Ross County V Inverness CT at Victoria Park : Match Preview

24 February 2014 19:01
Ross County V Inverness CT - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Brittain - Your County needs you

Ross County captain Richard Brittain has warned his team go into the much-delayed Highland derby against Inverness full of confidence.


To the frustration of County boss Derek Adams, Inverness manager John Hughes confessed last week that he had held off rescheduling the game, which was originally abandoned because of floodlight failure four months ago, in order to get players back fit.


Caley Thistle skipper Richie Foran and playmaker James Vincent are back in action ahead of the rearranged clash on Tuesday but County also boast a fully-fit squad and one that is much-changed from the pool available in October.


Seven January signings started in County's 2-1 win over St Mirren on Saturday, and the Dingwall side go into the game on the back of just two defeats in eight games in 2014, which started off with victory over Inverness in the Highland capital.


Brittain said: "Obviously we have brought in a few new players in January and Inverness have had a change of manager and brought in one or two players as well.


"It's all heading towards an exciting game. Derbies are always tight so it will be a difficult game but we are confident.


"We had a good win on Saturday against a good St Mirren team. We were excellent going forward. We cut St Mirren open time after time and their keeper pulled off a right number of good saves.


"It could have been three or four but it was just two and three points are all that mattered."


The midfielder added: "We'll take a confidence boost from that, and the games we have played in previous weeks we have been performing well in spells and maybe not got the rub of the green at times.


"But we got the rub of the green of Saturday and hopefully we can get that again."


In the other camp, Foran claims the rest of the Inverness side should be shouldering the goalscoring burden while striker Billy McKay struggles to end his drought.


The Northern Irish hitman has bagged just two goals in his last 11 games.


It is a far cry from the 25-year-old's start to the season, when he he blasted 17 goals in his first 20 games.


But Foran claims it is not solely McKay's responsibility to find the net for the Highlanders and has told the rest of the squad they should be contributing more while McKay searches for his scoring touch.


He said: "Billy is due a goal, we keep reminding him of that. But is up to the rest of us to keep chipping in with goals. We can't keep relying on Billy to score in every game.


"The likes of myself, Aaron Doran, Marley Watkins, Ross Draper, we have all got to be scoring more goals and helping Billy out."


The Scottish Premiership derby clash could not come at a better time for McKay, given his record against the Staggies.


He netted four times in six games against the Dingwall outfit last term and Foran believes the former Leicester youngster will start banging them in with regularity again soon.


"Billy is a fantastic player and he's had a great season," he said. "He's a goal threat in every game he goes into and he will be excited about tomorrow night, that's for sure."


Hughes has plenty of options after Nick Ross and James Vincent dropped to the bench for Inverness' 1-0 win at St Johnstone on Saturday, with wide players Aaron Doran and Marley Watkins coming back in for the McDiarmid Park clash.


Source: PA