Ross County

We asked you whether Ross County can climb out of the relegation play-off spot as we head into the final stretch of the season.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Anon: Ross County will not get automatic relegation but are on the verge of a play-off. As fan, I don’t want to be in that situation again. I reckon if we beat Aberdeen next weekend we will be safe.

David: I truly believe that there is enough quality in the squad to keep County up. Don Cowie has steadied the ship and the players have got their mojo back. It's a corner that should never needed turning but they look a better team now than under Mackay and certainly better than under Adams.

Anon: We should try and keep attacking in dangerous area and try to make opposition players tired. We could also settle into games more quickly.

We're firmly into the business end of the season.

For Ross County, it's all about climbing out of the dreaded relegation play-off. We want to know how you're feeling as we head into the final stretch.

How confident are you that the Staggies survive? Who will be the key players if yoyr side is to beat the drop? And what's your biggest concern about Don Cowie's team?

Give us your thoughts.

Interim manager Don Cowie hopes to create an environment for loan players to thrive at Ross County. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Before back-to-back home matches against Hibs and Hearts, Ross County fans hoped their side would maintain their impressive home form under interim boss Don Cowie.

Four points out of a possible six against the Edinburgh sides continued the Staggies’ revival under Cowie and cut the gap to 10th-placed St Johnstone to a single point.

Over the two matches, County showed the resilience that will be required in the battle to avoid the dreaded play-off position.

On Wednesday night, it looked like Hibs were about to hand Cowie his first home defeat until Yan Dhanda’s dramatic 98th-minute equaliser earned County a morale-boosting 2-2 draw.

I’ve written previously about how important Dhanda can be to this Ross County side, so to welcome back from injury at a crucial point in the season is a welcome gift. But for him to make an instant impact on his return is a huge bonus.

We’d seen County’s never-say-die attitude in recent weeks when Josh Sims’ late goal earned a 3-2 victory over Livingston, but Dhanda’s goal against Hibs felt different. Equalising with the last kick of the game and snatching a point from the jaws of defeat could prove to be vital come the end of the season.

Going into the Hearts game, all eyes were on Dhanda. He has signed a pre-contract deal with Hearts and it was the first meeting between his current side and his future one. The question was how would he perform against his future employers?

County ran out 2-1 winners to pick up their first victory against Hearts in Dingwall since 2013, and Dhanda was back to his influential and creative best. His ability to dictate the tempo of the play was excellent and he played a key part in the build-up to both of Simon Murray’s goals.

Murray now has seven goal contributions in the six matches he’s featured under Cowie, and his two goals against Hearts are the perfect example of the movement and energy he brings. It looks like he’s hitting top form just at the right time.

Cowie has now picked up an impressive eight points from a possible twelve in the four home matches since he’s been named interim manager. His next target will be to pick up the club’s first away victory since 2 September when his side travel to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen following the international break.

Ross Morren can be found on The County Corner, external.

Image source, SNS

Ross County showed some of their old fighting spirit as they look to climb out of the relegation play-off place, says Ayr United winger Aiden McGeady.

Don Cowie's side are now just one point behind 10th-placed St Johnstone after their impressive victory over Hearts at the weekend.

"It was a massive result for Ross County, but with Aberdeen winning it just takes the edge of it," McGeady told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It puts the pack closer together. From sixth downwards, it's very tight. I think Livingston are well out of it at the minute.

"Ross County usually get results at this time of the season, though last year it didn't really happen. They start to put a run of results together to climb out that relegation zone and put pressure on the teams above them."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

What a win for Ross County as they downed high-flying Hearts and narrowed the gap to St Johnstone to just one point.

The headlines were grabbed by talisman Simon Murray, whose brace showed the striker at his level best.

But manager Don Cowie was also quick to heap praise on skipper Jack Baldwin, who turned in an imperious display at the back that left the league's top scorer Lawrence Shankland extremely quiet.

We asked for your thoughts after Ross County beat Hearts 2-1.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Alistair: Great result, Victor Loturi continues to improve and impress, Simon Murray gives 110% as usual, such a hard working player. The County players are becoming a team, a good team well led by both Don Cowie and Jack Baldwin.

Iain: Excellent performance, everyone stepped up today. Baldwin put in one of his best performances. Cowie has got them all working together and starting to show their ability after the shambolic Derek Adams era.

Alistair: I want to apologise to the Ross County team. Before the game I would have snatched your hand off if you offered me a draw. Having been at the game, I can only say Hearts were flattered by the result. The home support came to life today too, well done all of you.

Image source, SNS

• Ross County have beaten Hearts for the first time in the Scottish Premiership since 1 March 2017, a run of 14 games without a win.

• Jorge Grant assisted his fourth goal in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Simon Murray scored his ninth goal this season, more than any other Ross County player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Ross County have scored seven goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (12) and Hearts (eight) have scored more in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Alan Forrest has attempted eight shots, his highest total in a single match in the Scottish Premiership.

• Ross County have a record of W4, D2, L0 when leading at half-time in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Image source, SNS

Ross County interim manager Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "It's a massive three points for us. Hearts are a very good team and I said we'd have to be very good. I thought we were very good.

"I was disappointed for the group they didn't manage to get the clean sheet.

"It was more evidence of how important our captain is, Jack Baldwin. I thought he was excellent. Today you saw how important he is for us."

On double goalscorer Simon Murray, he adds: "The enthusiasm he's got the game is a bundle of energy. Sometimes his teammates don't know what he's going to do. I think that's his biggest strength, he's unpredictable."

That must have felt good, County fans.

What did you make of the win over Hearts and how are you feeling about your side's survival chances?

Give us a shout.

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Ross County seem to be finding their feet at just the right time, particularly in the home comforts of the Highlands. They’re unbeaten run in Dingwall now stands at four games.

All season long, they’ve had a competent collection of attacking options that really should have had them higher up the table than their lowly position.

Finally, Don Cowie seems to have found a way to get the best out of his frontline, particularly Simon Murray.

The striker was supported by a energetic and confident side who seem to have been buoyed by their own self-belief, as well as the prospect of dragging Aberdeen or St Johnstone into the dogfight.

No surprises here.

Much of the County chatter revolves around Hearts-bound Yan Dhanda, but the Simon Murray continues to be the club’s most important player in their survival mission.

Nine league goals for the campaign. 16 in all competitions. Big numbers.

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Off the back of their last draw at home to Hibs on Wednesday, Don Cowie makes three switches for Ross County.

Loick Ayina, Yan Dhanda and Jordan White come in, while Josh Sims, Brandon Khela and Eamonn Brophy drop out.

• Follow our live coverage

Image source, SNS

Ross County: Wickens, Efete, Baldwin, Ayina, Leak, Reid, Randall, Loturi, Dhanda, Murray, White.

Substitutes: Laidlaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Sims, Sheaf, Harmon, Henderson, Khela, Brophy.

Hearts: Clark, Atkinson, Sibbick, Kingsley, Rowles, Cochrane, Denholm, Baningime, Forrest, Vargas, Shankland.

Substitutes: Gordon, Grant, Oda, Devlin, Tait, Fraser, Tagawa, McLuckie, Lembikisa.

Image source, SNS

Despite Ross County's lowly league position, former Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay believes Dingwall is "never an easy place to go".

Hearts are tasked with making the trip on Saturday afternoon, but the Staggies will be buoyed by their last-gasp equaliser against the Tynecastle side's city rivals on Wednesday.

"Don [Cowie] has done well since he's take over," Fay told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They managed to get a point midweek against Hibs showing a battling spirit. They crafted a really good goal at the end to draw the game.

"Hearts are flying a bit, they're going well, but Ross County is never an easy place to go and pick up points.

"I think Hearts probably will have a little bit too much for Ross County, but I think it's going to be difficult for them up there.

Image source, SNS

Ross County boss Don Cowie says his side will need to be at their "very best" to overcome high-flying Hearts on Saturday.

But having gone unbeaten in their last three outings in front of their own support, the interim manager has challenged his players to keep the run going when Steven Naismith's side travel to Dingwall.

History isn't on their side, however, with the Staggies having only beaten Hearts at home once in a top-flight game, coming all the way back in 2013.

That rare victory was overseen by Cowie's predecessor Derek Adams, with the new man in the dugout looking to close the gap to 10th-placed Aberdeen, who travel to Motherwell.

Speaking to club media, he said: “Another very difficult game [against Hearts], a team that’s doing very well, on a great run.

“We are going to have to be at our very best to get something out of the game.

“But we are at home, we are three games undefeated now at home, and it’s about building on that.

Image source, SNS

• Ross County have won just one of their 13 home games against Hearts in the Scottish top-flight (D6 L6), a 2-1 win in September 2013; the Staggies are winless in 11 such matches since that sole victory under Derek Adams (D5 L6).

• Hearts haven’t lost any of their last 14 meetings with Ross County in the Scottish Premiership (W6 D8), their longest unbeaten run against any opponent in the top-flight this century.

• Ross County have won just one of their last 14 Scottish Premiership matches played on a Saturday (D4 L9), though that win did come in their last such home game, beating Livingston 3-2 at Victoria Park.

• Hearts have won 55 points from their 29 league games this season (W17 D4 L8), their most at this stage of a Scottish Premiership campaign since 2015-16 (56 points) when they finished third under Robbie Neilson.

• Since the beginning of last season, Lawrence Shankland has scored 44 goals in the Scottish Premiership, more than any other player; the Hearts’ captain has scored 14 goals across his last 14 league appearances.

Connor Randall believes Ross County have shown they have the heart for their Scottish Premiership survival fight. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip