Paul Quinn hails new Ross County team-mates

Ross County's Paul Quinn (centre) celebrates having put his side 1-0 to the good. Picture: SNS

The 29-year-old defender only joined the Premiership’s bottom club the day before last week’s 5-0 thrashing at home to Celtic where he was asked to come on at half-time to stem the tide with the visitors leading 4-0. He started against St Mirren and powered in a header from a Graham Carey corner after 11 minutes but Adam Drury levelled two minutes before the break.

Former St Mirren defender Carey restored County’s lead in the 58th minute with a drive but that lasted only two minutes before midfielder Jeroen Tesselaar equalised with a fine strike. However, Quinn, who left Doncaster in the summer, declared himself impressed by the way his new team-mates had recovered from the Celtic defeat to get the point which took them to within two of Motherwell.

The former Fir Park player said: “We spoke about the mistakes against Celtic but also recognised that they are a good side and were on fire. Slowly but surely the lads picked themselves up, the training started looking sharp and we forgot about the Celtic game and focused on St Mirren.

“The preparation was top notch and it showed. We had a right go and a team at the bottom of any league in this country would probably jump through hoops for a point away from home but we went home slightly disappointed, that tells its own story.

“So there are definitely plenty of positives to take. Teams at the bottom who concede in the 43rd or 44th minute can crumble. It shows the character we have.

“We stood up. We went 2-1 up and then showed a bit of naivety in conceding so soon after going in front. It could have swung either way, the draw was probably a fair result. The goal was an added bonus. We all like to chip in with a goal here and there but at this moment in time I need to get fit and the sooner I get fit, the better the performance I can put in.”

County manager Jim McIntyre claimed his side had been robbed of a goal when they were leading 1-0.

McIntyre claimed it was “crystal clear” that Michael Gardyne, on loan from Dundee United, was onside when he ran through to place the ball through Marian Kello’s legs.

Quinn was no less aggrieved but articulated his disappointment in a more measured way.

He said: “If we had a better decision on the offside goal in the first half, the stadium would have been flat. It was already flat when we were 1-0 up and I don’t think St Mirren would have had a good enough response at 2-0 down.

“But they got back into the game. It is not our job to criticise anybody but the point is, when you are down there you sometimes don’t get the breaks.

“But it is not anybody’s fault, it is a mistake, we all make them.”

St Mirren’s first home point of the season offered encouragement for Drury.

The 21-year-old forward, on loan from Manchester City, said: “It is something to build on. The main thing is we didn’t lose the game but we are still disappointed that we didn’t get three points.

“The lads showed great courage to come from behind twice.”