Under-fire Ross County face Queen’s Park in Championship – live on BBC

Scottish Championship: Queen’s Park v Ross County

Where: City Stadium, Glasgow When: Friday, 21 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Unlike his misfiring side, when Tony Docherty took aim last weekend he did not miss.

“An unacceptable level of performance,” he said.

“I have always come out and defended the players. I can’t defend that.”

The Ross County manager took no prisoners after his side lost 3-0 at home to Greenock Morton.

To be fair to the Staggies’ strikers, the Dingwall side are ranked sixth when it comes to goals scored in the Championship.

Defence is the major issue. They have the leakiest backline in the division, having conceded 26 goals in 15 games.

The defeat by Morton kept County second bottom of the table, in the relegation play-off spot. Much better was expected from a side only relegated from the Premiership last season and among the favourites to go right back up.

Gravity is an apt word for County right now. For some reason, lift-off has been impossible. They should be circulating in the rarefied air of title contention rather than scrabbling around in the dirt.

Docherty, who replaced Don Cowie in August, needs a reaction from the underperforming players he has inherited if County are to somehow work a way into the promotion play-off mix.

That may sound fanciful given their form. However, no matter how poor the start has been in this crazy division, a sudden run of victories can change the narrative quickly.

Plus, you would expect them to make moves in the January transfer window given the largesse shown by chairman Roy McGregor in the past.

The narrative surrounding Friday’s hosts, Queen’s Park, was expected to be about decline.

Their benefactor, Lord Haughey, is cutting off the cash supply come the summer.

The question is, can they adjust to this new reality and stay in Scotland’s second tier?

They sit third bottom, one point above County.

Last weekend was no disgrace as they narrowly lost out 4-3 to leaders St Johnstone. The week before, they beat Raith Rovers 2-1, which spelled the end for the Kirkcaldy side’s team boss, Barry Robson.

However, the Glasgow side have only managed one win in their past nine matches. Having said that, they beat County 2-1 in Dingwall back in September.

After the extraordinary tumult of Hampden on Tuesday, the atmosphere will be a wee bit more sedate at Lesser Hampden, aka The City Stadium.