Last-gasp spot-kick has Staggies on the rise
LIAM BOYCE struck a priceless late penalty winner to hoist Ross County six points off the bottom of the table.
In a fraught and tensionpacked tussle with Dundee the Northern Ireland international kept his cool in the final minute to score.
Both sides finished with 10 men after Dundee’s Danny Williams followed Jim O’Brien up the tunnel in the last 10 minutes.
County boss Jim McIntyre hailed his players’ survival spirit in a week when a section of their support clamoured to question the squad’s desire.
He said: “Even in adversity at the end, down to 10 men, we ground it out. There is still a long way to go. It’s a great result for us but we’re not there yet. We have Hamilton next and we need two or three more wins.
“We’ve got a group of players here who care and they showed it tonight.”
County leapfrogged the Dens men into eighth after grasping only their second league win since the Hogmanay Highland derby, while Dundee slumped to a fifth consecutive defeat.
There was a fierce wind in County’s faces but they were looking lively and it only took them seven minutes to score.
O’Brien was sharp to spot Boyce making a run into the box and the striker jinked his way past Kevin Gomis before cutting the ball back for Tim Chow to stroke home.
A Darren O’Dea header just wide and then a rasping Mark O’Hara strike suggested the Dark Blues weren’t going to buckle before Boyce skewed a County effort just wide.
Staggies captain Andrew Davies took a yellow for a late challenge on Henrik Ojamaa just as County lost Martin Woods to injury, with Chris Routis his replacement. Davies became the second County player to exit in 35 minutes, hobbling off to be replaced by Jay McEveley. Dundee keeper Scott Bain needed treatment after being caught by a boot and was in the thick of it again five minutes before the break after a mix-up between himself and Williams.
Craig Curran’s attempt to capitalise with the keeper out of position got caught up in the wind and was cleared.
The half closed in controversy – with Dundee drawing level from the spot.
Marcus Haber’s head-flick sent Ojamaa racing into the box and when the Estonian tumbled as he surged past Marcus Fraser, John Beaton pointed to the spot. County protested but O’Dea powered the ball high past Fox.
A towering header from Boyce was touched on to the bar by Bain before the break.
County turned with the wind and exerted pressure after the restart with O’Brien’s ambitious lob tipped clear just under the bar by Bain.
Soon after there were howls for a penalty as James Vincent miskicked a clearance in his own box with the home players adamant the ball had struck his hand.
County went close just before the hour when a Boyce header spun a whisker beyond the far post and Jason Naismith then blazed over.
The home side were dealt a blow in 80 minutes when O’Brien went down under Kevin Holt’s attentions to receive a second booking, this one for diving.
But the 10 men pressed for a winner and won a penalty when Gardyne, controlling and heading away from goal, was fouled by O’Hara.
Boyce sent Bain the wrong way before Williams saw red for a second booking for mouthing off to the official.
Dundee boss Hartley failed to show for post-match interviews but No.2 Gerry McCabe said: “It’s always a sickener when you lose a goal so late but you couldn’t fault the effort of the players.”
Fox 7, Naismith 6, Davies 4 (McEveley 35, 6) (Tumilty 79, 3), Fraser 6, Van der Weg 6, O’Brien 8, Chow 7, Woods 3 (Routis 26, 6), Gardyne 7, Curran 6, Boyce 7. Not used: McCarey, Schalk, Lalkovic, Dow.
Bain 7, Kerr 6, Gomis 6, O’Dea 7, Holt 6, O’Hara 7, McGowan 7, Vincent 6, Williams 6, Ojamaa 6 (Wighton 61, 6), Haber 6. Not used: Mitchell, Hateley, Ross, Klok, Higgins.
ROSS COUNTY – DUNDEE – Referee:
John Beaton.