Malky Mackay praised Ross County’s resolve in their 2-0 victory over St Johnstone.
The Staggies claimed their first away win since November, to move within a point of Kilmarnock in 10th place.
It is a result which also narrows the gap on ninth-placed Saints to just five points.
After losing attacker Eamonn Brophy to an early thigh strain, his replacement Simon Murray stepped up to the task by netting County’s opener on the stroke of half-time.
David Cancola secured the points with an early second half goal, with Mackay thrilled with his side’s work.
He said: “We took a blow when we lost Eamonn after the injuries last week.
“It looks like he has done his thigh but we will see. It adds to a list of inexplicable injuries.
“We will patch them up and see what we have left. Maybe we will play Aberdeen at six-a-side on Friday night.
“Simon has had to bide his time since coming here but he’s been a real team player.
“He put the afterburners on and what a goal it was.
“Simon ran hard after that and worked really well with Jordan White.
“Overall, it was the team performance I challenged them to put in after the Celtic game last weekend.
“I needed that on a real tricky surface with a howling wind.
“We made St Johnstone defend. We turned them and we were at it – to a man.”
County’s battling spirit was embodied by defender Alex Iacovitti, who repeatedly came off the pitch to patch up bleeding which followed a broken nose.
After holding out for the clean sheet, Mackay reserved praise for County’s defensive display.
He added: “It’s always tight against St Johnstone. It was never going to be easy.
“But we needed the points and we now need to take that into the last seven.
“To a man, we were good value for the win.
“Players were coming over to me and every one of them was bleeding more than the one before.
“At least I didn’t get any on me.
“The defenders put their bodies on the line.
“Iacovitti got a kick in the face and was bleeding for the rest of the second half.
“He was stuffing toilet rolls up his nose and getting on with it.
“I will have that all day long.”
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