Ross County moved one step nearer to the highest six of the Scottish Premiership after defeating Kilmarnock 1-0 in Dingwall.
Kieran Phillips’ Thirty fourth-minute purpose was sufficient to resolve the end result, regardless of the Staggies being put underneath stress for giant components of the match.
It may even have been 2-0 however for an intervention by VAR, however the guests will likely be questioning how they left the Highlands empty-handed.
It was Kilmarnock who had the brighter begin, maintaining County camped inside their very own half for many of the opening quarter-hour.
On the finish of that interval, Marley Watkins had time to take an extended ball ahead underneath management contained in the Staggies field, however Jordan Amissah was in a position to make an necessary save for each the preliminary effort and the follow-up.
Nevertheless, 10 minutes earlier than half-time it was Ross County who took the lead.
Phillips flicked the ball over Killie’s defence into the trail of Jordan White, who noticed his shot on the stretch smothered however not held, with Phillips following the play in to transform from shut vary.
On the hour mark, Amissah was as soon as once more pressured into motion, this time to parry clear makes an attempt from Brad Lyons and Fraser Murray.
Former County man Danny Armstrong practically got here again to hang-out his previous aspect simply seconds after being introduced on, once more testing out Amissah’s reflexes, with Watkins’ follow-up effort blocked.
The guests had been dealt a blow within the 73rd minute when Kyle Magennis, who had come on round 10 minutes earlier, went down holding his knee underneath no stress and had to get replaced.
Regardless of the stress that they had been underneath, Ross County thought that they had made it 2-0 within the 83rd minute after a substitute of their very own, Alex Samuel, turned his marker brilliantly out broad to cost into the field, ultimately squaring for Nohan Kenneh to show previous Kieran O’Hara and into the online.
Nevertheless, referee David Dickinson was requested to go over to the monitor to take a look at a attainable foul within the build-up by VAR John Beaton, and it was determined the purpose wouldn’t stand.
Maybe emboldened by their reprieve, Killie as soon as once more went looking for an equaliser because the clock ticked down, and Bruce Anderson had a golden probability to degree the scores however someway conspired to overlook from a few yards out.
What the managers stated…
Ross County boss Don Cowie: “It’s a big three points. That’s three wins in our last four games, and it’s probably our best three points of the season because we weren’t at our best.
“We had been disillusioned on Wednesday with the best way we carried out off the again of two actually good video games. There was a number of frustration from our followers, and rightly so, so it was necessary to react in a constructive method.
“To get three points today puts us on the same total we had for the whole of last season, and now we have nine games to really add to that.”
Kilmarnock supervisor Derek McInnes: “Performance-wise, we have been a bit unlucky not to get anything.
Nobody wants to hear that we’ve been unlucky though.
“It is necessary that my gamers knuckle down and stick collectively, and keep constructive.”