Will Nightingale insists it is time for Ross County to deliver in their efforts to secure Premiership safety.
The Staggies have now lost seven matches on the bounce, following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to bottom side St Johnstone – who now trail them by only three points.
With two matches remaining, County remain just two points adrift of Dundee – who they face in a crunch encounter on Wednesday.
A victory for County would see Don Cowie’s men leapfrog the Dark Blues, before they finish their campaign at home to Motherwell on Sunday.
Conversely, a defeat against Dundee would mean County would be consigned to a play-off at best.
Two victories would guarantee that the Staggies avoid a third successive relegation play-off – and Englishman Nightingale says his side must capitalise on the situation.
He said: “I think we can all be doing more.
“For whatever reason, we are just lucky that we’ve still got an opportunity.
“But it’s one thing saying that. We’ve been saying it for however long.
“It’s just going to be whether we stand up and take that opportunity now.
“Are we going to be ready for the fight?
“Players are possibly going into their shell a bit.
“For whatever reason, it doesn’t really matter why.
“But it’s two games to go now and it’s time to stand up and be counted for.
“There’s personal pride, your own standards – you can say this, that and the other.
“It’s up to everyone to show why they should be on the pitch.”
Defender calls for Staggies to stand up to challenge at Dens Park
Nightingale returned for only his fifth appearance of the season at McDiarmid Park, following his return from a long-term injury lay-off.
He was unable to prevent the Staggies falling to defeat in Perth, where a win would have removed the threat of automatic relegation.
County must now lift themselves for a quickfire return to Tayside, to face a Dundee outfit they have beaten on all three occasions the sides have met this season.
Nightingale insists his side cannot afford to dwell on the dire run which has left them scrapping for safety.
He added: “It’s an opportunity to finish on a high.
“We have to embrace that, and almost relish it.
“We are in this position because of the run that we’re on.
“But those runs are there to be broken.
“We want to change that, starting on Wednesday.
“Having it in our own hands could help. We’ve won there previously, but that’s in the past.
“We focus on one game at a time. Are we good enough to go out there and win? Yes, but we have to be our best. It falls on us.
“We have to look in the mirror, reset, bring a bit of positivity back and that belief that we can go out and win.
“I believe we have the team to go out and do so.”
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