Ross County made a huge statement in their survival bid by moving off the foot of the Premiership with a courageous victory over Dundee United.
The day belonged to Jordan White, who came up with his first Staggies hat-trick when it mattered most.
The first of them came after just 38 seconds from an early corner, which Alex Samuel by putting United’s Ryan Edwards under pressure straight from the kick-off. George Harmon’s delivery was headed back across goal by Jack Baldwin, allowing White to nod home from point-blank range.
United responded well to going behind, with Loick Ayina somehow blazing over after checking inside Connor Randall to go clean through on goal.
The home side restored parity on 23 minutes, when John Beaton pointed to the spot after VAR had flagged a handball by Josh Sims, with Jamie McGrath tucking the penalty home.
County had to weather heavy pressure from Jim Goodwin’s men as half-time approached, however White restored the Staggies’ advantage on 57 minutes when he seized upon a mis-hit Nohan Kenneh effort to bundle the ball past Mark Birighitti.
White was poised to kill the game off from point-blank range on 72 minutes, when he tapped home a Simon Murray cutback to send the Staggies supporters home in buoyant mood.
Staggies come through test of mettle
Everything pointed towards a tense affair in the build up to the Tannadice encounter.
With just a point separating the two sides, it was a match neither could afford to lose. County knew they ran the risk of being cut four points adrift at the bottom with only three matches remaining.
United were also boosted by a capacity home crowd after discounting the price of their tickets, with the match also tying in with the celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of their last top-flight title triumph.
Any early nerves were put to bed by White’s opener, which silenced the home crowd just 38 seconds into the match.
United responded strongly however, and looked to have all the momentum behind them after Jamie McGrath levelled from the spot midway through the first half.
After weathering the pressure that came their way, County ensured it was all to play for in the second half and they duly took control of the match.
It was excellent game management by Malky Mackay’s men, which bodes extremely well for the next three matches.
The result lifts them into the relegation play-off spot, two points clear of United.
Looking up the way, they trail 10th placed Kilmarnock by a solitary point, with St Johnstone also potentially within reach.
With a 100% record from the post-split fixtures so far, the Staggies will feel they have momentum on their side – and in doing so they have piled the pressure on their rivals.
White steps up to goalscoring task
Within the opening minute, White’s opener ended a run of seven matches without scoring which stretched back to County’s 4-0 win against United in February.
It was to be the foundation for a memorable day for the attacker, who claimed his first hat-trick since joining the Staggies in January 2021.
His last treble came as a Caley Thistle player, in a Scottish Cup tie against Edinburgh City in 2018.
All three strikes were of the instinctive variety, which moves him up to double figures for the campaign. It is glowing reward for the work shift he constantly puts in to make himself a nuisance for opposition defenders.
Firepower is a valuable commodity for any team battling near the bottom of the table at this stage of the season.
Fresh from Alex Samuel’s goal in the victory over Livingston the previous week, Mackay will be hugely encouraged to White join him in goalscoring form.
Simon Murray could still have added his name to the scoresheet in stoppage time, but was denied by a save by Birighitti when he was clean through.
Colossal defending from Staggies
Following the match, United boss Jim Goodwin admitted the game was settled by what happened in both penalty boxes.
United forward Steven Fletcher was an obvious source of danger, given the impact he has had on the Tayside outfit over the course of the campaign.
While White was able to impact the play in the home side’s box, Fletcher was never afforded the opportunity to do likewise by County’s backline.
Jack Baldwin and Alex Iacovitti defended superbly throughout, and the fact the only blemish on their post-split work so far has been a spot-kick speaks volumes for the County rearguard’s reaction to their dire 6-1 defeat against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Talking tactics
Mackay rewarded Alex Samuel for his scoring impact from the bench, handing the Welshman his first start of the season in place of Simon Murray. Josh Sims was also brought into the side in place of skipper Keith Watson, to play as a wing-back, with Connor Randall moving inside as part of a back three.
Referee watch
John Beaton regularly consulted VAR, with the technology required to confirm Josh Sims’ handball which led to United’s spot-kick equaliser. Moments beforehand, he had waved away an appeal for the same offence by Alex Samuel. There would have been a heart in mouth moment for County fans when White’s third goal was checked for offside, however the goal stood with minimal delay.
Player ratings
DUNDEE UNITED (3-5-2): Birighitti 6; Ayina 7, Edwards 5 (Middleton 75), McMann 5; Niskanen 5, McGrath 6, Sibbald 7, Harkes 6 (Fotheringham 75), Behich 6; Fletcher 6, MacLeod 7 (Cudjoe 75).
Subs not used: Newman, Graham, Djoum, Freeman, Thomson, O’Donnell.
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw 6; Randall 7, Baldwin 8, Iacovitti 8; Sims 6 (Smith 55), Cancola 7, Loturi 6 (Kenneh 55), Harmon 6; Dhanda 6 (Tillson 75); White 8, A Samuel 7 (Murray 64)
Subs not used: Munro, Purrington, O Edwards, Hiwula.
Attendance: 10,138
Star man
Jordan White ran riot in the United penalty box, finding the space required to finish the day with a hat-trick on a day to remember for the Staggies.
Conversation