The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Staggies:
Midfielder calls on County players to step up despite injury worries
Ross County midfielder Ross Draper says the depleted Staggies squad must be prepared to show its versatility in the coming weeks.
County co-managers Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson have been hit with a number of selection problems in recent weeks, with the defence a particular concern for this weekend’s trip to Queen of the South due to the suspension of skipper Marcus Fraser and injuries to Callum Morris, Liam Fontaine and Sean Kelly.
Draper has performed the role of auxiliary centrehalf on several occasions this term and the Englishman insists he has no qualms about playing out of position for the benefit of the Dingwall side.
Draper said: “Playing in different positions has just happened because of injuries. With the odd suspension or injury you’d maybe have one in or one out, but it has been one back and two out for a long time.
“A lot of the players are flexible, it is credit to the boys that they are willing to play in any position.
“People outside the club will say it’s your job, go and do it, and it is. But it’s one thing being told to play there, it’s another trying to do a good job.
“The boys have been brilliant to try to do that to the best of their ability. They will have to do that for the next few weeks unless we get a few in.
“If boys playing out of position means we are still getting results, that is fine by me.”
County are looking to return to winning ways at Palmerston on Saturday after suffering just their third Championship loss of the season in last Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Morton. Former Caley Thistle player Draper reckons the Staggies’ performance level must improve, despite the Highlanders still sitting three points clear in top spot. The 30-yearold added: “I mentioned a couple of weeks ago in the press that we’ve slipped off it a little bit but have still been winning games, which is obviously a good thing.
“When you look at the injury list we’ve had, it’s testament to the boys we have managed to roll people out on a Saturday and get results some way or another.
“But now is the time to try and get back to performing well, dictating and dominating games and trying to start on Saturday.
“We know with the players we’ve got, if we are at it we are going to win the majority of games.
“People want to try and shoot you down when you are top of the league, but we knew from day one that being one of the favourites to go up, people would up their game and try to knock us off the top.
“We need to scratch the Morton game and get going again, and try to build momentum like we’ve done in patches throughout the season.”
Meanwhile, recentlyreleased midfielder Lewis Spence could be set for a move to Victoria Park.
The former Dunfermline man was released by Dens Park boss Jim McIntyre last night having already been transfer listed earlier in this window
Now the Staggies are believed to be interested in signing the 22-year-old to boost their push for the title.
Spence has made 16 appearances for Dundee this season, the last of which was in the 5-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.