Promotion chase is still a live target for Ross County despite their lowly Championship position

Ross County will be out to prove home is where the heart is as they prepare for two successive Championship games in Dingwall.

Tony Docherty’s two wins from his nine matches in charge since replacing Don Cowie have come at the Global Energy Stadium – against Raith Rovers and then Dunfermline Athletic.

Both visitors arrived in the Highlands in strong form, but County delivered winning displays to lift the gloom.

A 0-0 draw at league leaders St Johnstone and a 1-0 loss at Partick Thistle, despite an impressive first half, slowed any chance to build upon Docherty’s first win as County manager.

A gutsy 3-2 victory against Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline (after an early 2-0 lead became 2-2) showed fight within the group.

However, a performance without bite or much direction at windy Arbroath led to Saturday’s 3-0 loss, which left Docherty frustrated with his group, he said for the first time.

Perth Saints v Partick for the title?

I’d imagine Monday morning would have been a detailed and honest look at what didn’t go to plan at Gayfield, given the County boss explained preparation and their training week was as it should have been.

County were pre-season favourites with St Johnstone to challenge for the title and both clubs reshaped their squads following their relegation from the Premiership in May.

Simo Valakari’s Perth team suffered a mini wobble in terms of results recently, taking two points from three games, but 4-0 and 3-0 wins over Morton and Airdrie suggest the leaders are over that.

St Johnstone have 30 points from 13 games and have lost just once, in a surprise slip-up at Arbroath recently.

County are now ninth, 19 points away from Saints and 16 points away from second-top Partick Thistle.

Fourth-placed Dunfermline are one of three sides on 18 points, therefore the Staggies with just two wins from 13 outings, have work to do just to reach those promotion places.

Most likely, we would be into December before that could even be a possibility.

Three winless matches for Ayr United

Chairman Roy MacGregor told The Press and Journal two weeks ago: “We have to find a way to return to getting three points, particularly at home. Our record has not been good.”

Then came the win against Dunfermline, for back-to-back Dingwall wins.

This Saturday, Scott Brown’s Ayr United are the visitors.

The Honest Men are level with the Pars and Raith on the 18-point mark, having lost narrowly to Partick and Dunfermline and drawn with Queen’s Park in the past few weeks.

In Docherty’s first away fixture as County boss, his team drew 1-1 with Ayr at Somerset Park, so stood up to that test with a decent point.

If they can follow that with three points on Saturday they could leapfrog Morton again, with the Greenock team heading for the Highlands the following weekend.

The lack of consistency is killing County.

They have to get themselves in and around the top four as Christmas approaches.

Livingston showed way to promotion

Few people would back County to be in the title chase now, but could they make a bid for second spot?

Look at Livingston last season. They finished their season strongly and almost caught champions Falkirk before deservedly beating County in the play-off final to replace them in the Premiership.

If County are not going to win the title, they have to do all they can to be next best to avoid having to play up to six play-off matches rather than four if you’re a runner-up.

Right now, even that prospect seems a long shot given their lowly position, but there are 23 games to go, so the chase can start now.

[Source: Press and Journal]