Ross County will need play-off to secure Scottish Premiership status for 2022/23 season after defeat away at Kilmarnock
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Kilmarnock 3 (Lyons, Armstrong, Vassell)
Ross County 1 (Dhanda)
Ross County's season is not over yet as they will need to win a play-off to preserve their top flight status.
Heading into the final day of the regular Premiership season, the Staggies knew that a win would be enough to take them above opponents Kilmarnock on goal difference, but the result did not go County's way.
Brad Lyons found the net in the first half, before Danny Armstrong converted a penalty against his old club in the second.
County were thrown a lifeline with a spot kick of their own, converted by Yan Dhanda, before Kyle Vassell headed over the line to seal the points for Derek McInnes' men, leaving County to take on Partick Thistle for a place in next season's top flight.
It was clear early on that it was not going to be a game for the purists, with several exchanges of head tennis between the two sides.
However, it was Kilmarnock who soon got the upper hand, pinning the Staggies back into their own half and forcing them to go long where the physicality of Killie's defence came to prominence.
Really, clear sights of goal were few and far between, but Ross Laidlaw was called into action midway through the half.
Christian Doidge was the man who came close to scoring, heading a brilliant cross towards goal and forcing the County keeper to tip the effort over the bar.
In the 35th minute, though, the pressure told as Kilmarnock took the lead.
It was a well-worked corner, aimed by former Staggie Danny Armstrong towards the near post where Brad Lyons had made the run and got to the ball first – flicking it in past Laidlaw at the near post.
Armstrong had been the key dangerman for Kilmarnock, and he would go on to double the home side's lead shorty after the restart.
Committing Alex Iacovitti and getting taken down, referee Kevin Clancy first thought the incident took place just outside the box, only for VAR to overrule that and award a penalty kick.
Armstrong stepped up himself, and sent Laidlaw the wrong way to double Kilmarnock's advantage.
The Staggies had to go all out for a response, and they got the perfect chance to half the deficit with a penalty of their own.
Again VAR had to intervene, as when Keith Watson was initially dragged down the Clancy played on until being asked to look at it again and pointing to the spot.
At that point, Yan Dhanda stepped up and picked out the top corner from 12 yards, giving County a lifeline.
Despite a period of pressure where the Staggies looked to try and find an equaliser, it was their hosts who scored the next goal.
Kyle Vassell, who had looked lively all game, saw two shots in-a-row blocked by County defenders, but his third attempt was a header that looped over the throng of bodies in the box and found its way over the line with a little help from the crossbar.
County could not find another response from there, so when the full time whistle was eventually blown, it confirmed that County would need to get past Partick Thistle in the play-off final to remain a Premiership club next season.
The Staggies will make the journey to Firhill on Thursday night, before hosting Partick in Dingwall in the second leg on Sunday afternoon.
Kilmarnock: Walker, Mayo, Taylor, Stokes (Wright 70), McKenzie, Armstrong (Watson 82), Lyons, Vassell (Robinson 89), Chambers, Doidge (Cameron 89), Polworth (Alston 89).
Subs not used: Hemming, Jones, Sanders, McInroy.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Cancola (Tillson 66), Baldwin, Iacovitti (Smith 66), Dhanda, Watson, Harmon (Edwards 62), Samuel (Loturi 83), White (Murray 46), Kenneh.
Subs not used: Munro, Purrington, Sims.
Referee: Kevin Clancy
VAR: John Beaton
Attendance: 8301
