Tarnished are the hopes of a historical European football grabbing season from Malky Mackay’s Staggies after faltering to a stodgy Motherwell side who shut out County to cling onto all three points.
The European dream isn’t over just yet, however the task has been plucked out of the Staggies’ hands who will now have no rely on Hearts and Celtic to do the business against ‘Well.
Dropping down a place to sixth, the performance from County didn’t really merit that downwards shift. It was a game of graft, with Graham Alexander setting up his side to defend very narrowly and use their aerial dominance to protect the six-yard box.
The first half was frustratingly passive from a County perspective. The Staggies dominated the ball, however the majority of play was within their own half, as the ball was knocked around the midfield and defence without any urgency or rush.
There was a huge lack of killer instinct or creativity when trying to break the lines and form an attack.
The introduction of Joe Hungbo at half time did change that, and he drove at the Motherwell defence and played several good crosses across the face which were waiting to be turned in.
Lack of creativity robbed side
However the County front line, which ended up having three strikers and Alex Iacovitti bombarding the box, still couldn’t get that ball over the line despite both Jordan White and Blair Spittal having chances to score.
Ultimately, a point from the game was woefully robbed from Mackay’s side as a standard 50/50 to win the ball which was met at first contact by Alex Iacovitti was somehow deemed a penalty by David Munro after Kevin Van Veen threw himself to the deck after minimal contact from the follow through of Iacovitti’s clearance.
That was not the only dubious decision made by Munro throughout the match, however that may be one which costs County the chance to play European football for the first time in their history.
As aforementioned – it is not over yet, but with two games to go against Rangers and Dundee United it will take a big slice of luck for results elsewhere to go the way of the Staggies if there is any chance of the supporters digging out the passports for July.
