Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson would love to get in front against Rangers and see how they react after Hamilton showed what was possible.
Ferguson is sensing an opportunity to cause a shock with the conditions and the circumstances and has urged his players to believe it too.
Ferguson admits he has no idea which Rangers will turn up – possibly the team which stunned Braga in Portugal to reach the last 16 of the Europa League or possibly a side determined to atone for losing against Hearts and Hamilton in quick succession.
County lost 4-1 against Motherwell on Wednesday after taking an early lead at Fir Park but they have taken 10 points from their last five home matches and Ferguson feels they can ask questions of Steven Gerrard’s men in Sunday’s noon kick-off in Dingwall.
“A first goal is always important, although it didn’t pan out that way on Wednesday,” Ferguson said.
“But we would love to get the first goal again on Sunday and see how Rangers react to that.
“Although Rangers’ woes in domestic football are getting well documented at the moment, we would still probably rather have Rangers’ problems rather than the problems we are having at the moment in regard to the battle we are in.
“We understand that but we need to make sure we feel that we come away with points from the game on Sunday because Hamilton showed everyone it’s possible for a smaller team, or a more provincial club, to win against them, and we believe that as well.
“We believe that – if we do it properly, and us being at home and the pitch isn’t great with the weather that we’ve had, and sometimes the early kick-off can knock people off their stride. So we need to make sure we focus on ourselves and what we need to do, because we don’t know what Rangers we’ll get.
“We could get Rangers of European form, I thoroughly enjoyed how they played in that second leg.
“And you could very much be facing that wounded animal where they are desperate to get back onside with their own supporters and the players will want to do it for their manager and change things around.”
Ferguson, who saw striker Billy McKay pick up the Ladbrokes Premiership player of the month prize for February, added: “Let’s be honest, every club has their own pressures to deal with and things they need to do. We are no different to that, Rangers are no different to that.
“We will look after and deal with what we need to deal with and I am sure Steven and his players will be the same.”
