Manager Malky Mackay is urging Ross County to cash in on two successive home matches as they seek to climb out of the Premiership danger zone.
Saturday’s sore 1-0 defeat at St Mirren leaves the Staggies in 11th position, one point ahead of Dundee United, who visit the Global Energy Stadium this Saturday, which will be followed by the visit of ninth-placed Motherwell.
An early headed goal from the Paisley Saints defender Declan Gallagher split the sides at the weekend, with County unable to find a leveller.
A stoppage-time red card for winger Owura Edwards, which Mackay felt was the correct call for a late challenge on keeper Trevor Carson, compounded the misery.
The only positives at full-time were Dundee United staying 12th after losing 2-1 at home to St Johnstone, and Kilmarnock, just above County, lost 2-0 at Hibs.
County must make move up division
County’s last two home fixtures saw them smash Killie 3-0 and draw 1-1 with Hibs and Mackay knows his team must deliver two knock-out blows to relegation rivals to kick clear of trouble.
He said: “We’ve two successive home games and we’ve got to get back on the horse.
“Saturday was a bad day at the office with a sending off and a defeat, as well as not starting the way I wanted to start as a team.
🎥 𝙋𝙊𝙎𝙏-𝙈𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉: 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙮 𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙮
Malky reflects on our defeat in Paisley this afternoon pic.twitter.com/QOlS4FMXdp
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) February 18, 2023
“As far as that’s concerned, in the last few weeks, we’ve been excellent, so we’re getting on with it again this week.
“The teams around us lost at the weekend, so there was no ground lost in that respect.
“We need to now throw a proper punch and look after ourselves. We’re looking to get three points to keep chipping away to get out of these two bottom spots.”
Slowing tactic needs to be addressed
Mackay was not only frustrated by his team’s slow start in their match with the Buddies.
He felt the tactic of Stephen Robinson’s fifth-placed St Mirren of slowing down play should have led to cautions, although he stressed he’s no issue at all with that method being used.
He said: “I was talking to (fourth official) Greg Aitken and the linesman on Saturday about the amount of time-wasting from the first 15 minutes.
“Listen, I have no problem with the tactic. At every throw-in, they take their time. They are slow with everything. As long as you know that, the referee adds time on, but it affects the game.
“It’s not just about time being added on, it’s about the momentum of the game, which just stops.
“Eventually, someone needs to take a yellow card for that. That’s nothing to do with VAR (Video Assistant Referees), it’s to do with understanding the game. I’ve played it for who knows how long.
“I was saying someone has got to get a card at some point because they were killing the game and the ballboys stopped throwing the balls back, then two balls were going on.
“I have no problem with Stephen’s team doing that, but it was obvious (referee) Graham (Grainger) didn’t do anything about it, other than say ‘hurry up’. He put five minutes on at the end, but that’s not good enough.”
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