The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Watson insists Staggies will be ready for playoff
Keith Watson insists Ross County must hit the reset button ahead of their Premiership playoff final against Partick Thistle.
The Staggies were consigned to the relegation playoff spot, missing out on automatic top-flight safety following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Kilmarnock.
It means they must face Championship side Thistle in a two-legged playoff in order to retain their Premiership status.
The first match takes place at Firhill on Thursday, followed by the return leg in Dingwall on Sunday.
Despite disappointment at failing to get the result they needed to survive on the final day, defender Watson insists County must make the most of their second opportunity at securing safety.
Watson said: “We are disappointed, but we know we now need to put it to bed because we’ve got two massive games coming up against Partick Thistle.
“They are going to be really up for it, and we need to make sure we match that.
“Boys are disappointed, but we are not down. We have got two games to stay in the league.
“We will go into that first leg on Thursday really looking forward to it. We’ve got two games to save our season, and we will be giving it everything we’ve got.
“The boys know what’s at stake. We need to try to keep as upbeat as we can, we can’t dwell on it too much.
“Anything can happen, and we want to make sure we stay in this league.”
County’s defeat at Rugby
Park meant Malky Mackay’s men finished six points behind 10th placed Killie.
Nevertheless, Watson takes encouragement from his side’s seven-point haul, which clawed them back from a precarious position prior to the split.
Watson added: “Going into the split we were four points adrift at the bottom, and maybe a lot of people wrote us off a wee bit.
“We just fell short on the last day.
“I don’t think we are on poor form by any means. We have been picking up results recently, it’s not as if we have not been playing very well.
“We just keep on fighting. We don’t know when we are down and we don’t know when we are beaten.
“That showed against St Johnstone when we were 2-0 down and we came back.
“There is plenty fight and effort in the team.
“We’ve just got to make sure we take that into the last two games and show the same effort and fight we have shown to get back involved again.
“We’ve got a few days to prepare and do our work on Partick.
“We will be going into the game raring to go.”
County will come up against a familiar face in the shape of Brian Graham, who had two spells at Victoria Park prior to his switch to Thistle in 2020.
Graham is the Firhill side’s leading scorer this term, with the 35-year-old having racked up 20 goals in all competitions.
Watson knows what to expect when he comes up against his former teammate, adding: “I played with him at United and Ross County.
“I know him well and get on with him really well.
“It will be a good battle, but when you are on that pitch friends go out the window. It’s all about getting the wins.
“He’s not the quietest. He’s quite aggressive and quite mouthy, but I’ve dealt with him in games and in training so I know what he’s all about.
“I know a few of the Partick boys so I know it’s going to be a difficult game. I have kept an eye on them, I like watching a bit of football in my spare time anyway.
“They have been flying recently, but we are going into it confident and fancying our chances.
“It will be two tough games, but we have two games to keep ourselves in the league and we will be going to do that.”