The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
County must have eyes on ball at Firhill
Crunch win on Routis’ agenda for Partick trip
Ross County midfielder Christopher Routis says Saturday’s game against Partick Thistle will determine which way the Staggies’ campaign goes.
County are six points behind the sixth- placed Jags, who Jim McIntyre’s men take on in the first of four games remaining before the split.
Frenchman Routis is targeting a victory which he reckons would rekindle County’s push for a tophalf finish but the former Bradford City player is mindful that a failure to take all three points wouldleavethemscrapping to retain their top-flight status.
County are four points above bottom-placed Hamilton Accies and Routis said: “It’s the final sprint now. We know what we want to do – the target from the start of the season was to finish in the top six. Nowis the last chance to do it, so we want to take the three points on Saturday. We know if we don’t get that, we’ll probably need to fight to stay in the league.
“Wecandoitwiththesquadwe have, especially with a couple of players who are back from injury. Everyone is starting to come back and we’ll need that as we play three games in a week.”
Although time is running out for his side, Routis says County cannot allow themselves to be affected by the pressure of delivering a top-half finish. The 27-yearold said: “The manager talked before the break abouthowwehave four cup finals to play.
“We just want to give everything. We know we need to win all the games. That doesn’t put any more pressure on for me, I play all the games all the time to win. I don’t like to draw.
“We need to play the football like we know we can play. We don’t need to play with the pressure because I think all the year, every time we play with a bit of pressure we didn’t play well. We put that pressure on ourselves.
“We canmake the break and go into the top six. But, of course, we have to look behind us.”
Routis hopes a victory at Firhill can see County gather momentum ahead of a crucial week and added: “The first game will be really important because if we get three points at Partick we then play Dundee at home on Tuesday and are at Hamilton next week.
“We need to be focused on the first one. We’re a few points away from sixth but I think we can do it.”