Ross County go into winter break with defeat at Hearts in Edinburgh
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Scottish Premiership
Hearts 2
Ross County 1
Scorers – Hearts: Smith (4) Woodburn (43) County: White (73)
Ross County ended 2021 with defeat to Hearts at an empty Tynecastle on Boxing Day.
Goals in the first half from Michael Smith and Ben Woodburn gave Hearts a two-goal advantage.
Jordan White pulled one back midway through the second half but the Staggies were unable to find an equaliser.
Ross County will go into 2022 in 10th place, four points ahead of bottom of the table St Johnstone and two points ahead of Dundee in 11th.
Hearts broke the deadlock early doors after cross into the box found Aaron McEneff whose shot was saved by Ross Laidlaw but Smith was first to the rebound to slot home from close range.
The hosts came close to doubling their advantage minutes later when Woodburn was allowed to charge towards the box and got a cross in which found McEneff and forced a good save from Laidlaw.
Ross County had possession but few chances in the first half, their best effort came when Dom Samuel beat the Hearts defence in the air to meet Jake Vokins's cross from the left wing.
But from six yards out he couldn't guide the ball on target.
Hearts doubled their advantage just before half time after Ben Woodburn's strike took a deflection off Harry Clarke leaving Laidlaw flatfooted and unable to stop it going into the back of the net.
Hearts pressed for a third, with Jamie Walker charging towards the box and forcing a good save from Laidlaw.
But County got themselves back in the game 17 minutes from time when Joseph Hungbo's cross found White on the edge of the six yard box and turned it home from close range.
Harry Clarke almost got an equaliser for Ross County in the closing minutes when his shot from the edge of the box had to be parried out for a corner.
Hearts: Gordon, Smith, Souttar, Haring, McEneff (Walker 55), Woodburn (Mackay-Steven 77), Moore, Halliday, Cochrane, Mckay, Halkett (Kingsley 49).
Substitutes: Mcfarlane, Gnanduillet, Logan.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Vokins, Cancola,(Burroughs 45) Baldwin, Spittal, D. Samuel (A. Samuel 82). Charles-Cook, Clarke, Hungbo, White.
Substitutes: Munro, Paton, Donaldson.
Referee: David Munro
