McIntrye expecting prickly Thistle

The Staggies grabbed three crucial Scottish Premiership points in a 3-1 win at Firhill only two weeks ago.

It was the second of a three-game winning streak for County which has taken them off the bottom of the table albeit only on goal difference over Motherwell and St Mirren.

The Highlanders' boss acknowledged that the Jags will be seeking retribution.

He also noted that the Maryhill men will travel north having bounced back from their defeat by his side with a surprise 2-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice last week to keep them seven points clear of County.

McIntyre said: "Thistle will be hurt by that defeat to us but they have shown great character to bounce back and will want to continue that by coming here and doing the same.

"So we have to make sure that we are as determined as we have been.

"We have an opportunity to go for a victory but we know Thistle are more than capable and they have shown that, especially on their travels, with some great performances.

"Last week they won 2-0 at Dundee United, they won 4-0 against Inverness the last time they were up here (in the Highlands) so they have a team who are very good on their day.

"So we have to make sure we are at our best to get the result."

Ross County have an unchanged squad as they look for their fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership victory.

Ruben Palazuelos (groin), Richard Brittain (hamstring), Ben Frempah (ankle) and Darren Barr (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Rocco Quinn was back in reserve-team action during the week following a hip injury.

Dan Seaborne will be missing again for Partick Thistle.

The former Southampton defender sat out last week's 2-0 win over Dundee United with an ankle knock but suspension rules him out of the Dingwall trip.

Sean Welsh (ankle) is also out while boss Alan Archibald is sweating over Callum Booth, Christie Elliott and Ben Richards-Everton, who are all doubtful.

Conrad Balatoni insists Partick are not in danger of 'doing a Hibernian' this season.

The Jags defender watched with astonishment last year as the Easter Road side's incredible collapse saw them relegated.

Terry Butcher's team kicked off 2014 gunning for a top-six slot but a nightmare run of results saw them crash into the play-offs after winning just twice following the turn of the year.

Hamilton then ended their 15-year stay in the Premiership with a dramatic penalty shoot-out triumph in Leith.

Balatoni admits it is a horror story which Thistle could easily have repeated this term, but their 2-0 victory over Dundee United halted a run of five straight defeats and, ahead of Saturday's trip to Ross County, the centre-back says his side will not fall into the same trap.

He told Press Association Sport: "Hibs is a great example of what can happen when it all goes wrong.

"No-one here wants to see us go through the same sort of thing. But Hibs was a totally different situation.

"But I just know we have the players in that dressing room who have the quality to see ourselves out of this situation and keep us away from that drop zone.

"We got a great result last weekend and now we want to follow it up with a good win over County this weekend."