St Johnstone netted a late equaliser to deny Ross County all three points in a 1-1 Premiership draw at McDiarmid Park.
Saints had come closest to a breakthrough but the Staggies looked to be heading back to Dingwall victorious after Iain Vigurs gave them the lead on 73 minutes, however attacker Callum Hendry secured a point for the home side with a leveller six minutes from time.
County ended the match with 10 men, with substitute Brian Graham shown two yellow cards by referee Bobby Madden.
The result keeps County eighth in the table going into the winter break, although they are now only three points ahead of Hamilton Accies who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
County made one change from the side which went down 2-1 to Motherwell on Boxing Day, with Iain Vigurs back in for the first time since suffering a foot injury in September to replace the suspended Lewis Spence.
Saints made early advances on the visitors’ goal, with Ali McCann and Matty Kennedy seeing efforts blocked by the Staggies’ rearguard.
It was County who provided the first shot on target after 20 minutes though, with Ross Stewart seeing a curling strike held by Zander Clark following a neat lay-off from Billy Mckay.
The Staggies were dealt a blow seven minutes later however when Stewart pulled up injured, forcing Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson to bring on Brian Graham in his place.
Graham was presented with an opportunity moments later when Josh Mullin’s cross broke his way off Saints skipper Jason Kerr, however the attacker was unable to direct the ball goalwards.
The Perth outfit threatened towards the end of the first half, with Kennedy and Anthony Ralston off target with attempts.
Saints upped the danger after the break, with McCann curling just wide and Kennedy nodding over from close-range after Kerr had squared Drey Wright’s free-kick into his path.
The home side came closest to scoring on the hour mark after Harry Paton gifted possession to Kennedy, who ran in on goal before striking a thumping effort off the underside of the crossbar.
The missed opportunities came back to haunt Tommy Wright’s men, with Vigurs having the decisive say on 73 minutes. Following Mullin’s low cutback from the right, Mckay held the ball up for Vigurs with his back to goal, allowing the midfielder to tuck a strike into the net off the inside of Clark’s left-hand post.
The lead lasted just 11 minutes though, with Saints equalising through substitute Hendry who rose at the near post to bullet a header beyond the reach of Baxter from Kennedy’s cross.
The Staggies ended the game with 10 men after Graham was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time for connecting with Saints defender Kerr in an aerial tussle.
