Ross County edge out St Johnstone as Vigurs free kick proves the difference in Perth
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St Johnstone 0
Ross County 1 (Vigurs)
A lacklustre display from both sides saw Ross County run out 1–0 winners against St Johnstone thanks to Iain Vigurs' free kick.
Neither goalkeeper had much work to do during the game, but the Staggies will not care one bit as they celebrate taking all three points back up the A9.
After playing some good football despite a lack of wins in recent weeks, County would have been hoping to come out of the blocks flying to put the hosts under pressure.
Unfortunately for the Staggies, it was St Johnstone who claimed most of the possession in the early going, which naturally meant the chances fell their way.
The hosts had two half-chances inside the opening 10 minutes through Scott Tanser and Callum Hendry, but both efforts missed the target.
St Johnstone believed they should have had a penalty a few minutes later though when Alex Iacovitti blocked another shot by Hendry. Referee David Munro said no, and repeated that stance soon after when the Saints appealed again, this time Iain Vigurs the subject of their appeals.
There was a change forced at the back for County after 18 minutes, when Connor Randall came off for Keith Watson. Randall has sustained a head knock a few minutes earlier, but though he attempted to play on Stuart Kettlewell decided to take no risks and brought on Watson in his place.
That switch did not stop Tanser being lively down that side though, and he was the main creative force for the hosts in the first half with his crossing.
County had actually had a 10-minute spell in the middle of the first half where they started to get on the ball more without creating much, but Tanser showed that the momentum was still with St Johnstone by sending a cross to the back post where Jason Kerr beat Josh Reid to the ball, only to head wide.
The complexion of the match changed just before the interval though when Michael Gardyne burst through St Johnstone's defence and won a free kick on the right side of goal.
Vigurs stepped up, and much like his effort against Celtic last week which hit the post, his cross went over everyone's heads in the middle – only this time it fell inside the post and into the net to send County into the interval 1–0 ahead.
Having the lead seemed to calm County down at the start of the second half, where they began on the front foot with most of the ball – although still without threatening to add to the scoreline.
If they needed a reminder that the Saints still posed a threat though, they got one in the 57th minute when creator-in-chief Tanser nearly turned scorer, getting on the end of a cross this time to hit the bar.
As such, with 20 minutes to play all three results still felt possible, with the game there to be taken by the scruff of the neck by someone on either team.
Gardyne threatened to be that man when he worked himself into a shooting position just outside the box, but his shot was high and wide, and no threat to Elliot Parish.
There was no lack of effort from either side, but sights of goal remained few and far between as the second half wore on.
As St Johnsotne pushed for an equaliser, the nerves would have started to build among County's group at the side of the park, and it took a big save from Ross Laidlaw in injury time to preserve their one-goal lead.
Murray Davidson, who had come on for the Saints earlier, somehow found acres of space inside the penalty area to pick his spot and strike at goal.
He connected well with his volley, but it was just too close to Laidlaw who managed to get a strong pair of hands behind the ball and push it to safety.
Without much time left in the game after that, it proved a crucial stop as Ross County saw out the victory to take all three points back to Dingwall.
