Ross County forced to settle for a point as Premiership match against St Johnstone ends in a draw
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Ross County 1 (Draper)
St Johnstone 1 (Conway)
Ross County slipped back to the foot of the Premiership as other results went against them and they drew 1–1 with St Johnstone at home.
Ross Draper had given the Staggies a first-half lead in the 20th minute, only for Craig Conway to score from the penalty spot five minutes later after he had been taken down inside the box.
Jason Naismith made his return to the Staggies line-up two-and-a-half years after leaving for Peterborough United, while Danny McNamara made his final St Johnstone start before returning to parent club Millwall.
County took control of the early exchanges, having the majority of possession as the Saints looked sluggish at the first whistle.
Clear cut chances of goal were few and far between for either side though, until Ross Draper put the hosts in front.
Naismith had delivered a dangerous ball into the middle from the right flank, which was not dealt with by the visitors with multiple County shirts looming, and Draper ran on to the loose ball to slot into the corner of he net.
It was a short-lived advantage though, as St Johnstone equalised five minutes later.
The visitors' response to going behind was to press County all over the park, and with the Staggies forced deep into their own half Keith Watson was sold short, and in his desperation to reach the ball he clattered into Craig Conway.
A penalty was given, and although Ross Laidlaw guessed the right way Conway himself converted to level the scores.
St Johnstone had the first real chance to make it 2–1 in the 66th minute, when they outnumbered County's defenders three-to-two on a counter attack.
When David Wotherspoon headed into the path of Chris Kane, the visitors looked destined to take the lead, but he missed the target.
The Perth outfit would continue to have the better chances, and it took a good save from Laidlaw to deny Liam Gordon, who had connected with a Conway free kick at the back post.
Laidlaw had another save to make from Murray Davidson before his opposite number Zander Clark produced a great stop with five minutes left on the clock to deny Keith Watson.
There would be one last crack at goal in stoppage time, and it came from an unlikely source in County left back Josh Reid, and it took another good save from Clark to keep the scores level at full time.
