Regan Charles-Cook and Ross Callachan help Ross County to narrow victory over St Johnstone to move out of Scottish Premiership bottom two
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St Johnstone 1 (Butterfield)
Ross County 2 (Charles-Cook, Callachan)
It will be a very merry Christmas at Ross County as a 2–1 win away at St Johnstone ensured they would move out of the Premiership's bottom two.
Regan Charles-Cook briefly put the Staggies in front in the first half before Jacob Butterfield equalised with the help of a deflection.
Ross Callachan then missed a golden opportunity to restore County's lead only to miss a penalty, but he more than made up for that error with his winner in the 69th minute.
With it being announced around 20 minutes before kick off that the Premiership's winter break would take effect after the Boxing Day round of fixtures, both sets of fans clearly tried to make the most of what could be their last match for a while.
They were treated to a good first half of football that saw both teams find the net, and more chances to score go begging.
The Staggies had early sights of goal without really threatening Elliot Parish in the home goal, with Harry Clarke and Regan Charles-Cook both letting fly without success.
Charles-Cook did score the opening goal of the match, though, finishing off an incisive counter attack from the visitors.
Jack Baldwin had initially regained possession for County with a smart interception, before Joe Hungbo saw the run of Charles-Cook and played an exquisite through ball to take him into the box.
With Parish hesitating slightly, it was Charles-Cook who got there first to lift the ball over the Saints keeper and into the net.
However, that lead did not last long as St Johnstone got back on level terms inside three minutes.
There was an element of misfortune from a County point of view, as it had looked like they were forcing their hosts back towards their own half when Jacob Butterfield hit a speculative effort at goal from long range that deflected off Ross Callachan – wrong-footing Ashley Maynard-Brewer and hitting the back of the net.
The evening got even worse for Callachan when he missed a chance to send County back in front from the penalty spot.
Hungbo's free kick was handled by Craig Bryson in the wall, and referee Willie Collum ruled in the Staggies' favour, only for the ex-Hamilton midfielder to hit the post with his strike.
Perhaps feeling the effects of that, County were put under pressure by St Johnstone who came out for the second half on the front foot.
They dominated possession and territory in the early going, but the only save Maynard-Brewer had to make was from a deflected Stevie May shot from close range that ended up going right into the Aussie's hands.
It was important that Ross County made it through that spell without conceding, even more so because when the third goal of the evening came, it was theirs.
Charles-Cook's cross from the right was met at the near post by Jordan White, who thought he had restored the visitors' lead with a glancing header that hit the woodwork on the other side of goal.
It bounced back into the six-yard box though, and poetically it was Callachan on hand to smash home from close range with just over 20 minutes left on the clock.
The Staggies nearly extended their lead five minutes later, as substitute Dominic Samuel clipped the crossbar with an effort from just outside the box.
County were served a reminder that the game as not already won, though, as May stung the palms of Maynard-Brewer.
Hungbo will feel he should have put the result beyond doubt when he blazed over as County had a two-on-one advantage on the edge of their opponents' box, but he very nearly made up for it moments later with a free kick that hit the post.
St Johnstone were starting to commit more and more bodies forward, which for a while meant there was plenty of space for Malky Mackay's men to counter attack in to, but as the clock ticked down it made for a tense conclusion to the match.
They managed to hold out, though, claiming three points that sees the Staggies move above Dundee and out of the Premiership's bottom two.
St Johnstone: Parish, Brown, Dendoncker, Gordon, McCart, Booth (Middleton 73), Davidson, Bryson (Crawford 72), Butterfield, May, O'Halloran (Solomon-Otabor 62).
Subs not used: Sinclair, Devine, Craig, Muller.
Ross County: Maynard-Brewer, Vokins, Cancola (D Samuel 69), Baldwin, Spittal, Callachan, Watson (Randall 46), Charles-Cook (Tillson 75), Clarke, Hungbo, White.
Subs not used: Laidlaw, A Samuel, Burroughs, Paton.
