County needing some Bain relief
Graham reckons overworked physio Kevin will need to replace his carpets
BRIAN GRAHAM is convinced the carpet in Ross County’s treatment room has taken as much of a pounding as the playing surface this season.
The Staggies may be in rude health at the Championship summit, five points clear of Dundee United with a game in hand, but the procession of their players heading in for physio has been relentless.
Rarely has a week gone by without the highly-rated Kevin Bain dealing with four or five – often more – squad casualties.
Vice-captain Liam Fontaine and top scorer Billy Mckay are out for the season, while Don Cowie, Iain Vigurs, Ross Stewart, Sean Kelly and Ross Draper are all languishing in various states of recovery.
Graham himself has been in and out with groin and back troubles but could now be set for a starring role over a crucial five-game spell.
The striker reckons the team’s form despite repeated injury troubles has been extraordinary.
He said: “We’ve got a good squad of players here and we’re well-balanced but the amount of injuries we’ve had this season is an absolute joke.
“Our physio Kevin has been worked off his feet because of the number of injuries we’ve had. It has been surreal.
“Thankfully we have good characters throughout the squad who have stepped up to the plate when called upon and that’s been important.
“But the number of bodies in through the physio’s door has been never-ending really. He might need new carpets!
“In some ways it’s surprising we’re in the position we are in the league table when you consider the number of operations and injury lay-offs there have been throughout the squad.”
With fellow strikers Stewart and Mckay crocked, Graham and Declan McManus are the two fit frontmen available today.
Graham said: “Whoever plays will be ready but I enjoy the responsibility as soon as I cross the white line. My own season has been up and down. I’ve had a groin injury, an operation and a back spasm but now I feel fit and ready to go.”
County were given their first weekend off this season during the Scottish Cup quarter-finals which brought a welcome break.
But the Dingwall team still has another six games to deal with in March, with league title and Irn-Bru Cup hopes in the balance.
Graham said: “We’ve been in constantly for months now so it was nice to have some family time at the weekend.
“With three games in six days coming up it was good to recharge the batteries. We’re ready to go again. We know this is a big week in the season.”
While County stuck five goals past Morton in Dingwall last time out, they were beaten in both trips to Greenock.
Graham, who began his career with Ton, said: “Cappielow is a horrible place to go and a lot of teams struggle there. They’ve taken six points off us which is a sore one but we’ve got a fivepoint lead and the pain’s gone.”
Ton striker Bob McHugh is hoping for a repeat of his team’s best displays – and to avoid a rerun of one of their worst.
He said: “Our best showings of the season were against County but we also put in one of our worst the last time we were up there and lost 5-0. We will look to do a lot better this time. We know we need to play well.”