Ross County’s Kieran Phillips says Staggies have set the bar with first-half display against Dunfermline

Kieran Phillips insists Ross County have “set the bar” for their revival with the strength of Saturday’s first half display.

The former Huddersfield Town striker’s quickfire double was the reward for the Dingwall team’s early dominance after hard toil through the week on a change of shape.

The approach worked a treat for half an hour, with Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline forced to tear up their own game plan before a controversial free-kick award helped them regain a foothold.

Phillips, in one fell swoop, doubled his tally of Championship goals for the season in only his ninth league start.

Despite frustration at the eventual 2-2 draw with the division’s form side, the 26-year-old is now bursting with optimism for the closing six matches of the campaign.

The Englishman, who came to County after a variety of loan spells at clubs like Morecambe, Shrewsbury and California’s Sacramento Republic, said: “In terms of performance, we set the bar there for what we should demand for the rest of the season.

“Formations and tactics will change game by game, but in terms of performance level, we really set the standard, especially in the first half.

“Hopefully we can take that into the remainder of the season.

“The first half performance was excellent.

“We’re just really disappointed to let that two-goal lead slip and drop two points when we needed them so desperately.”

Change of shape paid off

County went with a back four, moving the impressive Sean Mackie to left back and Dylan Smith to right back and placing versatile centre half Akil Wright as a holding midfielder.

That enabled Jamie Lindsay, in a wide role, and winger Jay Henderson to link with the full backs and trouble Lennon’s defence repeatedly.

Jordan White was surprisingly benched, but Phillips justified the decision with his double, while Uche Ikpeazu proved his usual handful for markers.

Addressing the clear change in shape and game plan, Phillips acknowledged: “We worked on it all week and I thought we did it really effectively.

“They changed shape to try and combat it and then we changed shape again, which you have to do in football.

“It was good that the tactics through the week paid off, especially in the first half.

“At 2-0, we were pushing for that third goal, trying to kill off the game, but the momentum swung their way with the free-kick they scored from.

“How strong is the will to survive in the division? Well, I think you saw it in the first half there especially.

“Everyone’s running for each other. Everyone’s fighting for each other until the end of the game.

“We can’t ask for more in that respect.”

County, after Saturday’s results, sit second bottom in the Championship, one point above Airdrie with six games to play and with a five-point chasm to close on Morton if they are to escape the relegation play-off spot.

Phillips added: “We’ve just got to try and get that first half performance maintained over 90 minutes and try and pick up more points.”

[Source: Press and Journal]