Ross County hold on for victory in controversial ending at Kilmarnock
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Kilmarnock 0
Ross County 1
Scorer: Murray (52)
SIMON Murray scored his first goal in the Premiership this season but his eighth competitive goal overall in the campaign to give Ross County victory over Kilmarnock.
The striker's second half goal was enough to give the Staggies the win at Rugby Park as they head into the international break in the top six at least for tonight.
However, Kilmarnock were raging they had a goal chalked off in the dying minutes as the referee had already awarded them a penalty which Ross Laidlaw saved to give Ross County victory.
Manager Malky Mackay made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Rangers last weekend.
Kyle Turner came back into the starting line-up to replace Josh Sims with Josh Reid replacing George Harmon and Will Nightingale replaceing Victor Loturi.
The first real chance of the game fell to County as a great free kick from Kyle Turner found the head of Jack Baldwin whose powerful header is well saved by Will Dennis.
Ross County thought they were awarded a penalty six minutes before half time when Simon Murray went down after Stuart Findlay got the ball off him.
Referee Kevin Clancy originally gave a penalty, but changed his mind after a VAR check as both teams went into the break goalless.
Kilmarnock had a great chance to take the lead at the start of the second half when Matthew Kennedy when he was through on goal but he hit his shot wide of the left post.
The deadlock was broken eight minutes in Yan Dhanda's superb cross finds Murray to tuck home close range. It was his eighth goal of the season but his first in the Premiership.
County should have doubled their advantage after the hour mark when a uperb ball from halfway from Kyle Turner found Jack Baldwin in the box. He laid it off to an unchallenged Jordan White right at the centre of the edge of the six yard box. But he blasted it over the bar.
In the closing minutes Kilmarnock were awarded a penalty but were furious that it was given as Stuart Findlay thought he had already scored when he nodded the ball into the net.
But Clancy chalked it off as he had blown his whistle for a foul and gave a penalty.
But Laidlaw guessed right and saved Daniel Armstrong's penalty as Ross County held out for victory.
Kilmarnock: Dennis, Mayo (Wright 88), Deas, Lyons (Cameron 88), Kennedy, Armstrong, Watson (McKenzie 66) Magennis, Findlay, Davies (Dallas 66), Watkins (Murray 88).
Substitutes: O'Hara, Sanders, Warnock, Polworth.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, Brown, Turner (Smith 88), Dhanda (Loturi 71), Murray (Brophy 71), White, Nightingale, Leak, Reid (Harmon 87).
Substitutes: Munro, Purrington, Sims, Henderson, High.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Attendance 5258.
