Last time they met: Ross County 3-2 Kilmarnock
Match Details:
Date: Tuesday 1st March 2016
Time: 19:45 GMT
Venue: Rugby Park
Kilmarnock VS Ross County preview
Rory McKenzie is a doubt for Kilmarnock ahead of Tuesday’s Premiership clash with Ross County, with the midfielder suffering from a groin problem.
Stevie Smith is definitely out with a hip injury, while Jamie Hamill is sidelined by an ankle problem.
Ross County will be without goalkeeper Scott Fox, whose knee injury could keep him out of the League Cup final against Hibernian on 13 March.
Gary Woods will deputise for Fox in goal.
Reporter’s notes
Kilmarnock will now feel like a team being pursued. Dundee United have revived their form and are closing in on the side in second-bottom, which is a psychological challenge to Lee Clark’s team.
He is still adapting to the nature of the job at Rugby Park, but it is clear that his approach is to try to accentuate the positives to his players, for them to focus on their own game and not the circumstances around them.
Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark: “I can’t affect what anybody else does. I can only affect Kilmarnock. We need to get results no matter what Dundee United are doing. Just because they have got some results doesn’t mean we need to do it even more. It doesn’t push us any harder or give us any more desire. That desire is there in any case.”
Their own sense of recovery faltered against Hearts at the weekend, having kept clean sheets in three of the four games prior to the 1-0 loss to Robbie Neilson’s side. United are only eight points behind now, with one game in hand, and Kilmarnock need to recover that defensive security.
Clark deals in optimism. He met Kilmarnock supporters groups last week, and they asked for more commitment from the players, but also raised the team’s home form.
Only Dundee United have lost more games at home this season, and Ross County will look to take advantage of the sense of anxiety that rises quickly in the Rugby Park stands when the home team is not performing.
Ross County manager Jim McIntyre: “We have done well against Killie this season, we have scored seven goals against them so hopefully we can add a few more. We know they have got a new manager and the players are fighting to stay in his plans so we are going to be facing a side that is a real threat and it is going to be a difficult game.”
Jim McIntyre’s side remains in the hunt for a top-six finish, but they have lost three of the four league games played since defeating Celtic to reach the Scottish League Cup final. That showpiece might be a distraction in the players’ minds, but the manager will not accept the diminished form.
Ross County remain a solid team, capable of defending stoutly and troubling teams in attack. They travel to Rugby Park with different priorities, since they have not been associated with the relegation struggles this season, but the game will be a challenge to both teams to rediscover their self-assurance.
Results of each team’s last 5 matches across all leagues and competitions
Kilmarnock last 5 matches (most recent first):
27/02/16
(a) Hearts
1-0
L
20/02/16
(h) Dundee
0-0
D
16/02/16
(h) Rangers
1-2
L
13/02/16
(a) Motherwell
0-2
W
06/02/16
(a) Rangers
0-0
D
Ross County last 5 matches (most recent first):
27/02/16
(h) Dundee Utd
0-3
L
20/02/16
(h) Hamilton
2-1
W
13/02/16
(a) Celtic
2-0
L
10/02/16
(h) Hearts
0-3
L
06/02/16
(h) Linlithgow Rose
4-2
W
The post Kilmarnock VS Ross County Prediction, Preview and Tips appeared first on News and Events.