County resurrect late scoring habit to break Buddies
ROSS COUNTY co-manager Steven Ferguson felt his never-say-die side resurrected their Championship spirit to sink St Mirren at the death.
The Staggies, renowned for late winners last season en route to the title, were at it again with Marcus Fraser’s stoppage-time clincher.
The captain’s winner spared goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw’s blushes after his blunder allowed the Buddies to wipe out Ross Stewart’s second-half opener.
Ferguson absolved Laidlaw for his costly error, and added: ‘That’s the kind of never-say-die reputation we had in the Championship. The character of the team was fantastic.
‘Coming off the back of a couple of defeats, it was important we won the game today.
‘Stuart Kettlewell (County co-manager) and I felt it didn’t matter how we won the game today, the thing was to win. We also wanted to stop giving away cheap goals, albeit we did that for the equaliser.’
With County leading through Stewart’s strike, ex-Hibs keeper Laidlaw stooped to collect a low Tony Andreu free-kick, but let it squirm through his grasp.
But captain courageous Fraser got a touch on a swirling Michael Gardyne cross after two added minutes to seal a vital win.
St Mirren opted to kick off with the powerful, blustery wind behind them and much of County’s slick possession was toothless against the breeze.
There was concern for the hosts inside 35 minutes as Iain Vigurs hobbled off with a painful leg injury, with ex-Caley Thistle man Joe Chalmers taking his place.
Saints’ Kyle Magennis then burst forward at pace and sent a tremendous 25-yard blast rattling off the top of the crossbar for a goal-kick.
Sean McLoughlin had the ball in the County net just before the break after Laidlaw punched a Magennis free-kick, but a delayed offside flag on Jon Obika’s touch spared the Staggies.
County, with the wind at their back after the break, produced a stunning attack a couple of minutes after the restart.
A slick passing move ended with on-loan Celt Ewan Henderson — making his debut — slipping a square ball into the path of the excellent Harry Paton 16 yards out.
The Canadian’s low connection was heading inside the right-hand post, but Vaclav Hladky dived to touch it past.
St Mirren then lost Gary Mackenzie to injury after the veteran pulled up suddenly, with replacement Kirk Broadfoot marking his return to the Paisley club from Kilmarnock.
County’s breakthrough came two minutes after the hour.
Richard Foster sent over a dangerous cross from the left, which was flicked on by the head of the rising Billy Mckay.
Stewart took a touch before placing a firm, confident finish past Hladky. It was his seventh goal of a highly-promising start to the season and against his former employers at that.
However, County’s hard-earned lead was soon undone by the goalkeeping error.
Andreu’s low strike from 22 yards looked easy meat for Laidlaw but the ball squirmed out of his hands and into the net.
It looked forlorn for County until Gardyne’s injury-time cross from deep left evaded Stewart but found Fraser surging in to beat Hladky for the winner.
Saints boss Jim Goodwin lamented his team’s lack of luck.
He said: ‘We’re obviously hugely disappointed again. We were so on top in the first half and felt we had scored a legitimate goal.
‘Obviously if we get the break there we go in a goal up at half-time. We were well on top.
‘It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t make that 15 to 20-minute spell count and go in front.
‘No doubt Ross County will be delighted but I felt we were the better team on the day and I don’t think we deserved to lose the game.’
ROSS COUNTY (4-1-4-1): Laidlaw; Fraser, Watson, Fontaine, Foster; Vigurs (Chalmers 36); Stewart, Henderson (Mullin 77), Paton, Gardyne; Mckay (Graham 72). Subs (not used): Ruddy, Grivosti, Spittal, Power. Booked: Stewart, Fraser.
ST MIRREN (4-4-2): Hladky; McGinn, MacKenzie (Broadfoot 49), McLoughlin, Waters; McAllister (Durmus 73), Foley, Flynn, Magennis; Morais, Obika (Andreu 66). Subs (not used): Lyness, Mullen, Djorkaeff, MacPherson. Booked: McAllister.
Referee: Colin Steven. Attendance: 3,637.