Malky Mackay relishing challenge of top teams

Ross County manager Malky Mackay is relishing the visit of another of the cinch Premiership’s bigger teams after facing Rangers and Celtic in quick succession.

County conceded four goals against each of the Glasgow giants but Mackay came out of the games in a positive frame of mind after Alex Iacovitti cemented his status as the only man to net against the champions this season.

Aberdeen now visit Dingwall fresh from hitting nine goals in two matches but Mackay welcomed the challenge.

“It’s going to be that the whole season, we play midweek games the whole season,” he said.

“But we have now had Celtic, twice, Rangers and Hearts in the space of the first six weeks. It’s what you want, you want to be playing against the best teams.

“We do really well in the League Cup, win our group, and you draw the champions, and it’s live on TV and they are coming with the array of talent that they do, going into the Champions League group stages against Real Madrid, and beating someone (Dundee United) 9-0.

“So for Ross County to lay a glove on them is a measure of where we have come to and that’s something I want to keep pushing for this club.

“All over the park, the perseverance to stay in the game and make sure the second half is competitive, is something we have done every time against Celtic and Rangers and it’s something that we have to take into the next run of fixtures we have in this division.

“Celtic and Rangers is not who we have to beat to stay in the league.”