What Malky Mackay told his players after Ross County were thrashed by Hearts
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Ross County suffered their joint heaviest defeat of the season, along with losing 5-0 to Motherwell in Dingwall in October, and conceded six goals for the first time this season.
In addition, the Staggies are now four points adrift in the Premiership, after Dundee United and Kilmarnock both picked up victories.
Ross County have five games remaining to save their Premiership status and avoid relegation to the Championship.
The bottom six has been decided after today's results with Livingston (7th) Motherwell (8th) and St Johnstone (9th) joining the bottom three.
The split fixtures are expected to be announced soon.
Mackay admitted the 6-1 hammering was a poor result, but he reinforced to his players that it was only the second time this season they had not been competitive during a game.
That was the message he delivered in the dressing room at full time as they now look forward to their final five matches next month.
"It has only happened twice to us, all the other games we have been in the game," he said.
"That is what I am telling the players going into the next five games.
"There is not too much at the end of the game I want to say to them.
"Other than tell them that it is not an easy day to look at the bigger picture.
"But to give them the bigger picture over the season they have performed, they have played well and in recent weeks we have had good performances.
"We had a bad day and it is one of those ones we make sure we don't have again.
"We have five games coming up with the bottom five teams and ourselves.
"We have to have the belief we have had all season.
"One day like that doesn't make you a bad team.
"We have played five of those teams and beaten three in the last six weeks.
"We need to make sure we put that to bed and move on."
Looking back at today's game, Mackay said: "We were way off it today and Hearts were excellent, credit where it is due.
"It has happened twice earlier this season against Motherwell and that is the second one.
"We have to get back on track, we are off the back of three good performances.
"On a day where everyone to a man that was under par, that is what happens when the opposition do well.
"We need to make sure in the last five games we get back on to the way we have been playing.
"We will analyse bits and pieces of the game, but we need to put that to bed and get on with it again.
"We need to make sure we get ourselves ready for last five games. The break comes at a good time and we have to get everyone back to the way we should be."
Hearts ended their run of six defeats with an emphatic victory at Tynecastle this afternoon.
Mackay insists Ross County did not underestimate their opponents by opting for a 3-5-2 formation.
He said: "There is no explanation apart from we didn't perform and give credit to Hearts they did.
"We weren't underestimating Hearts, there was a lot of talk of how they were playing and their results.
"But we are talking about players who have been third in the league and done it at this level. We knew coming here it would be a tough game, but they played to their best. If that happens, that is what can happen."
