Ross County manager Jim McIntyre has called on his players to fill the void with three full backs set to miss Saturday’s league match against Dundee United.
Marcus Fraser is out with an injured shoulder while Jamie Reckord and Richard Foster are both suspended for the game against the Tangerines at Victoria Park.
The loss of the three players, coupled with Scott Boyd also rated doubtful for the game due to injury, leaves the Staggies manager short of defensive cover and he wants his squad to dig deep for the cause against Mixu Paatelainen’s side.
He said: “As we showed on Saturday, players can play out of position and we are not always going to get it the way we want it. We are coming into a time of year when bookings start to mount up and you get suspensions. Every team is the same and we’ve just got to handle it.”
County are four points clear of seventh placed Caley Thistle in the race to make the top six and with the Staggies having six games remaining to secure their place McIntyre knows every point is going to be crucial in the run-in.
He said: “I think it will go right to the wire up to the last game or two before the split. The teams this season have shown they are more than capable of beating each other on any given day so we have just got to concentrate on ourselves and try and make sure we can make home advantage count.
“Generally in Dingwall the form has been very good and strong, we need to continue that against a Dundee United side who like us last year are fighting for their lives and have shown a lot of spirit.
“I was at their game against Motherwell where it was never 3-0 in my eyes. They had a couple of great chances to score at 1-0 down and if they go in it changes the picture.
“But they bounce back against a team that is third in the league and that is the message we needed, if we ever needed one.
“They have plenty spirit about their side and they are doing their utmost to try and put a run together.
“If you take the result before the Motherwell one it was decent as well, they are doing what any team in that position would do – they are showing courage and fight. There will be hiccups along the way and hopefully there is another one this Sunday.”