Ross County defender Jay McEveley says the Staggies are aiming for the top six after moving off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership with a 4-2 win against St Johnstone on Saturday.
McEveley was on target for County as they ended a 10-game stretch without a victory in impressive fashion at McDiarmid Park.
The 31-year-old headed home the game’s opening goal before Christopher Routis and Craig Curran put the Staggies 3-0 up.
St Johnstone came roaring back through a Danny Swanson penalty and a Steven MacLean finish before Liam Boyce settled matters in the closing stages with all four of County’s goals coming from headers.
The result moved Jim McIntyre’s side up to eighth position and McEveley feels they have turned a corner.
He said: “It was a relief to win but we knew we had been doing the right things. Results hadn’t been going our way but hopefully this will start us off on a run going up to Christmas.
“We’ve not seen a win bonus for a while but it’s really all about the three points. We are off the table now and we want to get up to where we want to be.
“It’s a crazy league. We’ve had a bad run and other teams have capitalised on our draws and losses.
“We’ve ended up bottom of the league but a couple of wins will take us back where we want to be – and that’s top six.
“Top six is our aim. It’s got to be with the players we have in the dressing-room and the season we had last year.”
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright felt McEveley should have been shown a red card for handling a Blair Alston shot which resulted in the penalty converted by Swanson. Referee John Beaton, instead, opted to caution the three-times capped Scotland international – and the County player felt it was the correct decision.
He added: “The referee told me he had sympathy for me but he had to give the penalty.
“I didn’t put my hand towards the ball. I’m five yards away from the lad and he’s put his laces through it.
“By the laws off the game it’s a penalty. But my natural position when someone whacks the ball at me from five yards away is not with my arms behind my back.
“The ball hit me, I did not hit the ball.
“If I managed to move my arm that quick to handle the ball I should be a goalkeeper, not a defender. But I didn’t expect to get sent off.
“I’m not sure if it was going on target but, luckily, it’s not affected the game.”
