Ross County

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Don Cowie says in-form Noah Chilvers "epitomises the confidence" coursing through Ross County amid their unbeaten run as summer signings show their worth.

The Staggies have taken 10 points from the past four games to rise to ninth in the Premiership, 10 points clear of bottom club St Johnstone.

Forward Chilvers, who joined in the summer, opened his County account in the 3-0 win at Dundee on Boxing Day and since then has been involved in three further goals, including scoring the winner at Pittodrie.

"The players that have come in in the summer are in a really good moment," manager Cowie said.

"Noah Chilvers is the prime example of that. He's been a massive threat for us and he probably epitomises the confidence right now.

"But it's not just him, we have a gameplan that gives him a lot of freedom but he knows he gets the freedom because of the work that's going on behind.

"We're a more dangerous team because we've got threats from a lot more areas on the pitch because there's more confidence within the team.

"Everyone is here for a reason, I believe in any player and they need to be ready to step on to the pitch at any time and make an impact."

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Ross County manager Don Cowie has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Celtic on Saturday.

Here are the main points:

• Cowie says nothing is happening right now on the transfer front but insists "we're always looking, we want to strengthen" and admits his squad are "a bit light" in terms of personnel.

• After a positive few weeks for County, Cowie stresses the importance and difficulty of maintaining the good run.

• On the challenge of facing the league leaders, the Staggies boss says "it doesn't get any bigger than Celtic coming here" but insists his players are feeling confident.

• On Ryan Leak's injury, Cowie says the whole squad is "devastated for him" but adds that he had surgery on Tuesday and the players are ready to "rally round him".

• On Nohan Kenneh's return, Cowie admits he was "really keen" to get the midfielder back - "he had no football at Hibs this season so he was really keen to come and I think everyone can see the impact he's had".

• Cowie is also excited about the arrival of striker Kieran Phillips, who is "a different profile" to the club's other attackers.

• Goalkeeper Jordan Amissah, who extended his stay with the Staggies has "grabbed his opportunity really well", according to the County boss.

• On potential outgoings, Cowie admits there could be "a knock-on effect" with players coming in but stresses that his side are still "light on bodies" so they will wait and see how things play out.

• On the injury front, Eli Campbell and Will Nightingale are back in full training.

• County "won't get carried away" with their good run but Cowie is pleased to have "got rid of the hoodoo away form home" and says his team are now focused on winning games at home.

• The manager also thinks his side are "a more dangerous team" as they've been getting goals from players all across the pitch, which all boils down to the confidence that's been growing.

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Ross County forward Ronan Hale is now eligible to play for Northern Ireland.

International clearance for the Belfast-born 26-year-old has come through from Fifa after a number of months of waiting for paperwork to be finalised.

Hale had previously represented the Republic of Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level.

The former Larne and Cliftonville forward, who has scored five times in 20 Scottish Premiership games for Ross County this season, is now available to be selected by Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

Hale, who started his career at Birmingham City, has also had spells will Derry City, Crusaders and St Patrick's Athletic.

He scored two goals in last season's Irish Cup final to help Cliftonville to their first truimph in the competition since 1979.

He then moved to Scottish Premiership side Ross County for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.

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If you were tasked with describing Don Cowie in one word, unflappable would be a smart choice.

The Ross County manager is as cool as they come on the touchline. Never one to get too high or too low, it's a trait he's brought with him from his playing days.

Stephen McGinn was just a youngster when he followed in Cowie's footsteps with a move to Watford 15 years ago, and it was there he first saw the calmness and composure in Cowie that County fans see week in, week out.

It's a "refreshing" characteristic according to the former St Mirren and Falkirk midfielder and one which he believes is crucial to County's recent run of form.

"Going to Rugby Park and winning there, given what Derek McInnes and his players have done to that place and made that place, it's incredible and a huge result," McGinn said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Big credit to Don Cowie who has stayed really calm in his tone and in his forward thinking. He never really changes, whether they lose heavily or have a big win, and he was like that in his playing days, he's a former team-mate.

"He was an older player who I looked up to. I would get really emotional after games, very low and very high, but he was brilliant at putting things into perspective, and I admired him for that.

"It's something he's continued into his managerial career and I think it's really refreshing as a manager.

"Sometimes I'm looking at him thinking, 'surely you're a bit rattled now', but he's really consistent and I think it's a brilliant quality to have in a manager."

Listen and subscribe to daily episodes of the Scottish Football Podcast on BBC Sounds

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Goalkeeper Jordan Amissah has extended his deal with Ross County until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old, who arrived on a one-month contract in December following an injury to Ross Laidlaw, has kept two clean sheets to help County to 10 points from 12 in his four appearances.

Manager Don Cowie said: "We are delighted to have Jordan extend his deal. He has been a big part of the group and performed well in his time with us so far."

County last week opened an investigation into racial abuse of Amissah following the club's 2-1 win at Aberdeen.

The 23-year-old German, who is of Ghanaian descent, shared a image on Instagram of monkey emojis and racial slurs he received from an anonymous account.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Two weeks ago, an away victory in the Premiership was beginning to feel like a distant dream.

The dream became reality when the Staggies battered Dundee 3-0 at Dens Park on Boxing Day. County fans were delighted with that victory as a late Christmas present, but the best was yet to come.

If you could go back in time and tell a Ross County fan they'd win back-to-back away matches in the Premiership, they almost certainly wouldn't believe you.

If you could tell them the Staggies would pick up three consecutive Premiership victories on the road for the first time in the club's history, they'd call you delusional.

The Dingwall side had to wait 481 days for an away Premiership victory - they've now picked up three in just 11 days. It's an unbelievable turnaround.

A 2-1 victory against Aberdeen at Pittodrie was followed up with a 1-0 win against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to give Don Cowie's side the perfect start to 2025. The Staggies displayed a level of confidence and assurance which will continue to grow with every positive result on the road.

The strikes across the two matches from Akil Wright, Noah Chilvers and George Harmon will all be goal of the season contenders come May. It's going to take something special to beat Wright's outrageous wonder strike from 30 yards.

The Staggies' haul of 10 points from their four matches across the festive period is more than any other Premiership side have picked up across the same period. That form is even more remarkable when you consider County have had to travel 938 miles for their matches across the past 11 days, which is the highest in the league.

Don Cowie, his staff and players didn't use the travel or schedule as an excuse and all deserve huge credit for the performances and results over the festive period.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

County fans, we asked for you January transfer window wishlist.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Wendy: They most definitely need to keep Jordan White and Alex Samuel.

John: White and Eamonn Brophy should be moved on. Bring in a forward. Perhaps Liam Boyce can help Ronan Hale progress his game...

Keith: Anyone who can run with the ball and shoot, players with pace.

Jim: Consistently we lack pace on turnovers, both attacking and defending. An exciting winger or wide midfielder with pace and some goals and a covering central defender with pace to match some of the strong, pacey forwards in the league. We could then more readily play four at the back with an extra midfielder where we often get overrun.

Calum: Wingers, wingers, wingers, wingers and wingers.

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Ross County have signed Huddersfield Town striker Kieran Phillips on a two-and-a-half year deal.

The 24-year-old joins the Staggies following a loan spell with USL side Sacramento Republic where he scored 15 goals in 31 games.

He is County's second signing of the January window, following Nohan Kenneh, who signed on loan from Hibernian.

"We are delighted to sign Kieran," manager Don Cowie told club media, external.

"We identified him in the summer but had to be patient while he was on loan at Sacramento.

"He had a fantastic spell there scoring a lot of goals. Kieran is a different profile to our current forwards and we all look forward to working with him."

Noah Chilvers: Has been a revelation for County as they made it three away wins in a row for the first time in their top-flight history. The 23-year-old Englishman notched up a fourth assist for the season, more than any other County player.

County fans, we asked for your views on Sunday's 1-0 win over Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Paul: The confidence oozing through the team is evident to see. Finally seeing the grit required to get results. After waiting 15 months, three away wins in a row is a massive boost. If we can replicate it at home, where results have dropped off recently, we could have a serious push for top six.

Billy: We deserved that all the way, it maybe could have even been 2-0.

Robert: A team that does not know when it is beaten. A spirit within the camp that has seen them win three away in a row after a 16 month spell with no win. Don Cowie and his staff have found a way to play that, with Noah Chilvers pulling the strings, are doing great things. A tough ask for top six but with the passion and the pride in the team, we live the dream.

The Sportscene team analyse Ross County's winning goal at Kilmarnock.

Available to UK users only

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Defender Ryan Leak has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, Ross County have confirmed.

The 26-year-old centre-back, who sustained the injury in Thursday's win at Aberdeen, has played in 16 of County's 22 league games this season.

"Ryan will undergo an operation this week to begin his recovery," the club say in a statement.

"Everyone at the club wishes Ryan the very best with his recovery," they add.

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• Noah Chilvers has assisted four goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Ross County player.

• Ross County have scored in their last six games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 11 games from 11 December 2021 to 9 February 2022.

• Kilmarnock have failed to score in eight of their 22 games, only Ross County (nine) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

• Ross County are undefeated in their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest unbeaten streak was from 15 May 2024 to 10 August 2024.

Ross County strike late to take all three points against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership (UK only).

George Harmon's 86th-minute strike gave Ross County their third win in four Scottish Premiership games as they beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

County now rise up to ninth, leapfrogging Kilmarnock who drop to 10th.

What did you make of that, County fans? Was it a deserved victory?

Are you still thinking about relegation, or are you dreaming of the top six?

Let us know your thoughts, external.

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Ross County's Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "Incredible, really. We were in a really poor run away from home, it's been well documented. It was about us as a team coming together, the staff and the players, to correct that.

"We've done it very well. Three away performances, three victories, the first time in the club's history in the Premiership. Really proud of the group.

"Going into the game, and at half-time as well, we told the group to do the difficult things, stand up to Kilmarnock, we did that throughout the game. We could have been tidier in the final third, but we got one moment of quality.

"It was a really good passage of play, Noah Chilvers shows good composure, and George Harmon arrives right on the spot with a great finish.

"It gives us belief and confidence. We know what we've got in the group. We're at the bare bones today, we've got seven players out injured, but we've rallied together in an intense period of time."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Ross County lost to St Mirren a little over two weeks ago they dropped to 11th in the league table, one point above St Johnstone. They were key contenders for relegation, and not many would have argued with it.

Just four games later, they're suddenly knocking on the door of the top six - just two points off sixth-placed St Mirren - and have left the Saints in the dust.

Of course, there is a long way to go and Cowie and his staff won't be counting their chickens for a long time yet, but this little run of form has made automatic relegation look very unlikely.

It's a run that they could only have dreamt of two weeks ago, with an away win still eluding them at that point. They now have won three Premiership away games in a row for the very first time in the club's existence.

Not only an impressive run, but a historic one.

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Noah Chilvers. Another assist for County's key man, whose emergence as the Staggies biggest influence has coincided with their upturn in form. No coincidence, that.

Connor Randall also put in a real captain's shift, while Kacper Lopata put his body on the line countless times.

Ross County want to sign Watford goalkeeper Myles Roberts, who is on loan at Partick Thistle. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.

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Kilmarnock captain Kyle Vassell was taken to hospital with a shin injury after the new-year win over St Mirren.

But fellow forward Marley Watkins is expected to return and winger Danny Armstrong is back from suspension.

Matty Kennedy is battling a back problem, while Stuart Findlay is a long-term absentee.

Ross County will check on the fitness of Michee Efete and Ryan Leak after the defenders went off injured in Thursday's win at Aberdeen.

On-loan midfielder Aidan Denholm is back at parent club Hearts to have a hamstring injury assessed, while Eli Campbell, Ross Laidlaw, Will Nightingale and Alex Samuel miss out.

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• Kilmarnock have only lost one of their last nine Scottish Premiership home games against Ross County (W6 D2), going down 0-1 in September 2023.

• After their 2-1 victory in October, Ross County are looking for back-to-back wins over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since September 2017.

• Kilmarnock have won each of their last three home league matches, last winning more in a row in the top-flight in January 2019 (run of five) under Steve Clarke.

• Ross County have won both of their last two away league outings, as many as their previous 31 on the road beforehand (W2 D9 L20). Never before in their top-flight history have they enjoyed three away wins in a row.

• Kilmarnock's Bruce Anderson has scored seven Scottish Premiership goals against Ross County – his most against a single opponent.

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Aidan Denholm's loan spell with Ross County has ended after the midfielder suffered an injury during the Dingwall side's Boxing Day win against Dundee.

The 21-year-old now returns to parent club Hearts to undergo rehab as he attempts to "return to action this season".

Denholm made 17 appearances in all competitions for County and contributed two assists.