The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Boyce header Boyce header
WRIGHT ADDED: “They had the opportunity to put the ball into the box at will, which builds pressure.
“When we went to three we looked a bit better in terms of passing and keeping it.
“But if the truth be told, it was looking like drifting out at 0-0, but that didn’t happen. We just didn’t clear our lines and they eventually got the goal.”
County, though, are a team transformed and deserved their victory after piling up the chances relentlessly.
The Staggies had crashed three times to the Perth side this season, losing 2-1 twice in the league and by the same scoreline again in the Scottish Cup. But this is a very different Dingwall outfit from the one that toiled so badly through the autumn and winter months.
Indeed there were only five survivors from the last meeting of the teams in November.
Home manager Jim McIntyre was able to recall on-form Michael Gardyne who had missed the team’s victory over Dundee United on Saturday through the terms of his loan agreement. The move relegated Filip Kiss to the bench.
Saints made four changes from the draw with Hamilton with Simon Lappin, Frazer Wright, Steven MacLean and James McFadden restored.
Tam Scobie, Danny Swanson and Brian Graham were relegated to the bench, while Murray Davidson dropped out completely through injury.
It was fast and furious from the off but the best chance early on fell to the hosts when, with five minutes gone, when Martin Woods teed up a free-kick 25 yards out and sent his strike bouncing just a whisker wide of the Saints keeper’s left hand post.
Moments later, it was the visitors who threatened with David Wotherspoon’s run and dangerous, driven cross finding no takers in the County penalty area.
That set the tone for some fine, frantic football.
County’s intent was obvious as Jackson
Irvine, the Aussie under-23 international, charged in to try and meet a Raffaele De Vita corner, missing narrowly while at the other end, after 16 minutes, more good work from Wotherspoon forced County captain Paul Quinn to make a timely clearance with Michael O’Halloran closing in on the cross.
As the half unfolded, it was clear County held the edge, but the killer touch was eluding them.
A Quinn shot deflected for a corner, while a sweeping County attack on the right featuring Woods, Liam Boyce and Gardyne ended with a crucial Steven Anderson interception.
County went close in 31 minutes. Woods powered in a fierce, low drive that squirmed out of grounded Mannus’s grasp. Craig Curran went darting for the rebound but the keeper recovered as he slid in.
Saints best chance of the half came after 37 minutes when McFadden’s long, measured pass forward sent O’Halloran tearing away on the right. The Saints attacker found his measure in the pace of Irvine, though, and shot wide.
County stepped up their control of the game in the second half, but Saints defended resolutely and were always menacing on the break.
Gardyne seemed energised after the break as County picked up where they had left off and stepped up the pressure.
He took just seconds to rocket a shot just wide of target from the edge of the box while, four minutes later, Boyce’s pass between Craig Curran’s markers held just too much pace to control.
McFadden was subbed on the hour after making little impact as County continued to miss chances.
Irvine missed a clear header from another Woods corner while a Gardyne free-kick from wide right swerved invitingly across the penalty area without connection, allowing Mannus to smother.
The breakthrough eventually came as time ticked away.
Jamie Reckord floated in a cross from the left and there was Boyce to net with a perfectly-measured flick of the head past Mannus from eight yards.
Four minutes added on weren’t enough for the away side to rescue a point but County march onwards with seven wins and a draw since mid-February. Attendance 3,319 Ross County: Brown; Fraser, Boyd, Quinn, Reckord; Gardyne (Palazuelos 87), Irvine (Kiss 82), Woods, De Vita (Cardle 71); Curran, Boyce. Subs not used: Reguero, Jervis, Sernas, Meite.
St Johnstone: Mannus; Mackay, Wright, Anderson, Easton; Wotherspoon, Millar, Lappin, O’Halloran (Kane 86); MacLean (Graham 80), McFadden (Croft 60). Subs not used: Banks, Scobbie, Swanson, Graham, Miller.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.