MALKY MACKAY challenged his players to regroup from defeat to Celtic and claim a European spot in the Scottish Premiership.

The Ross County boss urged his players to seize the opportunity of being in the top-half of the split and bring European nights to Dingwall.

It has been a sensational turn-a-round in aspirations for the Staggies, who were winless in their first ten Scottish Premiership fixtures, but are now on the cusp of continental football.

“We would be delighted if we could push to get a European position come the end of the season,” said Mackay.

“It’s something I have challenged the boys with in the last week or so, once the Aberdeen game settled down.

“The next challenge is to go and try to get fourth or fifth spot. That’s the whole drive and focus over these four games.

“There is nothing about putting the tools away for the summer. Everything is about driving towards the fourth and fifth position.

“We know exactly where we’ve got to go, and I’ve got a really driven squad.”

County, Euro hopeful rivals Dundee United and Motherwell all lost this weekend meaning it’s anyone’s game in the race for fourth and fifth in the league table.

And Mackay has now hoping his players continue their rise throughout the season to finish on a high in their “mini-league” for European football.
He said: “Come the split we were the fifth best team in the country, and that’s where we are at.

“We are now in a mini league with Motherwell and Dundee United who were both beaten at the weekend as well.

“Nothing changes, we will move on to next week against Hearts.

“All season we have been playing consistently. There are times when you get results and times when you don’t.

“There were times early in the season when we had a few howlers in terms of individual errors, but as the season has gone on there has been a consistency to the performance and way of playing.

“We’ve just got to keep going and we trust the process.”