St Mirren secured their third successive top-six end within the Premiership with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Ross County on the SMISA Stadium.
The Buddies began the afternoon understanding that nothing aside from a win can be ok to pip Hearts and Motherwell to the ultimate place within the high half.
They must do issues the arduous manner. Objectives from Caolan Boyd-Munce and Jonah Ayunga cancelled out Ronan Hale’s opener, earlier than Jordan White dragged County stage.
Roland Idowu handed up an excellent alternative minutes after coming off the bench however would redeem himself a minute later as he fired dwelling a priceless winner with 4 minutes left.
Saints boss Stephen Robinson had confused the necessity for his aspect to do their half with a view to seize the ultimate top-six place and his group responded by beginning on the entrance foot.
Within the ninth minute, an necessary intervention by Akil Wright diverted Declan John’s fizzing low cross behind for a nook.
After spending nearly all of the early phases defending, the Staggies surprised the house crowd by grabbing the opener with 22 minutes on the clock.
Zac Ashworth’s cross brought about panic within the Saints backline and, though efforts from White and Josh Nisbet have been blocked, Hale was readily available to slam the ball dwelling on the third time of asking. It took an excellent cease from Zach Hemming to forestall Hale from doubling his tally six minutes later.
The striker outmuscled Alex Gogic after which unleashed a robust strike that was tipped spherical a publish by the Saints ‘keeper.
Boosted by their opener, County have been starting to take pleasure in much more of the sport – however they’d be pegged again within the thirty seventh minute in beautiful style. Boyd-Munce collected Ayunga’s move earlier than rifling an unstoppable strike past Amissah from 35 yards.
Within the last minute of the primary half, Boyd-Munce tried his luck once more from distance with a low drive that was ultimately booted clear after being spilled by the County ‘keeper.
St Mirren accomplished the turnaround 4 minutes after the restart. Boyd-Munce turned supplier to slip the ball via for Ayunga, who coolly hooked the ball into the empty web after his first try was blocked by the legs of Amissah. The Buddies have been within the driving seat for a spot within the high six.
Nevertheless, that may all change because the guests discovered an equaliser within the 63rd minute. Ashworth’s deep nook was met by White, who discovered the web together with his looping header regardless of the perfect efforts of Boyd-Munce on the road.
Robinson threw on Idowu and Connor McMenamin for the ultimate 10 minutes in an effort to discover a winner.
It virtually paid dividends instantly as Idowu spurned an excellent probability after being picked out by a pinpoint supply from his fellow substitute. Idowu made amends simply 60 seconds later when he drilled into the underside nook from outdoors the field to ship the house followers wild.
Within the dying seconds, the information that the match between Motherwell and Hearts had completed goalless was met by a thunderous roar, and Robinson’s males would do their bit as they held on to seal a momentous victory.
What the managers stated…
St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson: “To do it three years in a row is an incredible achievement for this football club.
“That is my largest achievement. Individuals will say, ‘you bought to cup finals and bought to Europe’. The issues we confronted, they do not train you on the professional licence.
“Nothing has gone our way this season, nothing has fallen for us – we’ve had to fight and scrap for everything.
“I did not know the rating [at Fir Park] and I requested particularly that no person on the bench knew the rating. I do not know in the event that they have been mendacity to me.
“When we scored the third goal, I did ask the question and it was panic stations.”
Ross County boss Don Cowie: “I thought we performed really well.
“St Mirren away is a troublesome recreation, everybody is aware of the difficulties and challenges of that, and what was at stake for them. We needed to stand as much as that, and I believed we did that.
“Two of the goals we concede are from fantastic strikes from outside the box.
“At 2-2 I believed we have been the group that appeared most certainly to go on and win the match.”
