Ross County go four points clear of Kilmarnock after second half burst turns game on it's head
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Ross County 3 (Mckay x2, Hjelde)
Kilmarnock 2 (Lafferty x2)
A quickfire double at the start of the second half saw Ross County claim all three points against relegation rivals Kilmarnock, sending Tommy Wright's men to the bottom of the table.
Kyle Lafferty had opened the scoring in the 18th minute, only for Billy Mckay to equalise seven minutes before half time, and two goals in five minutes after the restart from Leo Hjelde and Mckay had County in cruise control.
A 77th minute penalty from Lafferty pulled one back for the visitors, but they could not salvage anything in Dingwall to stay ahead of Hamilton in the table.
Knowing that they could go four points clear of Kilmarnock with a game in hand, the situation could have inspired Ross County or piled the pressure on.
In the early stages, it was more of the former, with the pressure they put on Killie's defenders earning the ball back several times.
Sights of goal remained few and far between though, and it was the visitors who opened the scoring.
Kyle Lafferty's powerful effort from distanced was blocked, ricocheting off a couple of players, but while others around him appealed for handball the striker took the initiative.
He reclaimed the ball, moved into the penalty area and found the net just inside the far post.
County may have felt hard done by to be behind, but they would get back on level terms before the interval through Billy Mckay.
He got on the end of a brilliant cross from the right by Jason Naismith, which left the Northern Ireland international with a tap in from close range.
The game was in the balance at the break, but it was the Staggies who burst into life at the start of the second half.
Within 70 seconds of the restart they were in front, with Naismith again turning supplier as he picked out Leo Hjelde in acres of space to pick his spot and beat Colin Doyle to score his first senior goal.
That was backed up inside two minutes as Mckay scored his second of the game, taking Jordan Tillson's ball forward down and powering his shot into the net.
Mckay then had a shout for a penalty after being brought to the ground by Brandon Haunstrup, but the referee waved those appeals away.
Euan Anderson did point to the spot at the other end of the pitch with just under 15 minutes left on the clock though.
Keith Watson was trying to usher a ball out of play that did not look likely to reach, so he resorted to pulling down Greg Kiltie to ensure the Killie man could not reach the ball.
Lafferty stepped up to score his, and the side's second, bringing the deficit back down to one goal.
The visitors could not find another breakthrough though, and ended the game with 10 men after Ross Millen was shown a second yellow card just before the final whistle for dissent.
