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Ross County and St Johnstone entertain in Premiership draw


By Andrew Henderson

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Ross County 2 (Chalmers, Spittal)

St Johnstone 2 (May, Kennedy)

Ross County and St Johnstone played out an entertaining draw in Dingwall, with both sides having to come from behind at different points in the match.

Joe Chalmers had given the Staggies an early lead, but with St Johnstone coming back into the game strongly it took a Blair Spittal free kick to draw the home side back level.

Picture - Ken Macpherson, Inverness. BetFred Cup 2nd Round Partick Thistle(3) v Ross County(2). 17.08.19. Ross County's Blair Spittal celebrates his goal.
Picture - Ken Macpherson, Inverness. BetFred Cup 2nd Round Partick Thistle(3) v Ross County(2). 17.08.19. Ross County's Blair Spittal celebrates his goal.

County seemed happy to sit and play on the counter attack in the early going, and they had some success with that tactic.

Ross Stewart looked a threat with his pace on the right wing, and the Staggies took the lead through a move he started,

He got the better of Scott Tanser in the 10th minute and put a dangerous cross into the box towards Billy Mckay, who was only able to chest it towards goal.

Zander Clark made a great save to tip the ball on to the post, but it was not cleared and Joe Chalmers came in to find the bottom corner.

The Saints would come back into the game strongly though, and won a penalty when Tom Grivosti was adjudged to have bundled over Danny Swanson inside the area.

Stevie May stepped up, but for the second week in a row Ross Laidlaw guessed the right way and made a save from the spot.

Rather than demoralise the Perth side, who sat bottom of the table without a league win this season going into the match, that seemed to spur them on.

A minute later Matthew Kennedy went on a marauding run into the box and cut back for May, forcing Keith Watson to make a crucial block.

But the visitors would level before half time, with May finally finding the net for his first goal since re-joining the Saints after getting on the end of Swanson's neat flick through and finishing well into the bottom corner.

St Johnstone's attacking intent would continue after the interval, and they took the lead in the 51st minute.

Mckay had gone down with an apparent head injury for County, but play was allowed to continue and Kennedy found the net from 25 yards, with a little help from the inside of the post.

The game became fairly bad-tempered, with the referee dishing out a flurry of yellow cards, but the game also opened up as County searched for an equaliser.

And they would get one with just over 20 minutes on the clock, direct from a free kick as Blair Spittal hit a beautiful strike that gave Clark no chance of keeping it out.

Both sides showed late intent as they attempted to find a winner, with Wallace Duffy stinging Laidlaw's hands with a speculative, but powerful volley from distance.

Richard Foster then had to make an important block from Christopher Kane inside his own area to keep the scores level.

Josh Mullin went close just into added time, but Clark was able to tip his effort over the bar, before Kane went close in a counter attack from the resultant corner.

But a fifth and final breakthrough could not be found by either team, and when the final whistle went it left each side to take a point with them.


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