Ross County manager Jim McIntyre concedes the Staggies are in the Premiership relegation struggle.
Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Aberdeen at Pittodrie was compounded by results elsewhere with Dundee’s 5-1 win against Motherwell moving them six points clear of the Highlanders.
Caley Thistle’s 2-1 victory against Rangers on Friday night leaves the Staggies just two points ahead of the relegation play-off position and three points above Hamilton Accies in bottom spot.
In a compressed bottom half of the table, McIntyre knows his side runs the risk of being dragged into the mire, but remains intent on making up ground on the top half of the table, with tomorrow night’s game against Hearts at Tynecastle next up.
The manager, pictured, said: “The aim is sixth place. That’s the aim for every team from sixth down. Is every team from sixth down looking over their shoulder? Of course they are – nobody is going to hide from that.
“We are aware of that but the focus is still to try to nail down sixth spot – nothing has changed.
“It is that tight. We’ve just got to concern ourselves with our own results.
“We know we need to pick up points as soon as possible.
“What we don’t want to let happen is a gap develop between us and the teams above us.
“It’s important we get the points on board as soon as possible, but I said a week or two ago that I fully expect it to go the full nine games. Now we’re down to seven, but I don’t expect anything different.
“Each team will keep turning each other over, but we just need to concentrate on us. What I saw from my team on Saturday was a real determination.”
McIntyre took encouragement from his side’s performance despite the defeat against the Dons, and hopes for a similar display against the Jambos in Edinburgh tomorrow and he added: “The effort and determination is always there. Sometimes the quality can let us down, but that’s the same for any team.
“To go to a difficult place, against a team that is flying and against good players they acquitted themselves really well.
“That’s what it is going to take and I have no doubt if we continue we’ll start winning games again.”
