Josh Sims is growing used to playing the saviour in Dingwall.
Every once in a while, the former Southampton winger would like to be part of a plain, straightforward victory.
As an 87th minute substitute in early June, Sims was to strike home the clinching penalty kick in the Premiership play-off shoot-out against Partick Thistle.
Since then, very little has been plain sailing for the Staggies.
Saturday was a case in point. By half-time, Eamonn Brophy’s double had the Dingwall team seemingly cruising towards victory.
To seasoned observers of the Highland team, though, it seemed too straightforward – ominously so.
And so it proved. Bruce Anderson’s double had the scoreline level by the 86th minute and it then took another dramatic Sims intervention in stoppage time to rescue a massive three points for Don Cowie’s side.
“It does feel good to have got the winner, but it was much closer than it should have been,” Sims admitted.
“I shouldn’t have had to be scoring a winning goal like that, as much as it feels good for me personally.
“It was far too close at the end. In the first half, we absolutely dominated them, but they are a team that hangs in and gets moments in games like they did.
“That’s what they came here to do and we fell into that trap. We probably felt too comfortable and let it slide.
“But it’s good to get three points because that was a big game for us and we need to push on now.
“It’s always a good feeling scoring a last minute goal but, hopefully, next time it won’t be the same circumstances.”
It was County’s first win of 2024 and Don Cowie’s first as interim manager, crucially taking them back to six points above bottom side Livingston.
They will now have the opportunity on Tuesday of adding another three points at home to fifth place St Mirren, an outcome that would heap more pressure on the Lions and Motherwell who face each other on Wednesday evening.
“This win will definitely be huge psychologically for us and for the new gaffer as well, getting his first win as a manager,” the 26-year-old Sims said.
“As a group, we need to push on now and I think we can do that.
“The management change has lifted the mood about the place. A new manager always gives an extra lift and we’ve known the gaffer a long time.
“Changing it from ‘Don’ to ‘gaffer’ has probably been the hardest thing! Some have slipped up but he accepts it’s just one of those things.
“We are now looking up rather than behind us and teams looking down at us will be worried now that we have confidence back.
“It’s good we’ve got another game on Tuesday. You want them coming thick and fast.
“We’ll be buzzing come Tuesday and St Mirren won’t want to play us after this win.”
