Ross County regained much-needed distance from the foot of the Premiership by coming from behind to defeat St Johnstone.
The Staggies went into the crunch Dingwall encounter against Saints knowing their opponents were hot on their trail in their efforts to haul Malky Mackay’s side into the relegation dogfight.
Callum Hendry’s opener provided the Perth side with an early platform, in their search for a victory which would have taken them to within a point of the Staggies.
After Regan Charles-Cook levelled towards the end of an even first period, County emerged thoroughly dominant after the interval.
A 14th goal of the season for Charles-Cook and a Joseph Hungbo strike secured a thoroughly merited victory, which moves the Staggies seven points clear of the relegation zone.
The win allows the Dingwall men to look up the way again, having moved to within four points of the top-half.
Saints’ 2-1 victory over Hearts the previous weekend, combined with County’s 2-0 loss against Hibernian, had threatened to tighten up the standings at the bottom end of the table.
County made two changes to the side which lined up at Easter Road seven days previously. Joseph Hungbo and skipper Keith Watson were restored, with Jake Vokins and Dominic Samuel making way.
There was limited goalmouth action in the early stages, with Saints’ Tony Gallacher producing the first attempt on four minutes with a snapshot from the edge of the box which was well gathered by Ross Laidlaw.
County struggled to test Saints’ well-organised rearguard, with a Joseph Hungbo free-kick which flew harmlessly over the bar their first effort at goal.
It was the visitors who made the all-important breakthrough on 24 minutes. Thomas Sang angled a ball into the box from the right flank, with Hendry timing his jump to perfection to steer a header beyond the reach of Ross Laidlaw.
The Staggies were in need of an attacking spark before half-time, and their first meaningful attempt resulted in their leveller on 35 minutes. Harry Paton showed good strength in the tackle against Jacob Butterfield to force the ball into Charles-Cook’s path on the edge of the box, and he stepped inside before planting a low effort into Elliot Parish’s far corner.
It proved to be the final goalmouth action of the first half, with both teams having made the most of the little that had fallen their way.
The Staggies made a bright start to the second period however, with an angled Hungbo delivery to the far post carrying just too much weight for Charles-Cook.
Jordan White was close to getting on the end of a Charles-Cook cross on 52 minutes, with Jamie McCart doing well to steer the ball behind.
The Staggies turned the game on its head on 55 minutes however. Jack Baldwin’s long throw-in from the right was allowed to bounce inside the box by the Saints defence, with Charles-Cook reacting quickest to hook an effort beyond the grasp of Parish.
Saints had offered precious little in the second half, and County punished them further by establishing a two-goal cushion on 66 minutes. A long ball forward by Watson was knocked on by White, teeing up Hungbo to drill a fizzing low strike into Parish’s bottom-left corner from the edge of the box.
County continued to push for more, with the game fast running away from Callum Davidson’s side. Charles-Cook was displaying no end of confidence, with a floated ball from the left flank not far away from reaching Hungbo at the far post.
Saints offered next to no threat throughout the second half, with an acrobatic effort by Theo Bair in stoppage time comfortably gathered by Laidlaw.
It was a thoroughly satisfying afternoon for the Staggies, and a timely psychological boost when they needed it most.
ROSS COUNTY (3-5-2) – Laidlaw 6; Watson 7, Baldwin 7, Iacovitti 6, Randall 6; Callachan 6, Tillson 6; Hungbo 8 (Burroughs 79), H, Paton 8 (Mackinnon 90), Charles-Cook 8 (D Samuel 84); White 7. Subs not used – Munro, Vokins, Ramsay, Drysdale, B Paton, Wright, Mackinnon.
ST JOHNSTONE (3-5-2) – Parish 6; Gordon 6, Cleary 6, McCart 6 (Bair 72); Sang 5 (O’Halloran 87), Butterfield 6 (Gilmour 72), Hallberg 6, Crawford 6, Gallacher 5 (Ciftci 60); Hendry, Middleton. Subs not used – Sinclair, Mahon, Brown, Craig, May.
Referee – Nick Walsh 6
Attendance – 3,151
Man of the match: Joseph Hungbo
