Assistant manager Don Cowie insists resurgent Ross County have an air of confidence when they take on any team in the country.
A major personnel overhaul, led by new manager Malky Mackay last summer, took time to click into gear in terms of results.
There was the initial period of a largely new group taking time to gel, which followed Covid outbreaks at the Dingwall club.
A strong winter has seen the Staggies blast off bottom spot and, following Wednesday’s 1-1 home draw against Livingston, they are six and eight points above Dundee and St Johnstone respectively.
Kayne Ramsay’s stoppage time header earned County the point against Livi after Alan Forrest fired the visitors in front.
And the result puts the Highlanders just two points behind ninth-placed Aberdeen after four successive matches without a loss.
Perfect mix is working for County
Cowie, who stepped up from first-team coach to become Mackay’s trusted right-hand man this season, explained the group as a whole kept the faith that even when down at the foot of the Premiership, results would turn in their favour.
He said: “The performances were there in spells in the first part of the season.
“We’ve been a lot more clinical; we’re taking our chances and we’ve defended a lot better.
“When you put those two things together, it’s a good mix.
“Confidence as well – when you get a result, it’s big in any sport, but in football it has enabled our lads to show what they are doing on the training field.
“The outcomes have been a lot better, and we’ve just got to keep building on that.
“We go into every game now feeling we can win.”
Belief never wavered in tough times
When results were going against the Dingwall team earlier in the term, the management kept their cool.
The reason for that, says Cowie, was in no game, apart from a 3-0 loss at Hibs very early on, did they look miles off their opponents.
Cowie said: “It’s up to us as a group of staff to keep reinforcing the messages to them.
“If you were watching a game at the start of the season and thinking ‘we’re getting well beat here, we’re not in the game’, that is a challenge, but barring maybe Hibs away at the start of the season there haven’t been many games where that has been the case.
“We’ve always been in it, and we were either getting punished for a slight mistake, or we weren’t taking our chances.
“We’ve managed to eradicate that, but we have to keep doing it and we have to try and get even better at both ends of the pitch to keep progressing where we want to go.”
Cutting edge coming to the fore
County have no Scottish Cup tie this weekend, having been knocked out by Livingston last month with an injury-hit squad losing 1-0 at Almondvale.
The Staggies’ tally of 38 Premiership goals is only beaten so far by big-hitters Celtic (57) and Rangers (55).
And Cowie reckons the players are showing their killer touch more when it matters, which is boosting their chances of taking something from matches.
He said: “In most of the games we’ve played, there hasn’t been much in it.
“It has been one goal here or there, so when you do get those opportunities it’s imperative that you take them.
“We’re in a vein of form right now where when we get chances, we are taking them. Long may that continue, because it can sway a match one way or the other.”
Great point earned against Lions
Reflecting on Wednesday’s draw with Livingston, Cowie felt the point plucked at the end made it a positive outcome.
He added: “We’re slightly frustrated in terms of the performance.
“We’ve set a high standard recently, and we felt it was a game at home that we could win.
“On reflection, it was a great point, because it keeps the momentum going.
“That’s four games undefeated, and one defeat in eight at home, so we’re starting to make this a bit of a fortress in Dingwall. Long may that continue.”
County return to action in the Premiership a week on Saturday when they travel to Hibs.
