Ross County suffered late agony against St Johnstone – but they did enough to ensure a last-day win against Kilmarnock on Sunday will secure Premiership safety.
With Killie taking firm early command against bottom side Dundee United at Tannadice, County knew defeat to Saints would consign them to finishing in the play-off position at best.
For large spells it looked like that would be the case, as Stevie May’s double put them firmly on the backfoot.
A rapid response through Yan Dhanda’s penalty gave them a quickfire lifeline, with Jordan White levelling with 20 minutes remaining.
Jack Baldwin sent the Staggies support into raptures with what looked like the winner in the 90th minute, however there was still time for the crushing blow of a Ryan McGowan equaliser in stoppage time.
The late equaliser does not change the fact the Dingwall side would have needed to triumph at Rugby Park on Sunday in order to finish 10th in any case.
Malky Mackay’s men will still take heart from turning around what looked like a lost cause.
County made two changes from the side which suffered late heartache against Motherwell four days previously. Alex Iacovitti was sidelined having come off injured during the second half at Fir Park, while Alex Samuel dropped to the bench, with Dylan Smith and Simon Murray drafted back into the side.
Saints had the comfort of knowing they were safe ahead of the trip north, with County fans keeping a close eye on goings on at Tannadice in the match between United and Killie. While the Staggies’ fate could not be confirmed either way against the Perth side, they were eager to give themselves as much of a headstart as possible ahead of Sunday’s crunch fixture in Ayrshire.
The Staggies looked to show an early intensity, with Saints goalkeeper Ross Sinclair punching a deflected Yan Dhanda cross straight into the path of Jordan White, but doing well to thwart the striker’s effort.
St Johnstone offered a glimpse of their threat on 14 minutes when a long ball from Graham Carey played Stevie May in on goal, with skipper Keith Watson doing well to get the block in.
Saints had settled into the game and their breakthrough arrived on 23 minutes, when the ball found its way to May on the edge of the box, before he curled a low effort beyond Ross Laidlaw into the far corner.
On the stroke of half-time, a short corner by Dhanda picked out Kenneh, whose rasping effort curled just over the bar.
County went into the interval knowing they needed to build on it in the second half.
The Staggies had to thank Laidlaw for keeping them in the game on 49 minutes, when May let fly with an effort from 25 yards which the goalkeeper did superbly to touch on to the bar.
His work was undone just two minutes later though, when Kenneh was penalised for a trip on Montgomery. May stepped up to the task, and coolly sent Laidlaw the wrong way to double the advantage.
It was a long way back for County but they were handed a lifeline just moments later when Cammy Ballantyne was ruled to have handled in the Saints box. That allowed Dhanda the opportunity to halve the deficit, which he duly took by thumping high past Sinclair from 12 yards.
Mackay shook up his forward line by bringing Samuel on for Murray, with the Welshman making an immediate impact with a marauding run into the box before his eventual effort was well blocked by the legs of Sinclair.
County restored parity on 69 minutes though. Kenneh’s mis-hit strike from the edge of the box succeeded in setting up White, who managed to bundle the ball past Sinclair.
There was an anxious wait to discover the outcome of a VAR check for offside, however the home support was left thrilled when it ruled in County’s favour.
The Staggies piled on the pressure in search of a winner, with Smith heading straight at Sinclair after Kenneh flicked on Baldwin’s long throw-in, while Samuel was denied by a fine save after turning George Harmon’s cross goalwards.
County looked to have secured the winner through Baldwin’s piledriver from the edge of the box on 90 minutes.
The celebrations were cut short in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time however, when McGowan scrambled home from a corner – which was awarded following strong claims the ball was already out before hitting Connor Randall.
Player ratings
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw 6; Watson 7, Baldwin 7, Smith 7; Randall 7, Loturi 6 (Cancola 79), Kenneh 7, Harmon 6; Dhanda 7 (Tillson 85); White 7, Murray 5 (Samuel 56).
Subs not used: Munro, Purrington, Sims.
ST JOHNSTONE (3-4-3): Sinclair 6; Brown 6, Gordon 6, Considine 6; Macpherson 6 (Wotherspoon 67), McGowan 6, Ballantyne 6 (Phillips 67), Montgomery 6; Wright 7 (McLennan 88), May 7 (Rudden 85), Carey 6.
Subs not used: Wills, Gallacher, Mitchell, Kane, Murphy.
Referee: Nick Walsh
Attendance: 4,700
Star Man: Jack Baldwin
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