Ross Callachan insists Ross County must show they can deal with a different form of pressure from this time last year.
The Staggies are bottom of the Premiership after 21 matches, with three points separating them from today’s opponents Motherwell.
It makes for a crucial encounter at Fir Park, with both sides yet to record a victory since the winter break.
The Staggies kicked on at the start of 2022, and ultimately recovered from a poor start to finish in the top-six.
Before County can plot another surge up the table, Callachan insists they must show their mettle.
He said: “We obviously did it last season and we know what it is like being down there in the table. It’s not nice.
“There’s pressure in football at both ends of the table, but it is a different pressure pushing for top six than being in a relegation battle.
“We have great boys in there who know what it is like and we need to try to help the newish, younger lads. We’ve been trying to do that.
“It is only going to help us as a team. It starts on Saturday and it can take just one win to spark us into life.”
County must take strong points haul against bottom-of-table rivals
The Staggies have lost five of their last six games, including home losses to St Johnstone and Livingston.
With Well still within reach, Callachan is desperate not to pass up the opportunity this weekend’s game offers.
Callachan added: “We’ve lost a few games recently against teams who are usually there round about us. We need to be winning those games.
“Every game is massive. I never go into any game thinking it means nothing, no matter if it is a friendly, a league game or a cup tie.
“When times are tough, that’s when you show who you are as a person and I think we have a good changing room in there.
“There are boys who will stick together and dig each other out when boys are making mistakes.”
Callachan, who joined County from Hamilton Accies in 2021, believes one victory could provide Malky Mackay’s men with a springboard for the coming weeks.
The 29-year-old added: “Where we are, you win one or two games it can shoot you up the table. The league table right now isn’t the end of the world, but we don’t want to be losing to teams in around us and see the gap grow.
‘Good result’
“We want to get back in the pack and we’ll look to do that on Saturday.
“Sometimes confidence in football does take a hit, but it can just take one thing to change it – a goal, a good result.
“We’re bottom of the table and we’re not scoring three or four goals every week, so we’re not flying in confidence, but it can just take one moment to change it.
“A good result at Motherwell on Saturday could spark us to start climbing the table.”
