Don Cowie confident Ross County are ‘up to the challenge’ of play-off clashes

Ross County manager Don Cowie wants his players to summon the spirit of last season’s great escape after they were sucked into another relegation play-off.

A 2-2 draw with Aberdeen on Sunday, coupled with St Johnstone’s 2-1 win at Motherwell, consigned County to a two-legged clash with Raith Rovers to decide who will compete in the cinch Premiership next season.

Rovers sealed their place in the final with a penalty shoot-out win over Partick Thistle, the route County needed to avoid the drop 12 months ago.

County came from three goals down on aggregate with 20 minutes left to force extra time and penalties and Cowie will use that experience in a bid to guide his side through their contest with the Kirkcaldy side, who host the first leg on Thursday.

“It’s a team that is going to be really confident,” Cowie said in a club video. “They finished second in the league and pushed Dundee United all the way.

“I watched the game on Friday night. It’s going to be a big crowd, a big atmosphere, which I’m sure they will looking to take advantage of. We need to be ready for that.

“I have still got so much belief in this group of players. We know we are going to have to perform really well to get through the two legs.

“It’s going to be a challenge but it’s one I certainly feel we are up to. The feelings that we have from last year, from the group that was here, we can draw on that and take it into the games.”