Confidence over Hibs game as Ross County pitch probe continues
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ROSS County are confident of entertaining Hibernian tomorrow night after spending "tens of thousands of pounds" on emergency pitch repairs.
The Highland club has worked with contractors GreenTech to solve a a drainage problem that brought a disastrous double festive postponement.
The club has also purchased rain covers from Leeds Rhinos Rugby Club to help prevent a repeat scenario, but could be faced with another massive bill for permanent repairs in the summer.
Because of that, club chairman Roy MacGregor is still investigating exactly who and what was to blame for the drainage failure.
A new surface was laid over undersoil heating at the ground as part of last summer's £2 million stadium upgrade.
In late December and early January, though, the SPL matches against Hearts and Inverness Caley Thistle fell victim to heavy rain.
Hearts were infuriated after their visit was abandoned less than an hour before kick-off with up to 800 Edinburgh supporters having journeyed to Dingwall.
County themselves suffered a heavy five-figure loss in hospitality income because of the two postponements.
The club believes the localised flooding problem may have been caused by the use of sub-standard materials on one part of the pitch.
It is now almost seven weeks since football was last played at the ground.
County, though, have had to act swiftly to ensure four of their next five games scheduled for Victoria Park are played.
After Hibs tomorrow, Derek Adams' team face Hearts on Saturday and entertain St Johnstone and Motherwell before February is out.
But chairman MacGregor confirmed the issue of blame was still to be resolved.
If blameless themselves, County hope to claim back the repair work costs through the pitch warranty.
MacGregor said: "We've had some work done on on the pitch after the people who originally laid it in the summer came back up.
"They have now carried out some sand-slitting to improve the drainage and, as of Friday last week, it was fine.
"We staged a practice match on it on Thursday and the work had done the job and soaked up the water.
"We also bought some rain covers from Leeds Rugby Club which are on the pitch now.
"We just wanted that extra protection in case we got huge thunderstorms before Wednesday night."
MacGregor was pleased with the work carried out by GreenTech, who have a reputation for working with the top grounds in Scotland including Murrayfield and Hampden.
But he added: "We haven't attributed fault, but we will need to do something with that part of the pitch in the summer.
"The soil beneath the pitch surface has not got the same constituents as the other parts of the pitch. I don't yet know whose fault that is.
"But the priority has been to make sure we get our games played. We've done our best by sand-slitting that troublesome section of the pitch and that worked fine.
"The rain covers will hopefully protect against the sudden heavy downpours.
"But the issue remains to be investigated further."
While MacGregor could not give a 100 per cent guarantee looming matches would beat the weather, he added: "I'm pretty confident.
"I can't see that the water will get through the rain covers.
"The pitch doesn't look great but looks worse than it is.
"The training match showed there was no bumpiness, although there was initially a little too much sand.
"Since then, there has been more work on it and I think it will be fine.
"It doesn't look terrific, but it is flat.
"The work we've had done wasn't cheap and that's why we have to attribute who was to blame for what happened.
"I have been away on a break, but now I'm back we need to investigate where the blame was for what happened.
"But we will do that behind closed doors and see who will be responsible for paying for it in the summer."
Match reports and the latest from the camp in this week's Ross-shire Journal.
