Alex Iacovitti feels Ross County have set the standard required in order to prove their top six credentials in the Premiership this season.
The Staggies have made their strongest start to a top-flight campaign, which has moved them into third place ahead of today’s trip to Livingston.
Despite the fine start, defender Iacovitti is frustrated not to have taken more points from the last three matches, after opening the campaign with back-to-back victories over Motherwell and Hamilton Accies.
Iacovitti says the Staggies must build on their early progress, and he said: “It’s been a great start, but if you look back at some of the games, we could actually have won more.
“There were chances in the Kilmarnock and Dundee United games and if we’d done a little better there could have been six points there.
“I’m a great believer you should never get complacent, always want more.
“We’ve had a really good start with eight points on the board, but we could have had so many more if you consider the chances we’ve had and how we might have stopped goals.
“I can’t be too critical. It’s been a good start, but we want more.
“That’s the standard we want – we want to be a top six team in the league and show everyone what we’re about.
“Everyone writes us off because we’re such a small club. We just want to prove everyone wrong, game-by-game and get as many points on the board as we can.”
Iacovitti has started every game for the Staggies since joining from Oldham Athletic in the summer, forming a central defensive partnership with Coll Donaldson who is doubtful for today’s game after limping off during last weekend’s 1-1 draw at St Mirren.
The pair have been joined by left back Josh Reid in Stuart Kettlewell’s new look backline, and Iacovitti has been impressed by the impact made by the teenager, which has attracted interest from English League One club Portsmouth.
Iacovitti said: “He’s only 18 and in his first season, but it’s like he’s been playing for two or three seasons.
“He’s taken everything in his stride. Nothing fazes him. I’ve really enjoyed playing with him at left back and I can’t wait to keep going with him.
“In pre-season he was looking good and doing well, against Celtic and others.
“In training he shuts out wingers all the time. It hasn’t been a massive surprise.”
Although he has represented Scotland up to under-21 level due to his Edinburgh-born mother, Iacovitti had previously spent his entire career in England, after coming through the youth ranks with hometown club Nottingham Forest.
Playing on some of the Scottish Premiership’s artificial surfaces, such as that of today’s opponents Livi at Almondvale, is a new experience for Iacovitti.
The 22-year-old is playing down the impact of playing on non-grass surfaces, and he added: “I’d never played a professional game on an artificial pitch, my first one was Hamilton.
“But it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. We’ve just got to deal with it. We’re not fazed by it.”
