McIntyre proud of Ross County players as they take big step towards safety

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre was proud of his makeshift team after substitute Christopher Routis notched the goal that took them to the verge of Premiership safety.

The central midfielder was playing on the left and scored from close range in the 72nd minute to earn County a 1-0 victory at Motherwell.

McIntyre was without suspended strikers Liam Boyce and Alex Schalk and the man moved up front alongside Craig Curran in their absence, Ryan Dow, went off for Routis inside half an hour after suffering palpitations.

But his side restricted Motherwell to few efforts on goal and capitalised on a baffling decision by Motherwell sub Zak Jules.

The win takes County to seventh, one point from safety, and they will be guaranteed their top-flight status in any case if next weekend's Lanarkshire derby produces a winner.

McIntyre, who also brought on Reghan Tumilty and Jonathan Franks, said: “We were tinkering away on the sidelines and we played Routis on the left-hand side for the last 20 minutes and he has got in at the back post for the goal. And young Reghan who came on has put the cross in.

“It's a huge win for us. I was proud of the players because we had a few playing out of position with the subs that came on. And our options were limited a wee bit in terms of what we had on the bench to play in their proper positions. So that was really pleasing and the three subs had an impact with the goal.

“I don't think there was a lot of quality in the game, from either side. There was plenty endeavour and it was one of those occasions when everyone knew what the points meant, and the performance levels were lost in that a wee bit.”

Five minutes after coming on for the injured Steven Hammell, Jules stopped the ball going out for a goal kick on the bye-line and passed the ball inside to Carl McHugh, who was instantly robbed of possession. Seconds later the ball was in the back of the Motherwell net with debutant goalkeeper Russell Griffiths looking a little slow to react to Tim Chow's touch before Routis netted.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson said: “It's hard to take when an individual error like that, an individual decision, cost us the game.

“I won't tell you what I said because it has to remain in the dressing room. Obviously we are all frustrated with the decision, the ball was running out, it was a goal kick.

“Look, I am not going to hang him out to dry, there were other things in the game as well. If you have 33 crosses going into the box and you don't score, there's got to be something else that wasn't right.”

Robinson, whose side are locked on 32 points with Hamilton, four ahead of bottom club Inverness, and in the relegation play-off position on goal difference, added: Hammy played with an injury, he burst a vein in his leg on Thursday, a strange injury. His knee was the size of a balloon when he came off. I can't ask any more for him, we had to make the change and we had no-one else to put on, that's where the squad is.

“But we will deal with it, it's still very much in our hands. We play Hamilton next week and we need to win the game.”

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