Oli Shaw is ready to meet the task of keeping Ross County in the Premiership as they approach the defining last 10 games of their campaign.
The Staggies slipped back to the foot of the table without kicking a ball at the weekend, after Hamilton Accies’ 4-1 win over Motherwell allowed the Lanarkshire side to leapfrog them on goal difference.
Accies have also played a game fewer than John Hughes’ men, although County now have a game in hand over 10th placed Kilmarnock, who they trail by a point.
With Celtic the next visitors to Dingwall on Sunday, Shaw knows the Staggies must go into every game with a target of picking up points in their quest for survival.
Shaw said: “A positive mentality is going to be crucial.
“I think the manager has already said we have to embrace the challenge, not shrink from it. There is no point in shying away from it.
“We have a group of boys in there who are up for the challenge.
“It’s still a process, but we’re working hard on the training pitch to get things right.
“The players here all believe in what the manager is trying to do.
“You see in spells in games, we’re moving the ball well, passing and creating chances. Other times, when we concede a goal we maybe revert back to our old ways.
“It is just about consistency within games and trying to keep that ethos going. If we do that, results will pick up.
“We know where we want to get to. We’re doing everything to stay in this league and climb the table.
“We’re hoping we can put all the bits we’re working on together and climb the league.”
Shaw is hoping for a recall to the starting line-up, after Hughes favoured Jordan White and Billy Mckay for County’s last outing against Dundee United.
Having scored nine goals so far this season to top County’s scoring charts, Shaw is hopeful he can make a strong contribution in the weeks ahead.
The 22-year-old added: “As a striker, you want that consistency of matches and when you score goals you feel good about yourself.
“You go into every game knowing you can score a goal and feeling confident you’ll get that chance and take it.
“For me, it’s just about being on the pitch and hopefully taking the opportunities the other players are creating for me.
“The strikers obviously want the team to create as many chances as they can and I think the manager’s style is good for us as strikers.
“Since he has come to the club I’ve hit four goals in my last seven games. I’m happy with that and I want to build on it.
“With the style we’re playing, and the chances we’re creating at the top end of the park, is good to be part of at the minute.
“Hopefully it can continue – and I can score a few more goals from now until the end of the season.
“Jordan White is a different type of striker and he has good presence and ability. Bringing him in gives us another good option up front along with Billy Mckay and me.
“Hopefully we can string a partnership together between us and bounce off each other effectively in the important games ahead.
“We’re all looking to help each other score goals and create chances for others.”
Shaw was frustrated by the postponement of Saturday’s game against Hibernian due to a frozen pitch, but he hopes County can make the most of the extra preparation time for the Hoops match.
He added: “We kind of knew, given the weather up here, it might be in doubt, but we prepared as normal for the game being on.
“Unfortunately the temperatures didn’t pick up and it was unfortunate to see the game be put off, but not entirely unexpected.
“As soon as we knew it was gone, the focus switched to preparing for the Celtic game at the weekend.”
