Ross County lose to St Johnstone in Perth but fate of finishing outside of relegation zone still in own hands as Kilmarnock beat Dundee
Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone 2
Ross County 1
Scorers - St Johnstone: Balodis (33) Watt (60) Ross County: Samuel (42)
Ross County have lost their seventh game in-a-row as they remain in the relegation zone after defeat against St Johnstone in Perth on Saturday.
The gap between the Staggies in 11th place and bottom of the table Saints is now only three points with two matches remaining in the regular season.
Daniel Balodis put St Johnstone ahead but Alex Samuel levelled for Ross County just before half time. But Elliot Watt regained the lead for the hosts on the hour mark.
Ronan Hale thought he equalised for Ross County with eight minutes remaining, but his strike was ruled offside.
The Staggies were unable to find an equaliser with Zac Ashworth sent off in injury time after picking up a yellow card.
Ross County remain in 11th on 35 points with St Johnstone still bottom but now on 32 points with a better goal difference of one.
However, the Staggies remain only two points behind Dundee on 37 points, who lost to Kilmarnock 3-2 at Rugby Park today.
Ross County head to Dundee on Wednesday night where a victory will move them out of the relegation zone before playing their final game of the regular season against Motherwell on Sunday, May 18 in Dingwall.
St Johnstone head to Hearts on Wednesday before they host Dundee in Perth on the final day of the season on Sunday, May 18.
Ross County have not won a game since beating Kilmarnock in Dingwall on March 1
St Johnstone took the lead in the 33rd minute when Balodis beat the Staggies’ defence in the air to nod the ball towards goal. Despite goalkeeper Jordan Amissah getting a hand to it, he couldn’t prevent it finding the net.
Against the run of play, Ross County equalised three minutes before half time when Kieran Phillips’ pass across the face of goal found Samuel who fired home from close range.
However, St Johnstone regained the lead on the hour mark when the ball broke in the box and Watt scored to make it 2-1 to the Perth side.
Hale thought he levelled for Ross County eight minutes before full time but his goal was ruled offside.
St Johnstone: Fisher, Douglas, Balodis, Sprangler, Steven, Watt, Holt, Curtis, McPake (Griffith 88), Sidibeh, Ikpeazu (Kirk 74).
Substitutes: Carey, Duke-McKenna, Franczak, Griffith, Kucheriavyi, Kimpioka, Clark, Sinclair.
Ross County: Amissah, Ashworth, Nightingale, Lopata (Campbell 73), Wright, Randall, Nisbet, Harmon (Smith 73), Samuel, Phillips (White 66), Hale.
Substitutes: Brown, Efete, Kenneh, Robesten, Ross, Tomkinson.
Referee: John Beaton
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