Captain Fantastic seals vital victory for County
Stuart Kettlewell hailed match-winner Iain Vigurs for playing a captain’s role as Ross County recovered from their Celtic mauling to ease the pressure with a badly-needed victory.
Vigurs’ free-kick three minutes before the break ensured County arrested a run of five matches without a win and recovered from last weekend’s five-goal hammering from the champions.
Kettlewell was critical of his side’s defending against the Hoops but they were unwavering in their rear-guard action at McDiarmid Park as they made the hosts look increasingly toothless in attack.
And at the heart of a resolute display, adding finesse to tenacity, was Vigurs.
Kettlewell said: “I thought Iain was great. Even when there were lulls in the game you could see him trying to drive his players on and trying to get a grip of the ball and get better control. I thought he was excellent.
“Big Alex Iacovitti was claiming a touch at the goal but I don’t think there was one there. Was it deliberate? Yes, it definitely was. He’s been doing it for years.
“I keep touching on the fact he was a team-mate of mine for many a year and I have a massive trust in him – hence why he got the armband.
“He is that guy who to some looks a bit lazy and a bit lethargic. But for us it’s about that control of the game, somebody who absorbs pressure to go and play in a different direction.
“I think he’s been terrific, in terms of coming in and being a captain and the role he’s played so far.
“I thought he was massively influential in getting us the three points.”
St Johnstone, with no place in the squad for new signing Craig Bryson, threatened first when wing-back Scott Tanser fired over from a tight angle after finding space on the left flank.
By full-time, it was a familiar theme, his wicked deliveries from the left flank posing peril for the County defence throughout. However, at times with the aid of last-ditch interventions, they coped admirably.
Saints twice appealed for a penalty early on, in the space of just two minutes, but referee David Munro was unconvinced by either Iacovitti’s or Vigurs’ alleged use of an arm in the box.
For all County’s intricate passing play, most of it stemming from the graceful Vigurs, their main threat in the opening half came from set-pieces. Twice from corners in quick succession they had the Saints defence worried, but goalkeeper Elliot Parish remained untroubled.
However, with half-time approaching, the Highlanders found the goal that clinched three precious points.
Tanser blotted his copybook by needlessly conceding a free-kick and Vigurs’ inswinging delivery from the right evaded everyone in a congested penalty box to deceive the static Parish and find the far corner of the net.
Tanser almost made amends in the 58th minute when his first-time effort from a David Wotherspoon cross cracked back off the woodwork but, in truth, Saints’ energy was not matched by a cutting edge and an instinctive shot from substitute Murray Davidson in the 90th minute was their first on target.
Ross Laidlaw was equal to it to seal a hard-earned victory for County that proved lessons had been learned from last Saturday.
Kettlewell added: “It was a big win. We’re not going to hide from that. We spoke to the players at the start of the game and the fact of the matter was we hadn’t won in a few games and the pressure starts to mount, and people want to jump on us and come after us.
“It was role reversal to last week’s result against Celtic. I thought we were better in open play last week than this week. But we defended our penalty box manfully.”