfaces suffering during the winter months, the vastly experienced 34-year-old custodian fully knows what to expect.
Brown said: “I like playing on artificial surfaces. We played at Hamilton earlier in the season and I think with the weather we’ve had, it’s been difficult for groundsmen.
“Our groundsman Davie Fraser works really hard and our pitch is reasonably good.
“I look at some of the pitches and it’s not the groundsman’s fault, because they’re doing everything they can. Sometimes in the winter you can get bounces and bobbles.
“At least with the artificial pitch, you know you’ll get a decent footing when you kick the ball and the ground is not going to break up. They’re maybe not the future but more and more teams will look to put them in.
“The wind has probably been the biggest problem just now, rather than the pitches. There’s really strong winds all over the country which ruins football more than the condition of the pitch.
“We won at Kilmarnock earlier in the season.
“We train indoors on an artificial surface because with the amount of rain we’ve had, the grass pitches have been unplayable at times.”
County approach today’s game boosted by an excellent run of form which has seen them win their last four matches, moving three points clear of bottom-placed St Mirren.
Brown has made 17 appearances this season, competing for the gloves with Antonio Reguero who has played 14 times.
Brown says the goalkeeping spot is not the only position where competition for places is intense, adding: “Everyone wants to play. We’ve got a big squad – 25 fit players just now – so it’s not just me.
“If we’re selected we have to perform because there’s people on the sidelines who are waiting to take our place. We’ve got a team now that’s settled but if we’re not playing well then that’s liable to change. We’ve got a lot of good players on the sidelines.
“Looking at the people not even in the match-day squad, there’s a lot of quality in the club just now. We’re going to need the whole squad in the run-in.”