Ross CountyRoss County |
1 - 01 - 0 |
St JohnstoneSt Johnstone |
League (Premiership) |
Goalscorers | |
Liam Boyce (84) |
None. |
Team Managers | |
Jim McIntyre |
Tommy Wright |
Starting Eleven | |
21. Mark Brown 44. Marcus Fraser 5. Scott Boyd 43. Paul Quinn 12. Jamie Reckord 36. Jackson Irvine 26. Martin Woods 40. Michael Gardyne 24. Raffaele De Vita 11. Craig Curran 16. Liam Boyce |
Alan Mannus David Mackay Simon Lappin Frazer Wright Steven Anderson Christopher Millar Steven MacLean David Wotherspoon James McFadden Brian Easton Michael O'Halloran |
Bench | |
Antonio Reguero Abdoulaye Meite Ruben Palazuelos 10. Filip Kiss 7. Joe Cardle Darvydas Sernas 9. Jake Jervis |
Steven Banks Thomas Scobbie Daniel Swanson Brian Graham Gary Miller Lee Croft Christopher Kane |
Substitutions | |
Joe Cardle for Raffaele De Vita (70) Filip Kiss for Jackson Irvine (82) Ruben Palazuelos for Michael Gardyne (87) |
Lee Croft for James McFadden (60) Brian Graham for Steven MacLean (80) Christopher Kane for Michael O'Halloran (85) |
Cautions | |
Jackson Irvine (60) |
Steven MacLean (38) James McFadden (50) David Mackay (54) Lee Croft (64) |
Red Cards | |
None. | None. |
Match Officials | |
Kevin Clancy (Referee) |
Source unknown.
A late header from Liam Boyce maintained Ross County's remarkable run of form, making it seven wins in an eight-game unbeaten run.
The Irishman steered home a cross from Jamie Reckord with a smart, looping header after 84 minutes.
And it was reward for the Staggies creating the best chances in Dingwall.
Martin Woods went close with a free-kick, Alan Mannus made a good first-half double save and Rafa Da Vitta missed with a diving header.
The victory keeps the Dingwall side three points ahead of Motherwell in the relegation play-off place, while they move to within a point of Partick Thistle.
St Johnstone, on course for a fourth successive top-six finish, seldom troubled home goalkeeper Mark Brown and missed the opportunity to leapfrog Dundee United into fourth spot.
It was County who threatened first when Martin Woods fired a curling free kick over the defensive wall but just a yard wide, with Mannus sprawling.
The home side took a grip of proceedings with Saints forced deep to defend their penalty area in numbers.
And the breakthrough almost arrived when Woods gathered centrally and fired in a low effort that had Alan Mannus diving full length to save.
Craig Curran slid in for what seemed a certain goal as the ball squirmed loose but Mannus reacted quickly and effectively to scramble across and hold on under pressure from the County frontman.
St Johnstone struggled to create openings and James McFadden and Michael O'Hallaron should have done better after getting into promising positions.
County looked determined at the start of the second period with Michael Gardyne prominent in each and every attack.
The midfielder gathered on the edge of the box, controlling on his chest before firing a volley narrowly wide.
Gardyne then delivered a wonderful ball across goal from the right which the stooping Raffaele De Vita could not quite direct on target.
Boyce went close when he cut inside superbly, only to curl an effort inches wide with strike partner Craig Curran unimpressed given that a square pass may have left an easy finish.
However, Boyce did prove to be the difference with a composed late finish just as it seemed a share of the points was inevitable.
Full-back Jamie Reckord gathered on the left and delivered a deep cross into a crowded area, with Boyce peeling off his marker and calmly nodding the ball just inside the post.
Given Motherwell's emphatic win over bottom side St Mirren, a fifth home victory for the Staggies may prove crucial come the end of the season.
2014/15 | All Time | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Nat | ![]() |
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|
Mark Brown (GK) | 34 |
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21 | - | 67 | - |
Jamie Reckord | 23 |
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21 | 1 | 21 | 1 |
Paul Quinn | 29 |
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24 | 3 | 24 | 3 |
Scott Boyd | 28 |
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29 | - | 282 | 12 |
Marcus Fraser | 20 |
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10 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
Raffaele De Vita | 27 |
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8 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
Michael Gardyne | 29 |
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20 | 4 | 231 | 51 |
Martin Woods | 29 |
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22 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
Jackson Irvine | 22 |
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25 | 2 | 25 | 2 |
Craig Curran | 25 |
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13 | 5 | 13 | 5 |
Liam Boyce | 23 |
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27 | 5 | 27 | 5 |
Ruben Palazuelos (sub) | 31 |
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5 | - | 5 | - |
Filip Kiss (sub) | 24 |
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29 | - | 46 | 6 |
Joe Cardle (sub) | 28 |
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23 | - | 23 | - |
No league table has been added for this season.