Hughes full of praise for Ross County groundsman after away win

John Hughes dedicated Ross County’s late 2-1 comeback win at Hamilton to the Highland club’s groundsman Davie Fraser.

The home side took the lead after 16 minutes when Staggies midfielder Stephen Kelly put through his own goal.

The visitors hit the post in the second half and it looked like Accies might just see it out but debutant Jordan White levelled in the 80th minute before setting up fellow substitute Billy McKay to volley in the winner five minutes later.

The Dingwall side moved four points ahead of bottom side Accies although they have played two games more.

Boss Hughes, who took over at the Highland club in December, said: “That win’s for our groundsman Davie Fraser. We’re very fortunate we’ve got that big indoor arena.

“It’s maybe 70 x 50 and we can get good training sessions in. But we’ve not been on a full size grass pitch since I’ve been up there so we can’t do match practise or game-related stuff.

“We twisted his arm just to keep the heating on and let us on it on Saturday and he did.

“We played 11 v 11 and set up how we thought Hamilton would go. It was the first real time of coaching and it came to fruition so this is for our hard-working groundsman Davie Fraser.”

Hughes was pleased that White made a quick impact after signing from Motherwell.

He said: “I felt we dominated the game. We maybe lost our way for 15 minutes of the second half after Iain Vigurs got injured.

“We showed plenty of character and in the first half we were very good. We needed to be better in the top half of the pitch.

“We showed character after losing a soft goal so to come back and it’s written in the stars – it’s White and McKay (famous Whyte & Mackay whisky).

“I’m pleased for Jordan. The guys we’ve brought in this year we’ve had to work to get them up to speed.

“If you work them too hard you get injuries. But Jordan came in really fit and his numbers are good. It was touch and go if we were going to start with him but I was pleased.”

Accies boss Brian Rice, who was assistant to Hughes at Falkirk, Hibernian and Inverness, said: “It was disappointing to lose. Even a draw would have been disappointing.

“First half we started well, got ahead and had another couple of chances to increase.

“Even second half, apart from the first minute, I thought we were in control. Ten minutes from time we lose two goals.

“The first goal was a fluke. It was a shot going nowhere past the post and big Jordan sticks his leg out as good strikers do.

“The second goal was poor defensively to lose. We didn’t defend our box the last 10 minutes.