Fixtures fail to fall kindly for Staggies

PREMIERSHIP strugglers Ross County were the main losers of the SPFL’s post-split fixtures schedule yesterday after being told they will end the campaign having played more games away than at home.

The Staggies will play 18 home games and 20 away, with fixtures against Inverness Caley Thistle (April 28) and Hamilton (May 16) the only two to come in Dingwall after the split.

Jim McIntyre’s side are embroiled in a fight to escape relegation and were among four bottom-six teams who could have suffered the imbalance — four of the top-six clubs will have played 17 home games by the split and only two of the bottom six.

Motherwell, Hamilton and Kilmarnock have also been on the end of the same problem in recent seasons but avoided it this time.

Both Lanarkshire clubs did, though, experience a financial disadvantage when the initial fixtures came out in the summer with only one home game against both Celtic and Rangers.

Partick Thistle, by contrast, have gained a home game after qualifying for the top six for the first time since the split was introduced in 2001. Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen will all visit Firhill before the end of the season to take Thistle’s home matches to 20.

Meanwhile, Celtic are set to collect the Premiership trophy on May 21 after the SPFL confirmed the champions would round off the campaign at home to Hearts. The league previously stated they would travel to Rangers on April 29.

Rangers’ bid to pip Aberdeen for second place could be over by the time the Dons visit Ibrox on May 17 while Pedro Caixinha’s side visit St Johnstone on the final day on May 21. Aberdeen host Celtic on Friday, May 12.

St Johnstone will hope to kill off Hearts’ hopes of sneaking fourth and a potential Europa League slot when they host Ian Cathro’s team on May 17. Hearts have their final three games of the season away from home, at their request, as they push on with the rebuilding of Tynecastle’s main stand.

The final day of the bottom-six split is on May 20 where Hamilton host Dundee, Motherwell visit Inverness and Ross County travel to Kilmarnock.