Tony Docherty Seeks First Away Win for Ross County Against Queen’s Park

Will Tony Docherty secure his first away league victory of the season for Ross County?

**Scottish Championship: Queen’s Park vs. Ross County**
**Location:** City Stadium, Glasgow
**Date:** Friday, 21 November
**Kick-off:** 19:45 GMT

**Coverage:** Available on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website, and app.

In stark contrast to his struggling team, Tony Docherty did not miss the mark when assessing their recent performance.

“An unacceptable level of performance,” he stated candidly.

“I have consistently defended the players, but I cannot defend that.”

Following a disheartening 3-0 defeat at home to Greenock Morton, the Ross County manager took a firm stance. While the team’s strikers rank sixth in goals scored within the Championship, the defense remains a significant concern, as they possess the weakest backline in the league, having conceded 26 goals in just 15 matches.

The loss to Morton has left County languishing in second to last place on the table, trapped in the relegation play-off spots. There were higher expectations for a club that was relegated from the Premiership last season and considered among the favorites for immediate promotion.

To emphasize the seriousness of their situation, this defeat marked Morton’s first away league victory against County in nearly 25 years.

Currently, Ross County’s predicament feels weighty. Despite their potential to be contenders for the title, they find themselves struggling to gain traction.

Docherty, who took over from Don Cowie in August, requires a response from the underperforming squad if the team hopes to contend for a spot in the promotion play-offs. Although their recent form has been poor, a sudden series of victories could rapidly shift the narrative.

Additionally, it is anticipated that they will be active in the January transfer window, given the previous financial commitment shown by chairman Roy McGregor.

Conversely, the narrative surrounding Queen’s Park is one of potential decline, as their benefactor, Lord Haughey, will cease funding after this summer. The pressing question is whether they can adapt to this new reality and remain in Scotland’s second tier.

Currently, they sit just one point above County in the standings, in third from bottom. Their recent form included a respectable 4-3 loss to league leaders St Johnstone and a 2-1 victory over Raith Rovers, which led to the dismissal of Raith’s coach, Barry Robson.

However, Queen’s Park has managed just one win in their last nine matches. Notably, they defeated County 2-1 in Dingwall earlier this season.

While the atmosphere at Lesser Hampden, also known as The City Stadium, may be calmer compared to the recent excitement at Hampden, the stakes remain high for both teams, who must transform their current situations to avoid the looming threat of relegation.