Don Cowie applauded striker Simon Murray for inspiring Ross County to a crucial victory over European contenders Hearts.
The tireless 32-year-old epitomised the Staggies’ spirit as they fought for everything and secured a first home victory over the Edinburgh side in more than a decade.
Claiming his 15th and 16th goals of the season a few minutes either side of the break, Murray’s relentless running and selfless attitude set the tone.
The Staggies hadn’t humbled the capital club in Dingwall since Dutchman Melvin de Leeuw and Richie Brittain struck in the dying minutes of a top-flight clash back in September 2013.
It was also County’s first win of any kind against the Jam Tarts since March 2017.
But despite a chasm of 31 points separating the sides at kick-off, the hosts looked in rude health as they grasped only their second win in 15 games to move within a single point of the safety zone.
The triumph also took them a full 10 points above bottom side Livingston.
Yutaro Oda’s stoppage time reply came far too late for Hearts who never matched the hunger and desire of their home side.
Cowie said: “Our work rate and togetherness, with people putting their body on the line, was the most pleasing aspect today.
“I would have loved to have seen the game out with a clean sheet, but overall I’m happy with the three points.
“Simon has got so much energy and quality. He can be unpredictable at times, but that’s just the way he is.
“He’s got that never say die attitude which led to the opening goal, and his second finish was very clinical so I’m very pleased for him.
“We were playing against a very good team, comfortably third in the league for a reason.
“Beating them here has to give us confidence going into the last eight games of the season.”
Dhanda giving all for County cause
County, buoyed by Yan Dhanda’s equaliser against Hibs deep in stoppage time on Wednesday, gave the Englishman – bound for Hearts in the summer – his first start since injury in mid-February.
For all Hearts’ confidence and the big, vocal support behind them, County gave as good as they got in the first half.
Hearts’ supporters mischievously sang ‘he’s one of our own’ towards Dhanda, but the County talisman looked intent on causing trouble for his future employers.
So did the lively Murray who posed them problems cutting in from the right.
A fantastic Murray run saw him drive in along the bye-line before nipping the ball across the six-yard box.
White, arriving on cue, somehow lifted the finish over the bar from less than two yards.
Shankland then flashed an attempt just inches over, while Toby Sibbick saw a superb first-time volley pushed away by keeper George Wickens.
County escaped again five minutes before the break, with Alan Forrest blocked and a ferocious Kenneth Vargas strike connecting with the underside of the bar.
County’s positivity never wavered, though, and three minutes before the break they took the lead.
Dhanda released Murray with a perfectly measured angled ball behind the defence.
Murray saw his attempt blocked by Zander Clark, but drove back onto the ball, dispossessing Sibbick before forcing a tight-angled finish into the net.
Murray doubled the lead within four minutes of the restart.
Forrest saw an attempt blocked by the Staggies’ keeper but County tore back forward.
Dhanda’s clever supply played in Josh Reid on the left who picked out Murray with a cutback before the erx-Hibs striker lashed home from 12 yards.
County must have known they were in for some fraught moments as momentum built behind Hearts’ recovery attempts, with Forrest rattling the outside of the near post from the right of the penalty area.
The comeback seemed on after 74 minutes after a Brophy foul was punished by a wonderfully struck Stephen Kingsley free-kick that flashed past Wickens from 20 yards.
To the away side’s dismay, though, a VAR check ruled offside against Shankland’s interference in play and the two-goal advantage stood.
From a free-kick, Wickens then tipped a Vargas header over the bar.
Substitute Yutaro Oda’s neat finish in stoppage time had home fans’ in fear, but County calmly saw it through.
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Wickens 7; Ayina 7, Baldwin 8, Leak 7; Efete 6, Sheaf 6, Loturi 7, Reid 7 (Harmon 90, 2); Dhanda 8 (Khela 77, 4); White 6 (Brophy 46, 6), Murray 9 (Sims 84, 3). Subs not used: Laidlaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Harmon, Henderson.
HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Clark 7; Atkinson 6 (Lembikisa 57, 5), Sibbick 7, Rowles 6, Kingsley 6; Baningime 7, Cochrane 6 (Oda 82, 3); Vargas 7, Denholm 6 (Grant 57, 5), Forrest 8; Shankland 7. Subs not used: Gordon, Devlin, Tait, Fraser, Tagawa, McLuckie.
Referee: Grant Irvine 8
Attendance: 5,267
Man of the match: Simon Murray.
