Ross County manager Jim McIntyre expects Motherwell will be galvanised by some of their recent injustices when they take on the Staggies at Fir Park today.
The Steelmen have seen three strikes which have been over the goalline not awarded by referees this season, including in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat against Dundee, although Stephen Robinson’s men profited from a wrongly-awarded goal in last month’s 4-2 win against Caley Thistle.
With the Lanarkshire side second bottom of the table and scrapping for top-flight survival, McIntyre reckons today’s opponents will be all the more fired up for the match, in which County are looking to move seven points clear of the relegation play-off position with a victory.
He said: “Decisions going against you are sore to take, it’s not easy especially at this late stage of the season.
“You always think they will even themselves out over the course of a season but when you’re into the final few games the chances of that happening gets less.
“Every point is a prisoner now, so it’s difficult to take when one goes against you.
“Motherwell will use that to galvanise themselves against us this weekend. They have had a few of them this season.
“They are a good side, I watched Well against Dundee and there’s no doubt they’ll feel aggrieved to take nothing from the match.
“They have goals in their side. They have a real attacking intent and our record is poor against them this season.
“Their big strength is going forward. Scott McDonald is very clever playing in the hole up front. So, we are going to have to try to address that and be at our best.”
County will be without suspended attackers Liam Boyce and Alex Schalk for today’s game but McIntyre reckons Craig Curran, recently rewarded with a new one-year contract, will be well up to the task.
McIntyre added: “I thought Craig was fantastic against Inverness. Liam will get all the plaudits for his goals, and rightly so, but he would be first to acknowledge the part that Craig plays in the build-up to goals and the workrate he gives.
“He unsettles defences, which then allows Liam that little bit of space. I’ve been delighted with Craig. He has been rewarded with his new contract and is in a good place.”
