Ross County staged a thrilling late turnaround as they netted twice in the final nine minutes to defeat Hamilton Accies 2-1 at New Douglas Park.
The Staggies looked to be heading bottom of the table in the crucial Lanarkshire encounter, after Stephen Kelly’s own goal had given Brian Rice’s men the lead.
The Dingwall men piled the pressure on in the latter stages however, and were rewarded with goals from substitutes Jordan White – making his debut – and Billy Mckay.
The result moves County four points ahead of bottom-placed Accies, with John Hughes’ men now just a point adrift of 10th-placed Kilmarnock.
County made two changes from the side which went down 2-1 to Motherwell the previous midweek, with Ross Draper and Regan Charles-Cook making way for Stephen Kelly and Tony Andreu who was handed his first start.
Accies fielded on-loan Aberdeen striker Bruce Anderson for the first time following his deadline day move, and he was involved in setting up an excellent chance for Marios Ogkmpoe who dragged his low effort wide of the far post.
County found their feet in the game, with Andreu and Jason Naismith both seeing efforts blocked.
It was the hosts who took the lead in fortuitous circumstances on 17 minutes, with Anderson cutting in from the right before drilling a low ball across goal which was turned into his own net by Kelly.
The Staggies survived another scare shortly afterwards when Iain Vigurs’ slack pass allowed Ogkmpoe a sight of goal, with the striker winning the break of the ball off Ross Laidlaw before the covering Callum Morris showed good alertness to thwart the chance.
County dominated possession in the remainder of the first half but struggled to create clear-cut chances, however they spurned a glorious chance to pull level within seconds of the restart. Oli Shaw fed Andreu who in turn played in Paton, but his low effort was comfortably saved by Ryan Fulton.
The Staggies were denied by the post on 58 minutes, after Leo Hjelde’s sublime cross was nodded towards goal by Andreu however the Frenchman’s effort bounced off the inside of the upright before being cleared.
Hughes made a string of attacking substitutions as the game neared its closing stages, and White rewarded the Staggies boss by claiming a timely debut goal. Michael Gardyne switched the ball out wide to Naismith on the right, with his low delivery turned home by the White from 14 yards.
County completed the turnaround four minutes later, with White this time the provider for Mckay to volley home the valuable late winner.
