Ross County must look upon the next six weeks as a huge opportunity to change the narrative of their season.
Malky Mackay’s men begin a run of 10 matches in 39 days on Wednesday, when they host Hibernian in a fixture rearranged at the third attempt.
County conclude that run at home to Aberdeen on January 2, before halting for the winter break.
By that stage they will have completed their first two rounds of Premiership games, and will likely have a clear vision of what they will be striving for in the final stretch of the campaign.
That only serves to make the upcoming period all the more crucial. Mackay will hope their recent idleness, following the 4-2 loss to Rangers on November 7, will work in their favour.
The Staggies boss has emphasised the importance of hitting the reset button during their two-and-a-half week absence from action. For the first time this season, he has the luxury of a fully fit squad following the return of left back Jake Vokins from a metatarsal fracture.
Given they remain four points adrift at the foot of the table, Mackay will hope his players return with an eagerness to quickly get points on the board.
During the next sequence of matches, County will come up against a number of sides they will feel they have something of a score to settle with.
The Dingwall outfit suffered four successive defeats by the odd goal in the autumn period, going down to Motherwell, Dundee United, St Mirren and Livingston.
Mackay made a strong case to suggest County should have taken at least a point, if not more, out of all of those matches.
Staggies have shown they know the way to goal
Despite claiming only one win from their opening 12 matches, the Staggies have still shown firepower. Their return of 17 goals makes them the fifth highest scorers in the division, which is more than any of the six teams immediately above them.
With a goals against tally of 26 however, there will clearly be an emphasis on keeping the back door shut. Some inexplicable defensive lapses have caused the Staggies to lose out in games where their performance clearly merited better.
There is a cruelness in the fact that the Staggies have not had the opportunity to build on the night it all clicked at both ends, in the stunning 5-0 triumph over Dundee on October 27. Given Hibs’ Covid issues which put paid to the fixture that was due to follow that, the loss to champions Rangers has been their only match since.
County will feel the balance of play has shown them to be as good as many of the teams in the division. The coming weeks will provide the Staggies with the opportunity to prove they are in a false position however, and it is crucial they deliver the results.
Home form could be crucial, and they will aim to capitalise on six of their next 10 matches being at Victoria Park.
If the Staggies are to be involved in anything other than a relegation battle, now is the time they have to act.
