Jason Naismith: Ross County have to back up Dundee United win
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Ross County fans and players will have been encouraged by their display to pick up three points against Dundee United last weekend – but Jason Naismith knows it might yet count for nothing.
There already feels like a sense of winner takes all ahead of next Wednesday’s crunch home clash against Hamilton, with a good result having the potential to guarantee Premiership football in Dingwall next season.
Lose, though, and the Accies will overtake County in the league table with one match left to play.
So while the performance at Tannadice will give the Staggies reason to be optimistic, Naismith is conscious they have to stay at that level next week.
“Relief is probably the right word to describe the performance,” the 26-year-old, now in his second spell with Ross County, said.
“The performance was a long time coming, and it’s an added thing when you get the result.
“Obviously the most important thing at this time of the season is to get results.
“It was a good performance from the boys at Tannadice – but it will mean nothing if we don’t back it up against Hamilton.”
The battle to avoid relegation from the top flight has swung one way and the other in recent weeks.
County have gone from bottom of the table a few months ago to three points clear of both Kilmarnock and Hamilton below them, to back into 11th going into last weekend.
Now, once again in 10th with their fate in their
own hands, Naismith is trying not to get carried away thinking the job is already done.
“We’ve always tried to keep it positive throughout the season,” he added.
“It’s important not to get too high, or too low when things are going against you.
“I learned that early on in my career, that was some of the best advice I got off of people.
“We’ll just try to take each game on it’s individual self, and we’ll prepare for Hamilton next week.”