Inverness CT v Falkirk: Ray’s ready for the run-in and so is his side

Ray McKinnon has declared his Falkirk side “are ready to go for the next seven games – definitely!”
Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.
Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.

The Bairns boss takes his troops north to Inverness tomorrow before two games that will almost certainly make or break their relegation fate.

McKinnon though doesn’t see any reason why his side can’t give themsleves a boost with points from the Highlands on their second trip up the A9 this month.

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Midway through March they lost 2-1 to Ross County in Dingwall – their only defeat of the year, and on that sort of form, McKinnon reckons his side are a match for anyone.

Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.
Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.

“I’ve been saying it all along – everybody in the league is going to have important games between now and the end of the season – the next seven games, they are massive for everyone in the league.

“The last nine games or so we have only had one defeat and we probably shouldn’t have been beaten by Ross County when we look back at it.

“The squad is strong, they’re fit, the mentality is good, the confidence is good – it’s just a case of going into every game in trying to pick something up.

Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.
Ray McKinnon. Picture: Michael Gillen.
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“We are in decent forum going into the business end of the season but we take nothing for granted. It is such a competitive league and there is no outstanding team in the league right at this minute.

“If anything, I think Inverness are a decent side. We watched them against Partick and they’re hitting a bit of form at the right time of the season and have a good squad there and it will be a tough game for us.

“There are no easy points in this league and we are happy to have the points that we have accumulated already and we have just got to try to add to that and hopefully come the end of the season we will be in a good position.”

McKinnon predicted early on that the league would go to the wire, and it certainly seems that way with midweek opponents Queen of the South edging into sight for the Bairns, but Inverness are also playing for their play-off position too.

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The boss added: “You have a mini league of five at the top trying to stay in position or make the playoff positions. You have five at the bottom trying to avoid relegation and playoffs there so I think everyone has got tough games coming up.

“We just focus on ourselves – I’ve been saying that to for a while ever since we started with zero points. We can’t rely on anybody but ourselves and we have managed to catch up with Queen of the South in seventh so we just need to keep soldiering on and hopefully we can finish the season strongly because that is the aim now.

“But it’s going to be tough for us – it’s going to be tough for everybody and there are going to be some big games from now until the end of the season and it will be a very interesting end to the season.”

But one game at a time for the Falkirk manager is the mantra he’s abiding by going into the game against Caley who Falkirk defeated last year thanks to a last gasp Scott Harrison strike.

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McKinnon explained: “They have a big striker upfront in Jordan White although they have lost George Oakley, but we watched White cause mayhem against Partick Thistle last week. He has a lot of power and will be a test for our defenders and they have good players around him too like Liam Polwarth and Aaron Doran and Tom Walsh so they are a good side.

“They’re in a good place right now but so are we. Our recent away form is probably among the best in the league over the last eight games and we need to remember that.

“We have picked up a lot of points away from home from January onwards and maybe even before that so we are up there to try and take points and win the game and it will be a good one.

“But we are ready to go for the next seven games definitely.”