Highlands & Islands

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Ross County manager Derek Adams: "We did well. It's never easy for any player when a manager changes but we started on the front foot, created a number of very good opportunities, Kilmarnock cleared a couple off the line.

"I was really happy with the positivity of the team. We defended well, kept a clean sheet and limited Kilmarnock to few opportunities on goal. We could have done better with our attempts.

"[The fixture build-up] can work both ways. I can't change it, these are the fixtures coming up. We'll be ready for St Mirren, we'll be back in tomorrow and assess the squad.

"It's up to me to find solutions, that's what I was trying to do today. We changed the starting eleven from the previous game to add a creative edge."

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What did you make of Derek Adams first game in charge (for the third time)? Were you encouraged? Was there a new-manager bounce?

And crucially, do you think there's enough there for Adams to keep them up?

Let us know your thoughts.

Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport Scotland

Despite County's lowly position in the league, it was a surprise to some when Malky Mackay was sacked as County boss. Therefore it was intriguing to see what kind of response there would be from the Ross County players.

Immediately, there looked to be a bounce. They launched wave after wave of attack, focusing on whipping crosses into the box.

But they were blunt up top. That's now three Premiership games in which they have failed to score, a run of 316 minutes without a goal.

They've failed to score in seven of their 13 games, and failed to win in their last nine.

Derek Adams will be all too aware that he needs to turn that around, and quickly.

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Yan Dhanda. The midfielder created far more than any other player on the pitch - five clear cut chances, in fact.

Sometimes, it appears his teammates aren't on the same wavelength as him. Perhaps he needs to step up a level if he is to get the best out of his game.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Brown, Baldwin, Nightingale, Leak, Purrington, Randall, Allardice, Sims, Dhanda, Murray.

Substitutes: Munro, Turner, Sheaf, Loturi, Harmon, Samuel, White, Smith, Reid.

Kilmarnock: Dennis, Mayo, Wright, Findlay, Deas, Armstrong, Watson, Donnelly, McKenzie, Kennedy, Watkins.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Sanders, Ndaba, Polworth, Murray, Brown, Warnock, Dallas, Vassell.

Ross County winger Josh Sims is back in contention for the visit of Kilmarnock, but suspended defender James Brown remains unavailable alongside Jay Henderson (hamstring), Josh Reid (toe), Ross Callachan and Ben Paton (both knee).

Kilmarnock forward Innes Cameron is ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring complaint, while Tom Davies (groin) has also joined long-term absentee Kyle Magennis (hamstring) on the sidelines.

Brad Lyons is suspended but Derek McInnes does hope to have captain Kyle Vassell and Corrie Ndaba to choose from.

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Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice will focus on the chance to embrace a fresh start after the shock of Malky Mackay's exit.

Allardice said: "Obviously last week we didn't really expect the news but we know football is very short term these days.

"It was hard for the players, it's never nice to see anyone lose their job.

"But it moves fast, football, and we have a new manager now and we want to kick on.

"Obviously it's a fresh start for everyone, the gaffer has made that clear.

"We are all excited to get going and hopefully push up the table. It's only been a couple of days but we have enjoyed it so far."

It's a strange old league, the Scottish Premiership.

A win on Saturday over Kilmarnock could have Ross County looking more closely at the top six, rather than a relegation battle, says BBC Scotland's chief sports writer, Tom English.

"You look at Ross County, and this is kind of the league in microcosm here," English told the Scottish Football Podcast.

"Ross County are in 11th. They're only four points off Killie in sixth, and they have a game in hand, so things can flip very quickly. If Ross County beat Killie at the weekend, things flip very quickly.

"And it's a tough one to call that, especially with Kilmarnock's home form, especially with the Derek Adams bounce. I think he will do well at Ross County. He's a club, he's very comfortable at that club."

• Can County capitalise on Killie's 'awful' away form? Subscribe and listen to full episodes of the Scottish Football Podcast

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Amy Canavan is joined by BBC Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English on Friday's edition of the Scottish Football Podcast to look ahead to the return of the Premiership this weekend.

On the agenda is the magic of Bojan Miovski at Aberdeen, Craig Levein's much-anticipated return to the Tynecastle dugout as St Johnstone boss, and Derek Adams once again taking the reins at Ross County for a meeting with homesick Kilmarnock.

• Subscribe and listen to full episodes of the Scottish Football Podcast on BBC Sounds

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Ross County manager Derek Adams is targeting the Scottish Premiership's top six "eventually" but says beating Kilmarnock is the immediate concern.

Adams is starting his third spell as Staggies boss after replacing Malky Mackay and takes charge against visitors Kilmarnock on Saturday.

"We've got to try and be established and a top-six side, eventually," he said.

"And, can we have the possibility of having European football?

"The short-term plan is to win the next game."

With the January transfer window around six weeks away, Adams commented on his plans for the squad in Dingwall.

"We'll always change things round, we'll always look to re-vitalise the squad," he said.

"Long-term contracts at this level don't work. That breeds players playing for nothing, really. You need players playing for a contract.

"I would rather have six-month contracts than one-year contracts. That's not going to be the way with the PFA (union). We need players that are hungry, ready to prove themselves for today and tomorrow - not for future years."

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• Ross County have alternated between victory (three times) and defeat (twice) in their last five Scottish Premiership meetings with Kilmarnock. The Staggies are looking to win back-to-back contests against Killie in the competition for the first time since September 2017.

• Kilmarnock have lost each of their last three Scottish Premiership visits to Ross County; they have never lost four in a row away to the Staggies in the top-flight before.

• Derek Adams is back at Ross County for his third spell at the club. His last top-flight match in charge of the Staggies was a 2-1 defeat vs Dundee United in August 2014.

• Kilmarnock have lost each of their last three league games away from home. Indeed, since the start of last season, their 19 away defeats is the most of any club in the Scottish Premiership.

• No player in the Scottish Premiership has accumulated more expected assists (4.56) or created more big chances (nine) than Kilmarnock’s Daniel Armstrong (4.56). Only Matt O’Riley and Luis Palma (five each) have provided more assists than Armstrong’s four.

Ross County are without a win in nine games and they will be looking to change their fortunes as they welcome Kilmarnock to Dingwall on Saturday.

Who should Derek Adams choose in his first XI since returning? Pick your team here.

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In a statement released by the League Managers Association, Malky Mackay has reacted to his Ross County departure.

Here's the best of what the former Staggies boss had to say:

"It was an honour to have managed Ross County over 100 games. The warm Highland welcome I received and the support from our fans during my three seasons in Dingwall is something I will never forget.

"I worked every day to represent the club to the best of my ability and I would like to thank the staff for all of their hard work and dedication over the last two-and-a-half years.

"Football clubs are only as good as the people within, and the small group at Ross County do a phenomenal job in running this Premiership club.

"I would like to give a special mention to CEO Steven Ferguson and club secretary Fiona MacBean, to whom I will be forever grateful for the help and support they provided during my tenure.

"To chairman Roy MacGregor, thank you for giving me the opportunity to manage your club.

"Of course, I would like to recognise my players for all of their efforts in our time together and I have enjoyed every minute of working with them. I have the utmost confidence in the capabilities of this squad and the infrastructure that is in place for them to continue to thrive in the Premiership.

"Finally, I would like to thank my family for their unwavering support throughout my time in the Highlands. I am now looking forward to having a chance to recharge and get ready for my next chapter."