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Neale Cooper is warning his Ross County players to ignore Airdrie's off-field problems and concentrate on beating Ian McCall's makeshift side when the Diamonds visit Victoria Park tonight (7.30).
McCall's hurriedly-assembled team travel to Dingwall on the back of a morale-boosting weekend win over Clyde – and Cooper insists they could spring another surprise if County are short of their best.
Adding extra interest to the game will be former County loan striker Owen Coyle's return to Victoria Park in an Airdrie shirt – a development which Cooper knows could work against his side.
The County manager said: "No doubt it will be a difficult game against Airdrie. They had a good result on Saturday and have managed to get a few experienced players in to their squad. Players like Owen Coyle will do well for them."
The County boss wants three points to wipe out the memory of the weekend's derby defeat by Caley Thistle but will be forced to make changes.
He said: "We need to bounce back. It's a heavy period of fixtures just now and we seem to be losing a lot of players through suspensions and niggling injuries."
Mark McCormick has a 50% chance of shaking off a knock. Brian Irvine is suspended and Frank Escalon is still out injured. Nicky Walker is also very doubtful after suffering a recurrence of a calf strain.
If Walker misses out, his place will go to 20-year-old Gary Hamilton and Cooper has no qualms about pitching him in against an Airdrie side battling for First Division survival.
Cooper said: "Gary is Nicky's understudy and a good young keeper, so he will get his chance to come in and play and show us what he is capable of."
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Ross County aim to stop Bell's First Division title favourites Livingston inflicting their third home defeat in a row at Victoria Park this afternoon (KO 3pm).
Last Saturday's 1-0 loss at the hands of near neighbours Caley Thistle was followed by a midweek 4-3 defeat by a revitalised Airdrie. County manager Neale Cooper admitted he will be pulling out all the stops today to avoid a horrible hat-trick.
Cooper said his squad was made to sit through the video replay of the Airdrie game and several did not like what they saw.
Cooper said: "We all sat down and watched the horror movie of the Airdrie game and I'm sure several of the players hadn't realised just how badly they had played on the night.
"As so often happens in football, Owen Coyle, who didn't score a goal for us in his loan spell, came back to Dingwall and grabbed a double.
"Our players have been in every morning and afternoon since. Although I'll accept defeat when it happens, I will only take it when the players have done their best. Clearly that wasn't the case against Airdrie."
Nicky Walker is doubtful with a calf muscle strain, while Steve Ferguson will also undergo a late fitness test. In addition, Mark McCormick, Frank Escalon, Craig Taggart and Darren Henderson are all injured and will miss the game.
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Ross County manager Neale Cooper insisted he saw cause for optimism in his side's performance against Livingston ahead of tomorrow night's return clash with Airdrie at New Broomfield.
He said: "Last Tuesday night, we were terrible against Airdrie and I asked the players to give me appetite and commitment against Livingston and they responded extremely well.
"The lads who had to come into the side – John Fraser and Eddie Cunnington, in particular – did really well when you consider that they've both been desperately short of competitive games.
"We were probably worth a point on our second-half display and I was pleased with the way we denied Livvy, a side who like to get the ball down and knock it around, time and space.
"They got a break for the goal but that's the sort of thing that happens when you're at the top of the table but, all in all, I'm encouraged by our performance, especially with Nicky Walker, Frank Escalon, Darren Henderson, Kenny Gilbert, Marc Millar, Mark McCormack and Craig Taggart all out injured.
"Nicky Walker will struggle to shake off his calf injury in time for Tuesday night, Steve Ferguson is playing through a shin problem and Ian Maxwell starts a suspension on Saturday but I'm confident we can go to Airdrie on Tuesday night and win."
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Ross County manager Neale Cooper has no intention of talking to any of his players about new contracts until he is convinced his team will be playing First Division football next season.
Cooper has several players on contracts which are due to expire at the end of next month but the former Aberdeen, Rangers and Aston Villa player is in no hurry to offer new deals.
He said: "After the run we've had recently, I'm more concerned about turning the side's form around and making sure that there's absolutely no way we can be dragged into the relegation zone.
"Tuesday night's defeat by Morton was one of the most disappointing nights of my managerial career. It left us with just one win in eight league starts and I've found that difficult to come to terms with.
"I'm not thinking beyond our next game and that means contract discussions are the last thing on my mind and they ought to be the last thing on the players' minds as well.
"If I were a Ross County player, I'd be more concerned with playing out of my skin in every game we have left to make sure I'll still have a peg in the dressing-room for next season."
County meet Ayr United at Victoria Park tomorrow and Cooper has spent the last two days trying to rebuild confidence in his squad.
Ayr saw their bid to overhaul Livingston in the First Division title race suffer a blow last week end when they went down to Caley Thistle.
Cooper said: "Playing game after game following a long lay-off because of the weather has been a factor in our form slump, as has the lack of competition for places because of injuries.
"But the lads have worked hard to pick themselves up on the training ground since Tuesday night and they've had a look at video of the game.
"The players have to realise that it's great to take the credit for outstanding performances like the Rangers cup tie or our win at Falkirk earlier in the season, but consistency is the important thing.
Cooper added: "They need to play to that level week in, week out against the Mortons, the Airdries and the Clydes because they are the games which really matter and the results which dictate how successful a season really is."
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