Saints' sucker punch ends Staggies unbeaten run
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ROSS County manager Derek Adams has paid tribute to the players who created a remarkable 40-game unbeaten streak – after watching it broken against the run of play on home turf.
The Staggies’ gaffer paid tribute to his side after the bitter disappointment of going down 2-1 to battling St Johnstone, who played the majority of the tie in Dingwall with 10 men.
Adams, who said later it was his side’s best performance since joining the top flight of Scottish football, acknowledged two poor goals put paid to the undefeated league run which had stretched back more than a year.
Saints struck on the half-hour mark through Liam Craig, whose 30-yarder found the back of the County net.
Joy turned to despair a minute or so later when the Perth side saw Rowan Vine dismissed for violent conduct. The balance seemed to swing in County’s favour with the home side enjoying the majority of possession.
It wasn’t until after half time that Sam Morrow was able to get on the end of a Grant Munro cross to equalise from close range in the 67 minute.
But battling St Johnstone simply refused to throw in the towel and gained the advantage against the run of play minutes from the end through a Frazer Wright header from a corner kick.
A County onslaught – Rocco Quinn, Gary Glenn, Ross Tokely and Scott Boyd all having chances – failed to bring the game back to level terms. Colin McMenamin, who came on as a substitute, later forced a full range save from the Saints’ stopper.
The defeat leaves Ross County in eighth position in the SPL on eight points – the same tally as Dundee Utd and St Johnstone. Highland rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who fought back after going two down for a draw at Hibs, are second from bottom, a point above basement side, Dundee.
County’s next SPL opposition will be St Mirren. The Staggies make the trip to Paisley next Saturday.
Full match report, analysis and reaction, plus latest from the County camp, in next week’s Ross-shire Journal.
