Ross County defender Harry Clarke has called for the Staggies to take ownership of their crucial Premiership match against Livingston this weekend.
The Staggies were defeated 3-2 by St Mirren on Saturday, meaning they are now bottom of the table without a victory from their opening nine matches.
On-loan Arsenal defender Clarke says a poor first half in which County conceded three cheap goals left them with too much to do, despite a much-improved performance after the break.
Clarke has called for the Staggies to replicate their second half showing from the start when they host Livi, who are four points ahead of them ahead of their Dingwall encounter on Saturday.
Clarke said: “In the Livingston game, we have to start from the first whistle like we did in the second half.
“It shouldn’t take three goals conceded, or the manager speaking at half-time.
“We have got to take ownership and cut out the individual mistakes.
“My man scored from the corner – I’ve got to hold my hands up and say it’s not good enough.
“I never make excuses. I’ve just got to hold my hands up and learn from it, and I think everyone has to do that.
“We are not going to sit down and feel sorry for ourselves. It comes to a point when we need to start winning games, otherwise the longer it goes on, the harder it gets.”
Clarke says the first-half display, which saw County trail 3-1 at half-time, left them with a mountain to climb.
He added: “We didn’t start well and in the second half we gave ourselves too much to do. We were climbing a mountain after the first half.
“It’s easy to play against a team when you are a couple of goals down and the shackles come off, because you’ve got freedom and everyone grows in confidence.
“We can’t keep starting poor and conceding like this and getting a kick up the backside.
“We had chances. We hit the woodwork a few times. But they took their chances and we gifted them goals with individual mistakes. Now we have to put this behind us and move on.”
Clarke was an impressive performer at right-back, showing a keen willingness to support the Staggies’ attack and providing the assist for Alex Iacovitti’s second half header.
The 20-year-old added: “I’m enjoying my role and having the freedom to go forward. The manager wants me overlapping and bombing on, showing what I can do at that end of the pitch.
“But it’s hard to look for positives after we have lost, but I am enjoying it.”
