Ross County have produced a mixed bag this season but the Staggies will take encouragement from their return to the Premiership.
There is always intrigue over how the top-flight newcomers will start and co-managers Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson could hardly have wished for a better one.
The Staggies swept through their Betfred League Cup section with ease before a resounding 3-0 opening-day victory over Hamilton Accies was followed by an excellent showing against Hearts at Tynecastle, deserving of far more than a 0-0 draw.
Since then the Staggies’ form has fluctuated, with an unbeaten September followed by a nine-match run without a victory before County rounded off 2019 with a decent haul of seven points from December.
County have suffered some bruising defeats – conceding 14 goals in matches against the Old Firm. While these games will not define their campaign, the leaking of so many goals is bound to have knocked their confidence.
Of the games against teams in and around them in the table, twice being hit with four goals by Livingston is a clear low point. These heavy defeats have contributed to a goals-against tally of 42 – six more than Hibs and by far the worst record in the Premiership.
The arrival of Coll Donaldson from Caley Thistle will bolster County’s defensive options but the goals-against tally could also be a by-product of the Staggies refusing to abandon an attacking style that has, more often than not, seen them deploy two forwards.
Their goals-for column somewhat vindicates that approach, with their return of 22 more than any other team in the bottom half. In games against Motherwell, Hibs and Kilmarnock, County’s persistence has been rewarded with late goals which have crucially converted one point into three.
Their biggest success story of the season is Ross Stewart – whose scoring has already leapt into double figures to attract the attention of clubs south of the border.
But the 11-goal forward is facing more than a month out with a hamstring injury.
One player the Staggies will be eager to get up and running after the winter break is attacker Lee Erwin, whose settling-in period was protracted by registration issues and injury.
County will be eager to rekindle the form which earned Erwin a move to Leeds United five years ago. The return of midfielder Iain Vigurs will also be a key boost for the Dingwall team.
More incomings can be expected in the next three weeks, as County gear up for their task of securing Premiership survival.
Although there has been reason for optimism in the early part of the campaign, the three-point gap that exists between County and the relegation play-off zone reinforces the fact they still have much work to do to succeed in meeting that target.
