'Don't be fooled by Staggies'
Kilmarnock manager Allan Johnston has warned his players not to be fooled by Ross County's status as the Scottish Premiership basement boys.
County have started picking up results under recently-appointed manager Jim McIntyre, although they went down to a 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen on Monday night.
And Johnston knows the former Kilmarnock striker will ensure County are difficult to beat when he returns to Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon.
Johnston said: "The team is playing with a lot of confidence but sometimes these are the hardest games, when you are expected to win.
"Since Jim McIntyre has gone in they look really hard to beat, really difficult opponents. We have got to be at our best to get a result.
"Even against Aberdeen the other night they always looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
"They are really well organised defensively, so we know it's going to be a difficult game."
Killie have skipper Manuel Pascali back from suspension as they look to bounce back from their home defeat by Dundee last weekend.
Johnston is looking to get back to winning ways to continue the feel-good factor at Rugby Park following their start to the campaign, a feeling that was bolstered by Monday's William Hill Scottish Cup draw, which pitted Killie against Rangers at Ibrox later this month.
"It's obviously going to be a great game and it's one we are going into full of confidence," Johnston said.
"We have got to make sure we keep winning the games before then to go into that game full of confidence again."
Ross County boss Jim McIntyre claims water - and plenty of it - is the key to enjoying Kilmarnock's artificial pitch.
A new surface was laid at Rugby Park in the summer and it splits opinion, with figures in the game such as Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes, Motherwell defender Stephen McManus and former Ross County manager Derek Adams, left unimpressed.
However, McIntyre believes that, as long as the pitch is watered, it will suit the Staggies style of play on Saturday.
The Dingwall side remain bottom of the Scottish Premiership following their 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen on Monday night and have only clinched one league win this season.
The former Queen of the South boss said: "Obviously Killie have the artificial pitch now so we will train on an artificial pitch to get a feel of it before we go down there.
"I had one at Queen of the South and the players enjoyed playing on it.
"They are excellent if you are a passing side and that is exactly what we are.
"The one thing about them is you need to keep them wet because they become dry and sticky if you don't.
"So it is important that the surface is soaked and soaked again at half-time to keep the ball moving.
"Obviously Kilmarnock have had a great start to the season but every team is beatable.
"It is important that we go there and put our game on to them and show a bit of belief in the final third."
Goalscoring, indeed, has been one of County's biggest problems this season.
The Dingwall club have only scored nine league goals but McIntyre insists his favoured 4-2-3-1 system is not necessarily to blame.
He said: "There were a lot of positives from the other night, we are looking more solid than we have been so that is a definite positive.
"It is about finding the combination. When we changed it and went two up front, Aberdeen made two or three chances so it is all good and well going with two strikers but we are losing control of the game.
"But at the same time we might create more chances that way so it is about finding the balance.
"The 4-2-3-1 system that we have mostly deployed since we came in has worked well in terms of what we are creating.
"People think that when you play with one up front then it is one up front but it is four up front in that system and that is where we have done most of our best work."
Source: PA
