Don Cowie assesses Ross County's biggest Premier Sports Cup test - against league rivals Partick Thistle

Press and Journal

3 days ago

Manager Don Cowie insists Saturday's must-win showdown with Partick Thistle will show how ready Ross County are for the Championship kick-off.
Tuesday's rousing 8-0 rout over League Two visitors Edinburgh City in the Premier Sports Cup – on the back of last weekend's 1-0 win at Championship hosts Queen of the South – means County still have a chance of reaching the last 16.
The back-to-back wins followed a 1-1 draw at League Two Stranraer, which ended in a penalty shoot-out defeat at Stair Park.
Thistle have won all three of their ties, so have a two-point lead ahead of the weekend's Dingwall tie.
The final Group B fixture comes exactly a week before County, relegated from the Premiership in May, kick off their league campaign at Airdrieonians.
For four years running, Partick have reached the promotion play-offs but have yet to clinch their place back in the top-flight, following relegation in 2017-18.
In 2023, County staged the most remarkable recovery to beat Partick in the play-off final on penalties, after the Glasgow team led by three goals.
Now under the sole management of Mark Wilson, Jags fans will expect their side to again be in the promotion race.
Cowie reckons that will be a multi-club chase for places in the Premiership.
While beating Edinburgh City in such style was pleasing, Cowie knows only the best will do against Partick.
He said: 'I think pretty much every team will be a play-off or a title contender because of how competitive the league is.
'We've seen that year after year and Partick have been really consistent to finish in the play-off for the last few years.
'It will be a good test to see where we are, and we'll have to temper Tuesday tonight.
'Edinburgh are a League Two team and now we're going to be facing a Championship team, so we'll see where we really are.
'It was great to get eight goals but Saturday is what really counts now.
'Like we said after the first game in the group, we gave ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb.
'We knew that but we also knew that winning the next three games would give us a real chance of finishing top.
'We've won two and that was always our aim. It will be a different quality of opposition on Saturday against Partick, but we're looking forward to it.'
Saturday's win in Dumfries was County's first victory since March, with a major dip in form taking them out of the top-flight via a play-off final loss against Livingston.
Cowie hopes his new-look side – with 11 new faces – can get used to winning to gather momentum when the league season gets going.
He said: 'We want to build momentum to start the season well, and we want our new players to have that good feeling.
'Winning is a habit and last year it became a struggle at the end because we weren't winning, so we want to get into that mode and that habit again.
'The good sign (from Tuesday) was that even though it was 3-0 at half time, we didn't take our foot off the gas. We kept going and it finished 8-0, and that's the mentality we need to create.
'It would be important for us to get out of the group and finish top, and that's what we're aiming to do.'
Defender Akil Wright, who played every Premiership minute for his side last term, sat out the goal feast against Edinburgh but he should be back to face Thistle.
Returning midfielder Jamie Lindsay is set for his first County appearance since helping the club win the Championship in 2019.
Cowie explained: 'Akil felt a little niggle from the weekend, so we thought it was best to be a bit cautious and leave him out on Tuesday and hope that means he is available for Saturday.
'It was good to see Dylan Smith playing in his natural position, and I thought he played really well too, so that was a real positive.
'Akil will hopefully be back, and I think Jamie Lindsay has a good chance.
'He has only just re-joined us, and he's keen and eager to be involved. I thought tonight was far too soon, but Saturday is still a few days away so I think that's realistic.
'Gary Mackay-Steven is back training with the squad, but I think it will be the first league game before he's back, and Connor Randall will be back with us then as well with the protocol (after a head knock).'
Cowie underlined that recruiting another centre half remains a priority in the coming week or so after the early capture of ex-Dundee United defender Declan Gallagher.