Ross County

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Previously, I've described Ross County's recent run of fixtures as season defining.

The Staggies looked like they were a side full of confidence following impressive victories against Motherwell and Dundee, where they scored three goals in successive Premiership matches for the first time since December 2015.

Those two victories meant County fans were full of optimism at avoiding a battle at the bottom for the third straight season, and even dreaming of potentially sneaking into the top six.

Last Wednesday, supporters were brought crashing back down to earth as the Staggies fell to a 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone in Perth.

It was an unrecognisable performance compared to recent matches as they lacked creativity and failed to take control of the match. To add salt to the wounds, the defeat meant County have only picked up a single point in three matches against the Perth side, which could be crucial as we approach the split.

That result and performance amplified the importance of County's next match ten-fold, as they faced Kilmarnock in Dingwall.

It wasn't a game that'll live long in the memory but Don Cowie's side bounced back from their midweek defeat to pick up a 1-0 victory thanks to Kieran Phillips' first-half goal.

In his four home Premiership matches so far, Phillips has scored two goals, assisted another and won two penalties, so he's made quite an impact in Dingwall.

At the other end, the defensive trio of Johnathan Tomkinson, Kacper Lopata and Eli Campbell were outstanding.

They threw their bodies on the line countless times against a Kilmarnock bombardment. On the rare occasion the trio were beaten, Jordan Amissah was imperious yet again in the County goal and made several key saves to hold on to the clean sheet.

The victory moved the Staggies up to eighth and within two points of the top six.

Cowie and his players deserve huge credit for their reaction against Killie to pick up what the manager described as the biggest three points of County's season so far.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Another huge win for Ross County as they look to avoid the familiar relegation play-off position.

Don Cowie's side kept a clean sheet as well as securing an important Premiership victory over Kilmarnock and they have one player in my team of the week.

Jordan Amissah made several good stops to seal a potentially pivotal victory. Has generally impressed since arriving in Dingwall.

BBC Scotland Sportscene pundit Cammy Bell hails Kieran Phillips' flick to set up Ross County's winning goal against Kilmarnock.

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Watch highlights from Ross County's 1-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

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We asked for your views on Ross County's 1-0 win against Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you said:

David: Definitely a rearguard action but the whole team contributed to success. Kacper Lopata, Jordan Amissah and Jordan White - who was everywhere and got the assist for the goal - as well as tremendous defensive clearances. I have watched the second goal but cannot see why it was disallowed. A great three points.

Shaun: A really important win for the team. We did not play our best, but Kieran Phillips showed great skill to flick the ball to Jordan, and took his chance when it came. The defence had to be strong throughout. They all did well but Lopata and Amissah were both outstanding. We are in a good position, some tough games ahead, so we need to keep grinding out points.

Davie: An immense defensive performance or poor finishing by Killie? Who cares! After travelling down to Perth midweek I was worried about this game as Killie are so physical. They threw everything at us, and probably deserved at least a draw, but goals count, and we got it, Lopata was my man of the match.

Paul: Resilient, strong performance, especially Amissah. When creative players like Noah Chilvers are not at their best, a good team performance was required. Great to see Alex Samuel back, he should have made an instant impact in the second goal chalked off for a dubious foul. Top six is a possibility if we can maintain and improve a little.

Jim: It wasn't pretty at times, far from the best we've played in an attacking sense. Very important win, especially after Wednesday night's poor performance. Lopata and Connor Randall excelled yet again. Nice to have things in our own hands but still with a regular glance over the shoulder. We're in the mix.

Kilmarnock fell to their third defeat in a week as Ross County bounced back from a midweek loss to record a crucial win that puts them within two points of the Scottish Premiership top six.

Country are up to eighth while Kilmarnock remain 10th and, while they are only six points off the top half, manager Derek McInnes admitted that, if his side had any top six aspirations, this was a game they needed to win.

What did you make of that, County fans? Where was that game won? And who impressed you?

What does this do for County's season? Feeling optimistic yet?

Let us know your thoughts., external

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Ross County manager Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "Very hard fought. A really important three points, and another three points toward where we want to get to - 35 points. That was our total last season. We've now got nine games to really add to that.

"It was a tough game, we had to defend a lot. They put us under a lot of pressure, a lot of entries into our box. It's definitely not the best we've played this season, but it's the best three points we've had this season.

"They had a few openings which on another day they take. Derek [McInnes] will be disappointed they didn't take one of the chances. I've got to focus on my own group. I see a team that's putting their body on the line.

"That's three wins in the last four games at an important stage of the season. I couldn't ask for any more in terms of the effort they're putting in."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Such is the tight nature of the league that one bad result can have fans looking over their shoulders at the teams below them.

The midweek lost to St Johnstone did just that for County, given how poor and lifeless the performance was.

Thankfully for Don Cowie, his side responded with a solid defensive effort that frustrated Kilmarnock for the full 90 minutes.

Kacper Lopata, Jonathan Tomkinson and Eli Campbell produced heroics time and again and when they could not header or blooter the ball away, Amissah behind them repelled the visitors.

They were, perhaps, a little lucky to score with really their only chance but then dreadfully unlucky to have Kenneh's goal ruled out. In the end, it didn't matter.

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Kacper Lopata. No one made more clearances or won more aerial duels than the Polish defender, who was at the heart of County's stoic defensive effort.

At only 23-years-old, he has anchored the County defence incredibly well at times this season and his solid performance was backed up by the two other defenders in the back-three - Jonathan Tomkinson and Eli Campbell.

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Ross County will again be without Michee Efete (knee), Ryan Leak (Achilles), Alex Samuel (thigh) and Will Nightingale (knee).

Kilmarnock are still without captain Kyle Vassell and defender Stuart Findlay (both ankle).

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Don Cowie wants his Ross County side to "put things right" with a win against Kilmarnock on Saturday after their 1-0 midweek defeat at St Johnstone.

The Staggies are ninth in the Premiership table, a point above Killie.

"We've got to move on from Wednesday, I'm not going to dwell on it," said Cowie.

"The focus is on getting ready for another big game against Kilmarnock and trying to get back to winning ways.

"We've been in good form, had a good run of results. On Wednesday we didn't perform and we got what we deserved, just like what we got what deserved in our previous two games by winning them because we had played well.

"We didn't play well on Wednesday, we accept that's why we lost the game. In football, you always have the opportunity to put things right and that comes against Kilmarnock."

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• There have been three instances of a side losing a Scottish Premiership game in 2024-25 in which they led by 2+ goals – all three have involved Kilmarnock, beating Dundee 3-2 in October, losing 3-2 to Dundee in November, and losing 4-2 to Rangers last time out.

• Ross County have won their first two Scottish Premiership games against Kilmarnock this term; only in 2014-15 and 2015-16 have the Staggies ever beaten Killie three times in a single season in the competition.

• Kilmarnock are winless in their past eight Scottish Premiership games away to Ross County (D3 L5) since a 2-1 victory in March 2017.

• After their 3-1 win over Dundee, Ross County are looking to win back-to-back home games for the first time in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Kilmarnock have lost their past three away league games, last losing more in a row in April 2023 (six).

We asked for your opinion on Ross County's 1-0 loss to St Johnstone on Wednesday night.

Here's what some of you said:

Davie: We were poor. Long balls to Ronan Hale and Kieran Phillips on a bumpy pitch failed, so bringing on Jordan White and George Robeston made sense as that was obviously the way we were going to continue to play.

Our keeper kept us in the game first half. Bottom line, Akil Wright's blunder cost us. He has been so good for us, but this was a must-not-lose game and we were awful.

Anon: Do we have a defence? If we have a so one, have they played in these positions before at this level? Every time, we shoot ourselves in the foot. Hang your heads lads, hang your heads.

Rick: A long drive home after that rubbish, just looked like we couldn't be bothered! Second to every ball and possession given away consistently. Thank heavens for Jordan Amissah or it could have been worse. Saints were timewasting and I'd love to see that handball at the end again. Not a time for complacency, County!

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• St. Johnstone have scored in their last eight games in the Premiership, their longest stretch of games with a goal in the competition since a run of eight from 21 October 2022 to 28 December 2022.

• Ross County have failed to score in 11 of their 28 games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Premiership this season.

• Makenzie Kirk has scored six goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no St Johnstone player has more.

• Ross County have a record of W0, D0, L6 when conceding the opening goal away from home in the Premiership this season.

Watch the best of the action as Scottish Premiership bottom side St Johnstone beat Ross County.

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Makenzie Kirk's close-range finish, smashing in after a Stephen Duke-McKenna effort was parried by Jordan Amissah, moves Simo Valakari's side to within three points of second bottom Dundee with 10 games of the season to play.

County travelled to Perth with a record of four wins from their previous five away league games, but it was the hosts who had the better of a competitive first half.

St Johnstone created several good goalscoring opportunities but were foiled on each occasion by an inspired Jordan Amissah in the County goal.

County fans, were you at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the game.

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Ross County manager Don Cowie: "I'm really disappointed off the back of two really good performances and victories, it was an opportunity to continue that but we got what we deserved out of the match.

"St Johnstone were the better team and thoroughly deserved it.

"I've gone with the same group of players from the start and we never managed to get going in the game or create any momentum, that's the frustrating part. Our away form has been good but I didn't see enough of that tonight.

"We've lost games before this season and we don't get ahead of ourselves and think we're the finished article. It's always about trying to strive for consistency and that's always the challenge. Tonight shows we're not there yet and we have to keep working on it.

"St Johnstone winning tonight gives them momentum, it closes the gap but we're not going to get caught up on one result, one performance.

"We're really disappointed and frustrated right now but we've only got a couple of days before another really important game so we need to get back to what we've done in previous games."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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This result is a reminder to County that they still have work to do in order to keep themselves clear of trouble.

Their form of late – particularly away from home – has been excellent, and has rightly had fans dreaming of the top six.

For all of that, though, they remain worryingly close to the relegation play-off spot.

You do get a sense they will be fine, and they have shown enough in recent times to suggest that they have enough quality to banish any concerns.

But until they have the points in the bag to ensure that is the case, County will have to tread carefully over the next few weeks.

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• St Johnstone are unbeaten in five league meetings with Ross County, winning three of those (D2), which is as many as their previous 18 games against the Staggies in the Scottish Premiership beforehand (W3 D10 L5).

• Ross County lost 3-0 away to St Johnstone in October this season, but have never suffered successive away defeats to the Saints in the top fight before.

• St Johnstone have won just one of their last nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) games in the Scottish Premiership (D4 L4), a 2-0 win at Aberdeen in February 2024.

• Ross County have won four of their last five away league games (L1), as many as their previous 41 beforehand (W4 D11 L26).

• St Johnstone's Nicky Clark has scored nine goals against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership, the joint-most any player has against the Staggies in the top-fight (Kris Boyd also nine).

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St Johnstone hope to have Benji Kimpioka (illness) and Victor Griffith (ankle) back soon. They remain without long-term absentees Uche Ikpeazu (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles).

Ross County welcome back Zac Ashworth after injury, but Michee Efete (knee), Ryan Leak (Achilles), Alex Samuel (thigh) and Will Nightingale (knee) are set to remain sidelined.

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Ross County's stunning away form has given them "real belief" as they look to gatecrash the Premiership top six, says manager Don Cowie.

County are within two points of sixth-place St Mirren after back-to-back wins before Wednesday night's trip to face St Johnstone.

"First and foremost, I believe St Johnstone are a really good team, a dangerous team, we've seen that already this season when we've played against them," said Cowie.

"On our hand, we're in good form, our away form has been excellent, we've won four of our last five games away from Dingwall so we go into it with real belief.

"But we know that we're going to have to perform really well to come away with three points.

"It's really important, you can see there's a confidence about the group right now, it's about trying to maintain that and keep things going.

"The performance levels have been really consistent but as we know in football, you don't have much time to look back on that, we've got another game Wednesday night and that's our full focus now."

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Don Cowie has been speaking to the media before Ross County's trip to face St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• Cowie was "delighted" with how County came back from conceding an early goal to beat Dundee 3-1 and says "the response was excellent".

• On scoring three goals in their last two games: "There's a confidence about the group right now, it's about trying to maintain that and keep things going."

• The County boss is not expecting an easy game against bottom club St Johnstone and says they are "a good, dangerous team" but insists the Staggies are intent on extending their "excellent" away form to continue the "real belief and confidence within the group".

• Cowie says County are "an improving team" and after losing key players in the summer "sometimes you need to be patient, it takes time".

• He adds: "Now you can see a group of players that are very comfortable in this environment playing for our club and really enjoying their football. That's a real key, there's a lot of individuals playing with a lot of freedom."