Ross County

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• Ross County have won just three of their 30 top-flight league matches against Heart of Midlothian (D15 L12); only against Rangers (1/24) and Celtic (2/38) have they won fewer games in the top-flight.

• Hearts have lost just one of their last 16 Scottish Premiership games against Ross County (W6 L9), although that was their last such away visit, going down 2-1 in March of last season.

• Ross County failed to win their final league match in each of the previous three calendar years (D1 L2) since a 2-0 win against Hibernian in 2020.

• Excluding years in which they were relegated, Hearts are unbeaten in their final Scottish Premiership match of a calendar year since 2016 (0-1 v Aberdeen), avoiding defeat in six such games since (W3 D3).

• Hearts' Lawrence Shankland has scored six goals in his last six Scottish Premiership appearances against Ross County, although hasn't scored in his last two such games in Dingwall.

Sportscene pundits Scott Allan and Steven Naismith analyse Noah Chilvers' performance in Ross County's 3-0 win against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

Watch highlights from Ross County's 3-0 victory against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

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• Dundee have lost their past three games in the Scottish Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 14 September 2024 to 5 October 2024.

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

• Dundee have failed to score in their past three games in the Premiership, a run of 324 minutes without a goal.

• Dundee attempted 522 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee have failed to score in their past three games in the Premiership, their last longer run of games without scoring a goal in the competition was a run of four games from 28 August 2021 to 25 September 2021.

• County have scored in each of their past three games in the Premiership, scoring five goals in that run.

• Ross County have scored in their past three games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of four games from 14 September 2024 to 6 October 2024.

Ross County manager Don Cowie dedicated the 3-0 Boxing Day win at Dundee - the Staggies' first away win in 15 months - to County supporters. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Former Ross County forward Billy Mckay, 36, is enjoying stepping up as assistant manager with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and is charting a path to frontline management. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

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Ross County manager Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "I'm delighted to get a really important three points. It was an outstanding performance from start to finish, the boys implemented the game plan really well.

"Goals came at really important times for us. I'm mainly delighted for the supporters. A lot has been made of the fact we've not won away from home in a long time. The miles that they cover to support us, to win in that manner was very pleasing.

"When we get it right, we're a really good team. At times we've been a bit inconsistent, but when we put it together we can be really competitive in this league.

"Pyschologically, for the group it's huge. It's a question I get asked a lot and rightly so. It's up to us to put that to an end and we managed to do that today.

"Time will tell how important it is and how we build on it, but it's good to stop the run we were on. It's about taking belief from it. I saw some individually brilliant performances today and collectively we were really strong.

"It's a tough league we're in, there's no easy games and you earn everything you get. We earned it today. It's about doing that on a consistent basis."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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It has been 481 days since Ross County won away from home in the league. It was an early-season trip to Kilmarnock, with Simon Murray scoring the winner for Malky Mackay's side.

A massive 24 Premiership away games without a win. Whatever Father Christmas put in the Staggies' stockings, it certainly worked.

They started well, using player of the match Chilvers well in the hole, as he linked up with Jack Grieves and Ronan Hale up front.

In defence, they were organised and kept Dundee out well, throwing bodies in front of the ball if ever their rearguard was pierced.

Amissah had little, almost nothing, to do in goals. Instead, it was slick play up front that gave them their goals - as well as a helping hand from poor Dundee defending.

Now that monkey is off the back, they can gain confidence and look to build on their decent home form which has made Dingwall a feared place to go.

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Noah Chilvers. A goal and an assist for the Englishman, who looks to be an increasingly shrewd purchase for County in the summer.

He is tricky, shows good balance and has an eye for a pass. He also took his goal brilliantly, with a strong finish into the bottom corner.

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Dundee attacker Oluwaseun Adewumi is back in the squad while Simon Murray has recovered from the illness that restricted him to a substitute appearance at Ibrox.

Ziyad Larkeche (hamstring), Scott Fraser (groin), Joe Shaughnessy (knee) and Clark Robertson (thigh) remain out.

Ross County's Alex Samuel is out long-term with a thigh injury and Eli Campbell's knee problem keeps him out.

Ricki Lamie is back in training and could come into contention while Will Nightingale (knee) is still out.

• Dundee have won their last three home league games, scoring 3+ goals in each (11 in total). Ross County, meanwhile, are winless in their last 25 away matches in the Scottish Premiership (D9 L16), losing their last three in a row while conceding 3+ goals in each (11 total).

• Dundee's 2-0 win over Ross County in February last season ended a seven-game winless run at home to the Staggies in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L4).

• Ross County have won 50% of their top-flight meetings with Dundee (12/24) – their best ratio against any opponent in Scotland's top tier.

• Dundee's last top-flight win on Boxing Day came in 2000 (3-0 v Motherwell), with the Dark Blues losing six of seven such matches since (D1).

• Ross County have lost their last three league games on Boxing Day; their last such win, though, was over Dundee in 2015 (5-2).

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County's 2-1 defeat against St Mirren on Saturday felt like an opportunity missed for the Staggies.

Michee Efete's first goal for the club less than a minute after half-time cancelled out Alex Iacovitti's opener for the visitors on his return to Dingwall.

The momentum was with Don Cowie's side following Efete's equaliser and when Scott Tanser was shown a second yellow card for the visitors after 55 minutes, it should have been the moment that handed County the initiative to go on and win.

Instead, the players failed to kick on and went back into their shells. There was no bravery or tempo in their play and when they got into forward areas, their final ball was seriously lacking quality and conviction.

In comparison, the character shown from St Mirren when they went down to 10 men was outstanding. They defended resolutely and looked dangerous on the counter, which led to Oisin Smyth's 89th-minte free-kick winner.

That late blow rounded off a really poor afternoon for the Staggies. Similar to the defeat at Hibs the week prior, a lack of character and poor decision-making in key moments ultimately cost us.

Cowie will demand a response from his side at Dens Park on Boxing Day. A first away win in the Premiership in 2024 would be an excellent late Christmas present for every County fan.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

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Former St Mirren striker Rory Loy suggests Ross County can take confidence from how close all the bottom half sides are in the Scottish Premiership.

County, who were beaten 2-1 by St Mirren at the weekend, are second bottom and only one point ahead of St Johnstone.

But, Don Cowie's men are only two points behind Hearts above them and only three behind Killie and Hibs above that.

"If you're in that position in the league then there's got to be some concern," Loy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They might not say it outwardly but what will give them faith is it is so tight in there.

"You look at Hibs, they've had a good run of five games and they find themselves looking up the way and everyone's kind of positive about them.

"No disrespect to Ross County but I wouldn't have said they possess the quality and strength and depth that the likes of Hibs do.

"Most people think Hearts will get it right eventually, so you look around them and I just don't see Kilmarnock, Dundee, these types of clubs being in any bother.

"The last thing Ross County and Don Cowie will want is for it to become a two-horse shootout for 12th and 11th in terms of the league table.

"He'll believe in his squad, that they've got the strength to get away from that, but I do think that the league will really take shape come these next four or five games and I do expect Ross County to be in a relegation scrap, I've got to be honest."

Watch highlights as 10-man St Mirren win at Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

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We asked for your views on Ross County's 2-1 defeat at home to 10-man St Mirren.

Here's what some of you said:

John: The team worked hard, however they lacked cohesion. Everyone was playing their own game. Victor Loturi on the bench again. He is very adept at breaking up midfield play, Connor Randall as a centre-back. Jordan White running around to no effect. The team looked disjointed. I hope that Don Cowie has a plan for January.

Ron: Terrible conditions, terrible game. We didn't deserve to take anything out of it. Hard to pick out any positives. Failure to counter the physical element of St Mirren's game was worrying. Inability to adapt to the conditions was inexcusable, goal kick after goal kick kicked long and straight out of play! Really?! Hearts game next week is critical.

Ronny: We are in deep, deep trouble. We've found ourselves in decent positions in the last two games and have bottled both of them. These were two winnable games, and before yesterday I'd have said so are the next two. Now, Dundee and Hearts will be rubbing their hands because we are absolutely rotten all over the park at the moment. Desperate stuff.

Paul: Fantastic start to the second half. When Saints went down to 10 men, we seemed to run out of ideas. Saints were dangerous on the counter. We failed to make the extra man count. Slow, ponderous build-up that leads nowhere. We lack width and when the smallest guy on the pitch wins more headers than the target man striker, that sums up the County attack.

Calum: Negative formation kills us again. Against 10 men for most of the second half, yet looked second best throughout. The system or dare I say manager needs to change!

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• Ross County have lost their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 3 February 2024 to 17 February 2024.

• Oisin Smyth scored his third goal in the Premiership this season, netting for the first time since 4 August against Hibernian.

• Ross County have conceded 12 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Hibernian (13) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• St Mirren have conceded six goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, only Motherwell (seven) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

Oisin Smyth's 90th-minute free-kick gave 10-man St Mirren a vital Scottish Premiership victory against Ross County in a wet and wild day in Dingwall.

St Mirren stay sixth but move five points clear of Dundee, while County remain 10th after losing their last four Premiership games.

Were you at the game? Were County unlucky to lose?

Where did it go wrong against St Mirren and can County turn this losing run around?

Let us know your thoughts here., external

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Ross County manager Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "It's a sore one to concede late and lose the game but at the same time, we take responsibility.

"We started the second half really well, get the equaliser and then St Mirren go down to 10 men. We did not take advantage of that, didn't deal with the conditions as well as them. It's a great free-kick that wins it for them but they deserved that overall.

"It's a massive opportunity missed. I was really frustrated and annoyed at half-time. We showed a really good reaction, but we did not build on that nearly enough. The keeper had no real saves to make in that period.

"I get that the conditions were tough and it was hard to play, but you've still got to do a lot better.

[On Eamonn Brophy penalty incident] "I think it's possibly a penalty. The defender doesn't do anything more than push Eamonn in the back. He makes contact. But at the same time, St Mirren could have had a penalty at the other end for a very similar scenario. The referee has deemed no penalty for both so maybe it's evened out."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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After losing their last three, County were reliant on their home form giving them a lift before Christmas yet, they rarely looked like winning this one.

Hampered by injuries to Eli Campbell and Alex Samuel, they also had to do without the unwell James Brown and the reshuffle did not work for Don Cowie's side.

That's now four losses in a row - although there are defeats by Rangers and Celtic among them - but it won't help the confidence as they gear up for another relegation battle.

They've got more problems up front. Ronan Hale, the usual dangerman, didn't threaten and that's now just 14 goals in 18 games, the lowest tally in the league.

They've also conceded 35 - only Kilmarnock have conceded as many.

Unable to score and unable to keep a clean sheet is not a recipe for staying up, and Cowie has a real job on his hands.

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Ross County pair Alex Samuel (thigh) and Eli Campbell (knee) are out with the injuries they sustained against Hibs last weekend, but Ricki Lamie and Max Sheaf are back in training and could come into contention. Will Nightingale (knee) is still out.

St Mirren skipper Mark O'Hara is out for four to six weeks with a recurring thigh problem. Alex Gogic returns from suspension while Toyosi Olusanya is banned after going through the disciplinary points threshold.

Charles Dunne remains out with a hamstring problem. Ellery Balcombe, Scott Tanser, Richard Taylor, Evan Mooney and Conor McMenamin will all be assessed.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Don Cowie says beating St Mirren on Saturday can have a "huge effect" on Ross County's efforts to rise up a congested Premiership table.

Tenth-place County are just two points off the bottom and looking to end a run of three straight defeats.

However, if they can get back to winning ways in Dingwall the Staggies will move within three points of the Paisley side, who sit sixth.

"You can see the league table, you can see where we are in terms of not winning in the last three, but at the same time we move on from that and you have got to be positive and look forward," said Cowie.

"A victory on Saturday changes the league table, it can have a big impact and a huge effect in terms of how tight it is and that is what we will be striving for."

While County are well within touching distance of a number of the teams above them, Cowie was asked is about the character and fight his players will need to show in order to propel themselves away from danger.

He said: "I think those are the qualities you have to have when you play for Ross County, that is the challenge of the competitiveness of this league.

"We understand the challenges of what we are coming up against, both the stature of teams, the finances of other teams, so we have to roll our sleeves up, show character and be together."

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Ross County midfielder Jay Henderson has extended his loan at Ayr United until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old has netted nine times in 23 appearances for the Championship club.

County manager Don Cowie said: "Jay and I had a good conversation and agreed he is at an important stage of his development and playing regular football has been vital for him. We believe that continuing his loan at Ayr will maintain that."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Defender Kacper Lopata says it is "looking like a scrap" at the bottom of the Premiership, but insists Ross County have the fight and character to move up the table.

Tenth-place County are just two points off the bottom, with St Johnstone and Hearts below them.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of St Mirren, Lopata said: "Every point is vital and it is looking like a scrap. It is just about who wants to roll their sleeves up and have a fight and I know our boys will for sure.

"Like the gaffer said after that game against Hibs, we will find out who has got the guts now to step up and I am sure our lads will.

"We are good, honest lads, hard workers. I don't think there is a better chance to do it than against St Mirren, that game itself is going to be a scrap, so what better way to do it?"

Despite taking an early lead at Hibs last time out, County ended up losing 3-1, and are looking get back to winning ways after a run of three straight defeats.

Lopata said: "I think we have thrown the game away and we should have put it to bed. We were really dominant in the first half and should have buried the game.

"But if we are going to do that I would rather do it now than when it is crunch time near the end of the season.

Lopata, 23, arrived in Dingwall during the summer on a season-long loan from English League One side Barnsley.

The former Poland youth international said: "I think it has been really good for me. I look back at my games, I think I am improving. I have still got more to give."