Ross County need to reign in a resurgent Celtic
Defender Callum Morris is wary of allowing the in-form Hoops an early foothold in their upcoming Dingwall encounter
Last updated 19th Feb 2021
Ross County defender Callum Morris believes they have to give themselves a fighting chance against Celtic on Sunday, if they're to take anything from the match, and aid their Premiership survival plight.
Despite notable victories since the arrival of new boss John Hughes - against Hibs and Aberdeen - the Staggies have been unable to pull clear of danger.
A lack of consistency has killed County's momentum in their bid to beat the drop, with Callum well aware that often they've been masters of their own downfall.
"It's about making a mark on the game early, especially when you play the Old Firm, if you concede an early goal or your having to sprint back and you think 'I've got another 90 minutes of this' it can be a bit frustrating"
"We need to start off well, do the basics right for the first 10-15 minutes, get a footing in the game and frustrate them a little. That'll build confidence"
Last time out at Celtic Park it was John Hughes' first game in charge of County and it ended 2-0 after goals from David Turnbull and Leigh Griffiths.
The Staggies boss has accepted that the Hoops "have their mojo back" coming into the match following five straight wins.
Callum accepts for the County defenders it could be a busy evening.
"I enjoy it sometimes when it's backs against the wall. It's not beneficial to anyone if you're cruising and you can switch off. I know that happened a little at times in the Championship"
"That was probably one of the biggest weaknesses, especially when I was younger"
While County won the recent 'must-win' against Hamilton, Callum concedes the squad was perhaps too wrapped up in looking ahead following that victory, especially given the Accies response against Rangers, Motherwell and St Mirren.
"We beat Hamilton and then we thought they had some tough games, but they picked up five points, and then we lost to Dundee United. It's pointless looking too far ahead, but every single point and every goal is vital towards the end of the season"
"If we can build up some momentum, there's a few other sides round about, so hopefully we can go on a bit of a run to stand us in good stead come the end of the season"
There are now just 10 games left with another five until the Premiership split.