Ross County recorded their fourth straight victory with a hard-fought 1-0 win against 10-man Partick Thistle at Victoria Park, with Craig Curran’s first-half header enough to separate the sides.
Curran struck on 33 minutes to move the Dingwall side three points clear of bottom-placed St Mirren, and within four points of ninth-placed Thistle, for whom midfielder Kallum Higginbotham was sent off midway through the second-half.
County manager Jim McIntyre named an unchanged side for a fourth game running, following an impressive run of three straight victories – including a 3-1 success against Thistle at Firhill a fortnight ago.
Partick also approached the game in buoyant mood, fresh from last weekend’s 2-0 win against Dundee United, with manager Alan Archibald drafting in Dale Keenan to replace Christie Elliott from that victorious side.
Thistle’s Steven Lawless had the first serious attempt on 11 minutes, flashing a drive over the bar from eight yards.
County had struggled to create clear cut-chances in the first-half, but took the lead on 33 minutes when Liam Boyce’s close-range shot was parried by Paul Gallacher, with the ball looping up into the path of Craig Curran who sent a cushioned header into the bottom corner.
The goal injected fresh life into the game, but Partick remained a threat and Kallum Higginbotham’s deflected low strike hit the side netting following a neatly-worked short corner.
County threatened early in the second-half when Michael Gardyne’s shot on the turn drifted wide, while at the other end Lyle Taylor’s goal was ruled out for offside. However, the Staggies were handed a boost on 59 minutes when referee Alan Muir dismissed Higginbotham for a crunching challenge on Gardyne.
There were chances for both teams in the dying stages, with Thistle substitute Ryan Stevenson thumping a strike into the side-netting, while at the other end Paul Quinn’s header was cleared off the line.
Substitute Filip Kiss twice threatened late on, firstly striking straight at Gallacher after being put through by Jake Jervis’ header, before dispossessing the veteran custodian moments later, only to stab his effort wide from a tight angle.
However, County held on for a valuable three points, to record four straight wins for the first time since February 2013.