Ross County

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County have enjoyed their visits to Leith to face Hibernian over the past couple of years.

Goals from George Harmon and Alex Iacovitti earned a 2-0 win back in November 2022, while a stunning Jordan White volley earned Malky Mackay’s side a point in the capital after coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 last October.

Based on that recent record in Leith and County picking up four points in the last two matches, fans were optimistic before Saturday's trip to Easter Road.

However, an uncharacteristic error from George Wickens in the second half allowed Myazine Maolida to tap home, and Dylan Levitt added a second for Hibs late on as County chased the game.

Despite the defeat, there’s positives to take from Don Cowie's reign so far. Cowie has had to learn on the job during a tough run of fixtures where his side have played three top-six sides in his five matches in charge.

With one win, one draw and three defeats, he’s overseen an upturn in form since the sacking of Derek Adams, who only took one point from his final five league games. County have also scored more goals and conceded fewer across Cowie’s five matches in charge compared to his predecessor’s final five matches.

Based on the stats, there has been an improvement in both performances and results under the interim manager.

Cowie’s record could have looked even better were it not for defensive errors against St Mirren and Hibs. He’ll be keen to iron out those mistakes and see his side exact revenge when Hibs travel to Dingwall on 13 March.

You can find Ross Morren on The County Corner, external.

We asked for your response to County's 2-0 loss to Hibernian. Here's a flavour of what you had to say.

Anon: Defensively, we were dealing competently with Hibs’ threat until Wickens’ error turned the game. He was uncharacteristically shaky all afternoon.

The second goal resulted from us hooking our full-backs to chase the game. Hibs were the better team and County badly need to find some creativity. We are sorely missing Dhanda’s influence.

'If Don Cowie is going to get this side out of trouble, he needs to sort out his back three' - Neil McCann

Watch the best of the action as Hibs score twice in the second half to beat Ross County at Easter Road. (Available to UK users only)

Image source, SNS

• Hibs attempted 547 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Ross County have failed to score in 15 of their 28 games, more often than any other team in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Hibs are undefeated in their last four games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 28 October 2023 to 3 December 2023, a run of six games.

• Elie Youan has assisted four goals this season (one in this game), no Hibs player has more in the Scottish Premiership.

Were you at Easter Road or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

Ross County manager Don Cowie: "I thought we defended very well. The game swung on an error from our goalkeeper. He's held his hands up.

"To that point I was happy with how we were playing, the crowd were starting to get a bit quiet. So it was disappointing the timing of it.

"But we still had enough time to get back in the game. Eamonn has a chance he could take on another day.

"But again I see plenty of positives from my team.

"I'm seeing a team working ever so hard. I would like to see more quality at times but we now have a 10-day period until the next game so it's up to me to work on that until then.

"We could have looked after the ball a bit better and caused them more problems. We have players technically who can do that.

"It's just about giving them the freedom and belief to go and do it.

"There are still 10 games left so plenty of points to play for. As long as we make sure come the split we're in there fighting to stay in this league, that's all I can ask from the team."

Image source, SNS

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

Having picked up four points in their last two games, Ross County were decent again but clearly missed Simon Murray, who was absent through illness.

He has scored nearly 30% of County's league goals and is so influential in creating chances too.

George Wickens has looked a solid addition in goals, but ultimately it was his error in dropping Dylan Vente's cross that handed Hibs the breakthrough.

Those errors keep cropping up in the County rearguard, which they seriously need to address.

Ross County welcome back captain Jack Baldwin for the first time since before the winter break.

The centre-back takes his place in a back three in place of Loick Ayina.

James Brown also comes in, with striker Simon Murray absent from the squad.

• Follow the action

Ross County: Wickens, Brown, Efete, Baldwin, Leak, Reid, Loturi, Sheaf, King, White, Brophy.

Substitutes: Laidlaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Sims, Harmon, Henderson, Khela, Jenks, Ayina.

Image source, BBC Sport

Hibernian midfielder Luke Amos is facing a couple of weeks out with a muscle injury sustained against Dundee last weekend.

Long-term absentees Josh Campbell and Jake Doyle-Hayes remain sidelined.

Ross County are set to have an unchanged squad, although midfielder Ross Callachan is stepping up his training programme following a long-term knee injury.

Will Nightingale, Connor Randall, Scott Allardice, Dylan Smith and captain Jack Baldwin also remain out.

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Ross County interim manager Don Cowie has challenged his side to impose themselves on Saturday's game at Easter Road despite acknowledging the strength of Hibernian's attacking options.

County have collected four points from their last two games and have the chance to edge closer to the teams above them when they take on Nick Montgomery's side.

Hibs are unbeaten in four games, though, and attacking-minded players Martin Boyle, Dylan Vente, Elie Youan, Myziane Maolida and Emiliano Marcondes have all been among the goals in that run.

"It will be a very tough game against a team that has very good attacking players," Cowie said on a club video.

"So we will need to defend very well and then it's about us trying to implement our game and causing them problems."

Ross County have appointed former AFC Wimbledon coach Jason Moriarty as their new head of performance.

The 37-year-old had been sports scientist with Brunei-based side Brunei DPMM since January last year.

"Jason has been working alongside our departing sport scientist, Alun Andrews, to make the transition as smooth as possible," Ross County said in a statement.

"We wish Alun all the very best for the future and thank him for his contribution during his time at the club.

Moriarty began his career at AFC Wimbledon, spending 12 years there as fitness coach and sports scientist. He also worked with Reading and Crawley Town before his move to Brunei.

Image source, Getty

Image source, SNS

We offered you the chance to submit questions to one of our Sportscene pundits.

Q: Would you get rid of VAR?

I don’t envisage Scotland making a drastic call about VAR while other nations still operate with it. We need to accept it’s here to stay.

Within football there has to be an element of human error, players make mistakes, but the fact we’ve seen a big increase in errors means there’s clear improvement required.

That goes beyond Scottish football, though, you see that all over the place. What we need to do here is continue to upskill the referees. Their performances need to improve and there needs to be more accountability.

These incorrect decisions are very costly for clubs. Recognising an error is okay, but you can’t be offering out apologies every week.

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We offered you the chance to submit questions to one of our Sportscene pundits.

Q: How do you see the relegation fight unfolding?

The beauty of the split means every game will have a purpose.

With Bojan Miovski, Aberdeen will have enough because they have the ability to score goals.

Motherwell come into that same category with the additions they’ve made and the form of Theo Bair and Blair Spittal.

I think Livingston will put up a fight but will ultimately go down automatically. That leaves Ross County and St Johnstone to fight it out to avoid the play-off.

Ross County will be hoping to increase the gap with Livingston at the foot of the table when they travel to Easter Road on Saturday.

After Tuesday night's draw with St Mirren, what changes, if any, should Don Cowie make to the starting line-up against Hibernian?

Pick your XI for the trip to Edinburgh here.

Were you at Victora Park or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.