Ross County moved off the foot of the Premiership as John Hughes claimed his first victory with an impressive 2-0 win over Hibernian at Easter Road.
Harry Paton’s first half strike ended a 571 minute goal drought, before Oli Shaw added a late second to ensure the points returned to Dingwall.
The result ends a 12-match winless streak in the league which had stretched back to September, with the Staggies’ next match coming against St Johnstone at Victoria Park on Saturday.
County made three changes from the side which went down 2-0 to St Mirren at the weekend, Carl Tremarco, Jordan Tillson and Coll Donaldson drafted in to replace Josh Reid and Ross Draper who were both suspended, and Callum Morris who also dropped out of the squad.
There was little goalmouth action in the early stages, with the Staggies’ defence standing up tall to Hibs’ efforts to get in behind.
County were rewarded with a long-awaited goal in their first meaningful attempt on 25 minutes, with Oli Shaw teeing up Paton to strike a low effort into Dillion Barnes’ bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
The Staggies were buoyed by their breakthrough and they instantly threatened for a second, with Jermaine Hylton seeing a shot blocked behind before Stephen Kelly tested Barnes with a long-range effort which the goalkeeper did well to tip over.
Hibs spurned an excellent chance on 33 minutes when Martin Boyle picked out Christian Doidge in space with a cutback from the right, with the attacker scooping his effort harmlessly over.
The Staggies were deserving of their half-time lead having limited Hibs to little in the first-half, however a Paul Hanlon header and a Melker Hallberg free-kick called Ross Laidlaw into action shortly after the break.
Hibs spurned a superb chance to level on 70 minutes when Joe Newell’s free kick found the head of Doidge who bulleted a header inches wide.
County sealed the points on 76 minutes however, with an excellent move seeing Hylton cut inside across the byline before squaring for Shaw to tap home against his former club.
