LISTEN: Party plans on the back burner for Staggies as top six race reaches fever pitch
Three matches left to seal a spot in the top half of the SPFL Premiership for Ross County
It's an exciting time if you are a supporter or a player at Ross County. An intense period of matches including a League Cup final - and the emotional rollercoast that goes with it - and now the chance to take a big step towards cementing a place in the top six. That is, IF you can beat your local rivals.
"Well it's games you want to be involved in, but it has been difficult, there's no doubt about that", says County boss Jim McIntyre.
"The performance that the players put in against St Johnstone was fantastic - the effort levels and the desire not to be beaten was there for everyone to see"
The 1-1 draw in Perth in midweek came just days after their Hampden heroics, with County still perched in fourth, four points ahead of seventh place Dundee. Now on to Caley Thistle on Saturday, as Jim McIntyre aims to redress New Year's 2-0 defeat in Inverness.
"Yes, it's been a tough period, but there's nothing like a derby to get you up for a game. In terms of our league aspirations, our season boils down to the next three games, and we know we're going to have to pick up a few more points yet to have a chance of making the top six"
However all talk of Ross County's League Cup celebrations - set to take place postmatch on Saturday - are very much off limits for McIntyre, as he looks for the performance and the points to take them a step closer to securing top six:-
Caley Thistle have two derby victories this season to Ross County's one, with the Staggies celebrating a 2-1 success at the end of October thanks to goals from Jackson Irvine and Michael Gardyne.
"It's so important to concentrate on this period, we've done fanstastically well to stay in the top six the whole season, we've now added a cup to that. For us it's just about maintaining the good levels of performance that we've shown, and try and finish the job off"