Point may be key as Staggies chase Europa dream
Ross County boss Malky Mackay reckons their rivals for European football will be gutted they managed to claim a point at Hearts.
The Staggies occupy the final Europa Conference League spot in fifth place with a onepoint advantage over Motherwell, who they welcome next weekend.
Dundee United are three clear in fourth spot and Mackay insists the point gleaned from Tynecastle could prove vital come the end of the campaign.
He said: “Celtic and Rangers are going for the league, while Hearts are looking at the Scottish Cup final and they need to be ready for that.
“There’s then this little mini league where we have got Motherwell, ourselves and Dundee United.
“I think they were both looking at that thinking ‘come on Hearts – do us a favour’. They probably would have been disappointed to see us come away with a point.
“A s far a s we a re concerned, the five games is now down to three. Celtic and Hearts have gone and we have got three games to go, with two at home, to manage to get that fifth position.”
County started well and were denied when Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon made a good save to keep out Connor Randall’s low drive from distance.
Jordan White had the ball in the net in the first half but it was ruled out for offside and Mackay had no complaints over the decision.
He added: “I’ve seen it and I think he might just be a smidgeon offside. There wasn’t much in it. But I’ve not got any beef about it. We’ll know next year when VAR comes in.”
Mackay, meanwhile, admits he was not bothered that two of his players, Ross Callachan and Blair Spittal, were having a go at each other in the second half.
He added: “I want that. I want my team to be scrapping and fighting for everything.
“I want personalities and I want them to be vocal. I’ve got players who are running so hard for each other. I was listening to Pep Lijnders, the Liverpool assistant, the other day.
“It was a clip about the young players coming into the team who are great talents but who have to realise how hard the team has to work without the ball.
“It’s the same at every level. If you want to play in the rarefied air of the top level of anything then you better realise that you’ve got to work hard.
“And I’ve got the two of them going off at each other, to push each other to make sure they work hard. And that’s where this team has got to and why we’re reaping the rewards at the minute.”