The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Mackay Purring to have Ben on way back
Ross County manager Malky Mackay hopes to have defender Ben Purrington back in contention by the end of March.
Purrington has been sidelined since October, after suffering an ankle fracture in a 1-1 draw against Dundee United.
The Englishman had started all 16 of the Staggies’ games prior to the injury, having made the summer switch from Charlton Athletic.
George Harmon, another summer signing, has held down his place on the left side of defence during his absence.
Although Purrington recently suffered a setback in his recovery, Mackay insists the 26-year-old is preparing for the final stretch of his rehabilitation.
Mackay said: “Ben is in a good place. He needed a second clean-out operation, as there was still a little bit of floating debris in there causing issues in his running.
“He’s back out running now and I’d imagine in four weeks he will be ready to go.
“It will be good to get him back in – he’s a real good pro.
“It has been a really bad one for him, given how innocuous it looked and the vein of form he was in at the time.
“He’s spent a lot of time up in the gym and it has been lonely afternoons with a lot of frustration.
“It is always hard for boys who have been out longer term with injury when they see how their team is playing and they want to get involved and help.
“That mental strength is needed to get back out on the park again. It is important there is a connection there and everyone stays in touch.”
County return to Premiership action for the first time in a fortnight, when they make the trip to St Mirren today.
The Buddies are enjoying a fine season and sit sixth in the table, but they are looking to bounce back from a 2-1 loss to Motherwell on Wednesday – a result which saw the Staggies slip back into the relegation play-off spot.
Mackay anticipates a difficult challenge against a side which has lost just two of 13 home matches so far this term.
He added: “Steve is a good manager, who I’ve known for a long time.
“He has done well at St Mirren, clearly, if you look at their results and where they are in the league.
“I think they do exactly as he says, you can see it. There’s a pattern to how they play, a way they play, and they have been excellent at it.
“That’s what we’re going to have to compete with going down to St Mirren.
“It is going to be a tough game for us, without doubt. They have a great record at home so far this season.”
St Mirren triumphed 1-0 when the sides met in Paisley in August, with County recording a 3-2 victory at Dingwall in November.
Mackay will be without on-loan Buddies forward Eamonn Brophy, but Owura Edwards and Gwion
Edwards are back in the frame.
The Staggies boss expects another tight encounter, adding: “They beat us down there at the start of the season on an incredibly hot day, but I thought it was quite nip and tuck.
“When we beat them up here a couple of months ago it was quite nip and tuck as well.
“Steve has a group of professionals who are working hard for him and that’s a great start.
“It will be two groups of good professionals working hard at the weekend and it will be another war of attrition.”
Buddies boss Stephen Robinson faces an injury crisis for the visit to Dingwall.
Defender Richard Tait (groin) and striker Jonah Ayunga (knee) were already out long term, while striker Alex Greive will be sidelined for three to four weeks with an ankle problem that saw him miss the midweek defeat at Motherwell.
Scott Tanser is waiting to see the extent of his hamstring injury, while Alex Gogic, Keanu Baccus and Curtis Main are all “very, very doubtful”.
Robinson is set to have seven teenagers, who have yet to make their first-team debut, on the bench.