Josh Reid facing six-week spell on Ross County sidelines with toe injury

Ross County defender Josh Reid is expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks due to a toe injury.

Reid was injured in the latter stages of last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen in the Viaplay Cup, following a challenge by Dons striker Pape Gueye.

Staggies boss Malky Mackay was convinced the tackle, along with a challenge by Ryan Duncan on Josh Sims, could have been met with red cards had VAR been in place for the tie.

Dingwall-born Reid rejoined the Staggies in the summer, after spending the last two-and-a-half years with English Championship side Coventry City.

In the early weeks of the season he has competed with George Harmon for the left wing back position, although Ben Purrington stepped into that role against Hearts last weekend after returning from a toe injury of his own.

Mackay, whose side make the Premiership trip to Dundee on Saturday, says Reid is preparing for a spell on the sidelines.

He said: “Josh Reid’s is a pretty bad injury. There is nothing broken, but it’s in his big toe.

“It was a dreadful challenge that incredibly the referee did nothing about except give a foul.

“He has struggled to walk since – he is still on crutches.

“It’s not an area of the foot where a lot of blood flow gets to. That could take six weeks.”

Sims also sidelined following Dons clash

Winger Sims suffered a badly cut leg following the challenge by Duncan, with both players requiring hospital treatment in the hours that followed the game.

Although Mackay does not anticipate as lengthy an absence for Sims, he reckons the Englishman could still spend around a month out of action.

Mackay added: “It’s really the cut that has to heal. It’s in an area that is OK in terms of the manipulation of his ankle, it’s just a little bit higher up.

“We just have to make sure the cut seals. If the cut were to open up again you would be talking about an infection and things like that.

“His is really more about his cut healing, than anything else. We would hope in a month’s time he will be back, so both are significant to us.”

Smith back in Scotland under-19s fold

Another player who has been sidelined in recent weeks is teenage defender Dylan Smith.

The Inverness-born youngster suffered an ankle injury in the latter stages of Scotland under-19s’ 2-2 draw against Czech Republic last month, for which he had captained Billy Stark’s side.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Congratulations to Dylan Smith who has been called up for the Scotland U19's squad for their upcoming friendlies in Pinatar, Spain.

We wish Dylan and all of our national squads the very best of luck in the upcoming international period. pic.twitter.com/KYCuHofz4x

— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) October 3, 2023

Despite having not returned to playing action since, Mackay revealed Stark was desperate for Smith to be included in the squad for friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Portugal next week.

He added: “They brought him into the last camp and they were really happy with him.

“Unfortunately, with 15 minutes to go in the game, he turned his ankle.

“He was out for a couple of weeks and got back training again, so will have done about 10 days by the time the next camp comes around.

“Billy was really keen for him to come with them and be around them, rather than leave him out because he has not done enough.

“For experience value it’s good for him as well, so instead of training here for a week he will go with them and be part of it all.”