Ross County manager Malky Mackay felt the Staggies’ 1-0 victory over Hibernian was a mark of their progress.
County secured their first home league win of the season, with Blair Spittal’s scrappy goal securing the points.
The bottom-placed Staggies claimed their second win from their last three matches, to move to within a point of 11th placed Dundee.
Mackay felt County showed a marked improvement from what he felt was their poorest performance of the campaign, when they went down 3-0 to Hibs at Easter Road in August.
Mackay said: “I’m delighted for our crowd here to see a home win. It has been difficult for them to travel to away grounds, while some grounds won’t let them in.
“It’s great for our home fans not only to see their team play well against a very good team who have come off a hell of a result, but also to go and win the game.
“It gives us that little bit of confidence that backs up the Dundee game.
“We have been playing reasonably well. The game we didn’t play well in this season was at Easter Road.
“That was a real marker for them in there. It was very early in the season and the team is slightly different now, but we let ourselves down that day.
“Every other game this season, we have been in it. It was great to show tonight that we can go toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country, play like that and win the game.”
Mackay was frustrated the Dingwall side did not capitalise on a succession of late opportunities to make the scoreline more comfortable.
He added: “We broke on them and had those four absolute golden opportunities to help our goal difference, but also put the game beyond doubt.
“We all know it takes one ball into box for a goal as they are a good team.
“The stress levels went slightly higher with 10 minutes to go, but I’m delighted for them.
“At half-time I asked them to come out and give the same effort and energy as they did in the first.
“If they did that and we won our first and second balls our football would show, and it did in the second half.”
