Winter break has given Ross County players chance to recover from injury, says Malky Mackay
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Malky Mackay admits the World Cup break has eased injury pressures at Ross County approaching a crucial period of matches.
Left back Ben Purrington is likely to remain sidelined as he recovers from a bone fracture sustained in mid-October.
But the pause in Premiership hostilities has been timely in allowing a clutch of first team players the breathing space to complete their recoveries.
County completed the pre-World Cup set of matches with rousing victories over St Mirren and Hibs, before an honourable defeat to Celtic in Glasgow.
Rising confidence and assurance among the players was evident in those matches, but they re-open their campaign with a vital tussle with a St Johnstone side six points above them.
After that, a Friday night confrontation with Rangers beckons before a busy spell that will test County’s resurgence. Reflecting on injury woes, Mackay said: “We will have a healthy number of players back for St Johnstone but probably not Ben Purrington.
“He’s got the same type of recovery time as Connor Randall had, so it will be into New Year.
“Ross Callachan is pushing on really well, and will be close.
“Connor Randall and Jack Baldwin are both back training, as well as Ben Paton which is fantastic news. We are nearly there.
“We got hit with two broken ankles, a torn hamstring and a knee situation within six weeks. We don’t have a big squad to start with.
“The upsides of this five-week break are the recovery processes, allowing everybody to get back from their bumps, bruises and knocks, while the longer-term ones can get back training with the team here in Spain.”
Mackay admits that the Celtic performance, in a 2–1 defeat, instilled extra belief.
“That evening, I was feeling a little bit upset having led in the game with not long to go,” Mackay said.
“Like anything, you reflect. In the grander scheme, we were facing an incredibly good team who were playing Real Madrid two weeks before us.
“For us to run them so close, and having Parkhead feel so quiet with 20 minutes to go, is a measure of where we have come in a short space of time.”
