Ross County were defeated 1-0 by Dundee at Victoria Park last night, but they still retain an outside chance of reaching the Premiership play-offs going into Saturday’s final game of the campaign at St Johnstone.
Simon Murray’s second half goal proved decisive at Dingwall, however second-bottom Partick Thistle’s 1-0 loss to Motherwell means they remain two points adrift of the Jags.
County must now defeat Saints at McDiarmid Park this weekend, and hope Thistle do not defeat Dundee, if they are to avoid automatic relegation to the Championship.
County knew their fate could have been sealed on the night, with a victory for the Jags over Motherwell meaning anything less than three points against Dundee would send them down.
County made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Partick Thistle on Friday, with Harry Souttar and Max Melbourne replaced by Andrew Davies and Davis Keillor-Dunn.
The Staggies thought they had made the breakthrough less than 90 seconds into the match when Billy Mckay thumped home Michael Gardyne’s free kick from close range, only to be denied by an offside flag.
It was a bright start by the Dingwall men however, and they spurned a glorious opportunity on 13 minutes when Davis Keillor-Dunn’s corner picked out the unmarked Liam Fontaine, but he could only guide the ball wide of target from close range.
Dundee began to create chances of their own as the first half wore on though, with Randy Wolters seeing a low drive gathered by Scott Fox, while Murray and Kevin Holt were off target with subsequent attempts.
County were forced into a change at half time, with goalkeeper Fox forced off to be replaced by Aaron McCarey, however the Staggies were quick to threaten after the break when Keillor-Dunn lashed over from Jason Naismith’s delivery.
Dundee’s breakthrough came after 51 minutes however, with a short corner worked to Wolters whose delivery bounced into the path of Murray, whose guided header from close-range wrongfooted McCarey.
County needed a response, and they created a decent opportunity moments later when Gardyne picked out the head of Keillor-Dunn, who saw his effort well collected by Dundee goalkeeper Elliot Parish, but the home side increasingly grew frustrated at being crowded out by a well-organised Dundee defence.
County rallied, with Mckay seeing a shot deflected into the arms of Parish, before substitute David Ngog spurned an excellent chance when he struck into the side-netting after working his way into a shooting position, however they were unable to find a breakthrough.
