Ross County

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Manager Don Cowie says Ross County must "recognise the magnitude" of Wednesday's "massive game" with Dundee as they aim to arrest an alarming run of form with a vital victory.

Saturday's defeat at St Johnstone extended 11th-placed County's losing run to seven games, meaning they are two points adrift of safety and three above 12th with two fixtures remaining.

The Highland side have survived via the relegation play-off in the past two seasons, but the threat of facing the automatic drop is real after the weekend loss in Perth.

Despite a torrid run of form, Cowie says County cannot "feel sorry for ourselves" heading into a crucial match.

"It's now about giving the group real belief going into a big game," the manager said. "They have to recognise the magnitude of the game.

"But they can't get caught up on it. We need to give players freedom and let them play with no fear. I've got real belief in them and what they're capable of doing.

"We've been in this position before, we know what's at stake and how important it is for our football club."

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Ross County manager Don Cowie has been speaking to the media prior to Wednesday's Scottish Premiership match at Dundee.

Here are the key lines:

• Cowie says the feeling is "frustration" after a seventh straight league defeat at St Johnstone on Saturday, but he adds that the team "can't dwell on it".

• Going into a "massive game" on Wednesday, the County boss says "it's about giving the group real belief" amid a terrible run.

• Cowie says the players must "recognise the magnitude of the game" but stresses he wants the team to play "without fear".

• The manager says County "know what's at stake" given they have "been in this position before".

• Cowie says the team "won't shy away" from their poor form, but Wednesday's game gives them "an opportunity to change" the course of their season.

Watch Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart discuss Ross County's mentality amid a worrying run of form. (Available to UK users only)

Watch highlights as St Johnstone keep their survival hopes alive by inflicting a seventh straight defeat on Ross County. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on Ross County's 2-1 defeat against St Johnstone.

Here's what some of you said:

Kenny: All signs currently point towards automatic relegation which is unforgivable given that we were pushing for top six just before the split. The club have completely bottled it and ultimately that responsibility falls with the manager. It's sad to want a County man out, but we need a more experienced coach to get us back up next season at the first attempt.

David: Simply a continuation of disorganisation and poor play, bad management, poor team selection, poor substitutions. Continual changing of the team. I saw this coming before the split and I said I feared all teams in the bottom half. We need a miracle to survive in the top division.

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• Ross County have lost their past seven games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 10 August 2014 to 20 September 2014.

• Joshua McPake has assisted three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no St Johnstone player has more.

• Zach Ashworth received a red card - Ross County's third sending off in the Premiership this season, and their first since 19 October 2024 against St Johnstone.

• Adama Sidibeh attempted five shots, the first time he has attempted at least five shots in a match in the Premiership since facing Dundee on 1 March 2025 (five shots).

County fans, did you make the trip to McDiarmid Park on Saturday or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the narrow defeat to St Johnstone. How are you feeling about your chance of Premiership survival?

Have your say on the game

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Ross County manager Don Cowie tells BBC Scotland: "We've got to be concerned, we've got to face the reality in terms of how tight things are now.

"Credit to St Johnstone, they get the victory and make things tight. Somehow, despite the run of form we've been on, with two games to go we've still got an opportunity to get out of the position we're in.

"There were little spells that we did well but ultimately it doesn't matter because we've come away with nothing.

"Today has to be a day, for us as a group, to recognise the situation we're in. There's no hiding place, I'm not going to hide, I take full responsibility for the run of results, it's not good enough but what I will do is that over the next seven days I'll be doing everything I can for this football club and that's what the players need to do.

"Today they'll be hurting, that's the time to reflect on the game but we come in on Monday and we have to be ready for Dundee.

"There's been plenty of times this season this squad has shown what they're capable of doing. In football, confidence is a big thing and I'll be making sure come Wednesday we've got a group of players that are capable of getting us what we need."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Only once before have Ross County lost seven in a row in the top flight. What a horrendous time to equal that record.

They were second best in Perth and their momentum is going in the wrong direction.

Right now, County surely would take a play-off, something they have come through in each of the past two seasons. However, they seem to be lacking something, especially goal threat.

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St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari expects to be selecting from an unchanged squad, with Zach Mitchell (hamstring), Drey Wright (ankle), Bozo Mikulic (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) still out.

Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice remains out but does not need surgery on his knee injury.

Jack Grieves and George Robesten are doubts while Ross Laidlaw (illness), Andrew Macleod (groin), Noah Chilvers (knee) and Ryan Leak (Achilles) remain out.

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George Harmon is determined to avoid a third successive relegation play-off with Ross County.

The defender arrived in Dingwall in summer 2022 and has helped County survive after they finished second bottom in the past two years.

After six defeats on the spin, Don Cowie's occupy the play-off spot with three games left this term, but Harmon is desperate to boost their survival hopes by securing a victory at St Johnstone on Saturday that would send the Perth side down.

"Every game in the split is important and it's still in our hands at the end of the day," said Harmon.

"We'll see where St Johnstone's strengths and weaknesses are and where we can hurt them.

"It's going to be a tough game, we know that. They play some good football, but we've also seen that they can concede goals.

"There's a lot of lads in that changing room that have been here before, but I think for us now, we don't want to finish in the play-offs.

"We want to try and push up the table as much as we can. All season we've had everyone almost against us at times, especially when it comes to the away form around Christmas time and we were able to respond and get three away wins on the bounce.

"We've got more than enough quality in that changing room and we just need to make sure that we show that on Saturday."

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• Defeat for St Johnstone in this match will see them relegated from the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 2001-02.

• St Johnstone are unbeaten in six league meetings with Ross County (W4 D2), winning the past two. The Perth side have never previously beaten the Staggies three times in a row in the top flight.

• County have lost three of their past four league trips to St Johnstone (D1), including both of their past two without scoring.

• St Johnstone have lost their last three league games and could lose four in a row for the second time this season, having previously done so in December.

• County have lost their past six league games; only once before have they ever lost seven in a row in the top flight, doing so when losing each of their opening seven matches of 2014-15.

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Don Cowie is targeting a "huge" Ross County victory in Perth on Saturday to relegate St Johnstone.

The Staggies have a six-point cushion over the rock-bottom Perth side with three matches remaining.

County remain in the relegation play-off spot - a point behind Dundee - and are seeking to end a run of six successive defeats in the relegation showdown.

"It would be huge," said manager Cowie. "It stops the run that we're on. It gives us a real opportunity to go into the two games after that.

"We would put it in our own hands going into the last two games. That's why winning the game is really important for us.

"In order to do that, we have to go and show it. St Johnstone are fighting for their lives as well. They're not going to make it easy for us.

"It's a place that we've not done too well in the past, but records are there to change. We've done that many times this season already and that gives us real belief.

"Sometimes it's not always about the performance. It's about being strong, being together and finding a way to win a game of football. That's what we'll be looking to do this weekend."

County are yet to beat St Johnstone this season, losing twice at McDiarmid Park after a 3-3 draw in Dingwall.

"We've got to recognise we can't change the last few weeks, we're really disappointed in terms of the results that we've had in that period of time, but it's up to us to change it," added Cowie.

"St Johnstone are very stuck in their way and the principles that they want to do. They're a really good footballing team.

"They want to play out from the back on all occasions. They've got players in the final third that can hurt you.

"They've got different qualities and lots of options in that area as well. We have to be ready for that. At the same time, we have to be ready to punish them at any opportunity."

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Don Cowie has been speaking to BBC Scotland before Ross County's relegation showdown with St Johnstone this weekend.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• Cowie was "disappointed" with the 3-1 home defeat by Hearts last weekend after his side scored an "important" first goal.

• On County's six-game losing run: "It's up to us to change it. It's still in our hands. We've got a huge week coming up. We know what's at stake at the end of that week and it starts on Saturday, which is the biggest game of them all."

• The Staggies need a good performance "to show how important" the game at bottom club St Johnstone on Saturday is.

• A County victory will relegate Saints but the Staggies are winless in their past four trips to Perth. Cowie says: "Records are there to change. We've done that many times this season already and that gives us real belief."

• County have to "come together and do what it takes to get the results." Cowie adds: "Sometimes it's not always about the performance. It's about being strong, being together and finding a way to win a game of football. That's what we'll be looking to do this weekend."

• On 14-goal top scorer Ronan Hale: "He's clinical, we need to create opportunities for him because more often than not he'll take them."

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Concerns over a third successive Premiership play-off continue to grow for County fans.

The 3-1 home defeat by Hearts means Staggies have now lost their last six matches, scoring only three goals and conceding 12.

The last victory for Don Cowie's side was a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at the start of March. That win was a third in four matches which also saw County match their total points from last season with nine matches left and had fans dreaming of a top-six finish.

Two months later, we are still stuck on 35 points and fans are panicking that a third consecutive play-off is looming.

However, our destiny is still in our own hands with three league matches remaining. The Staggies are six points above St Johnstone in 12th and only two behind Dundee in 10th as they face trips to face both sides in their next two matches.

It's absolutely vital Cowie's side turn their form around at McDiarmid Park on Saturday and right the wrongs they've suffered against St Johnstone recently. They cannot afford to give Saints any sort of lifeline or opportunity to halve the points deficit.

In the three previous meetings this season, County have only picked up one point and were beaten on both visits to Perth.

The Staggies were also 1-0 up and only minutes from safety in the penultimate game of last season against Saints before Adama Sidibeh's last-gasp equaliser kept the Perth side alive going into the final day where they'd eventually leapfrog County into 10th place on goal difference.

If County pick up three points on Saturday, it will end any fears about automatic relegation and give the squad a much-needed confidence boost going into the most important week of the season.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

Watch all the action from Hearts' 3-1 win over Ross County in the Scottish Premiership

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We asked for your views on Ross County's 3-1 loss against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Davie: This is now a very worrying time. We are leaking goals too easily and there seems to be a nervousness about the team. We cannot cope with pacy wide players, and service to the front men is not good enough.

Hearts bossed the game. St Johnstone next week is at least a 'must not lose' or automatic relegation is a reality.

Derek: Come on Staggies, get some points on the board and quickly! Otherwise, I won't be able to make my annual trip from London to support you in the play-offs!

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• Ross County have lost their last six games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 7 May to 13 August 2022.

• Ronan Hale has scored his 10th goal in the Premiership this season, netting his second goal against Hearts in four appearances.

• Ross County have conceded 28 first-half goals in 35 games, only St. Johnstone (32) and Dundee (30) have conceded more in the Premiership this season. 17 goals of those have been in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

• The Staggies have also conceded 19 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 26 February 2025 against St. Mirren (four games without a win).

• Hearts attempted 22 shots in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts have scored nine goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (16) and Rangers (11) have scored more in the Premiership this season.

• Lawrence Shankland has now scored nine goals in 12 appearances in the Premiership against Ross County.

• Lawrence Shankland has attempted 90 shots this season, the highest total in the Premiership. He has scored six goals, no Hearts player has more in the league.

Ross County fans, how concerned are you by your team's run of form ahead of a huge match against St Johnstone next weekend?

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Ross County were full of scrap and snarl, typified by the industrious Nohan Kenneh in the middle of the pitch, and wing-backs George Harmon and James Brown, although their attacking impact was often limited by Hearts' dominance.

Ronan Hale was their liveliest threat, showing his ruthlessness with an excellent opening goal, and drawing a terrific save from Craig Gordon later in proceedings.

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On their five-game losing streak, the Highlanders had scored only two goals, so little wonder Don Cowie named a front-line bristling with menace.

Their early openings were limited to long balls, hoping one of the front three would pluck a rabbit from a hat.

Ronan Hale's snapshot imbued them with some belief, but again, they were unable to capitalise further on momentum or maintain their lead for more than a few minutes. Defensively, they were unpicked by Hearts' wide men too easily and too often.

For all County's endeavour and competitiveness, this bleak run of form - at this time of the season - will deeply concern those in Dingwall.

Dundee's late loss to Motherwell gives them some hope ahead of a monumental bottom-two showdown in Perth next weekend.