Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson feels the Staggies can show their Championship title credentials by defeating leaders Ayr United at Somerset Park tomorrow.
County are a point behind the Honest Men ahead of tomorrow’s game against Ian McCall’s men, who have a game in hand over the Staggies following the postponement of their home fixture against Caley Thistle last weekend.
The Dingwall men triumphed 2-1 at Victoria Park in the sides’ only previous encounter in October, however Ferguson feels defeating United on home territory would be a statement of intent.
Ferguson said: “If you want to win the league, you’re going to have to win away games and if you can win away against teams near the top of the league.
“To win any league, you need to have good away form, matched with good home form.
“Sometimes playing away from home can work in your favour. We probably had one of our best results this year on the road against Dundee United Tannadice – and Ayr would say the same.”
Despite the possibility of Ayr opening up a four-point gap on the Staggies with a victory, Ferguson insists he and fellow co-manager Stuart Kettlewell will not set the Staggies out to contain.
He added: “I think we need to go and win the game. If we go into it thinking a point isn’t a bad result down there, it isn’t the right approach.
“It’s not the mind-set we or the players have. We’re comfortable saying we’re going to Ayr on Saturday to try and win the game.
“The consequence of that is you can leave yourselves a little more open to their attacking threat, but what it will give you is a decent game of football with two teams both trying to win the game.
“I don’t think Ayr will be settling for a point, that’s for sure.”
Ferguson confirmed midfielder Iain Vigurs will be back in the squad for the trip to Ayr, having been sidelined with a bruised bone in his foot in recent weeks.
He added: “Iain trained this week, which is a positive for us. Michael Gardyne is now into his second week which is also positive.
“Iain will be part of the group for Saturday. He was out for less time than Michael obviously, but it was still close to a month without playing.
“But with the experience Iain has, and how he can manage his own body, then he comes back into the group.”
