LET’S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF
Saints’ misery mounts as Ross makes amends
ST JOHNSTONE plunged deeper into relegation zone isolation with a sixth straight league defeat as Ross County won the battle at the bottom.
Beset by problems ahead of kick-off with four top-team players in quarantine after being identified as Covid contacts, Callum Davidson’s men were brushed aside by a Staggies side who have lifted themselves four points clear.
Ross Callachan’s strike secured the victory after Jacob Butterfield fired home his first Saints goal to cancel Regan Charles-Cook’s opener.
And it was no more than Malky Mackay’s side deserved against a ragged Saints outfit.
Bringing forward the winter break will surely be a blessing for embattled Saints. The only problem is they still have Celtic to face on Sunday.
County could have won by more. Callachan saw a firsthalf penalty smack back off a post – one of 20 attempts on the Saints goal – and the Dingwall men now leapfrog Dundee into 10th, having lost only to Rangers and Celtic in their last nine games.
With strike duo Chris Kane and Eetu Vertainen still in isolation, Saints’ problems were doubled as No.1 Zander Clark and Shaun Rooney joined the list of absentees.
It meant Elliott Parish started in goal for only the third time in 14 months while Lars Dendoncker was recalled.
County were fast out of the blocks and forged ahead in the 16th minute as CharlesCook netted his sixth goal of the season.
Jack Baldwin’s pass out of defence found Joseph Hungbo who was afforded far too much room to slip in the on-form winger as he took one touch before clipping over the advancing Parish.
But four minutes later it was level as Butterfield tried his luck from 30 yards and saw his left-foot drive fly in via a wicked deflection.
The Highlanders blew a glorious chance to retake the lead from the penalty spot after Hungbo’s free-kick caught the arm of Craig Bryson in the Saints wall.
But Callachan was left red-faced when his spotkick crashed off a post.
Parish made a point-blank save from Jordan White after the big striker got his head to a Charles-Cook cross before David Cancola had a 20-yard effort deflected wide.
It was bodies on the line stuff for Saints at times but their luck ran out in the 69th minute when the away side forged back ahead.
Charles-Cook’s cross from the right was perfect for White whose header crashed back off the far post into the path of the midfielder who could make no mistake.
County were well on top and sub Dom Samuel clipped the top of the crossbar with a wonderful curling effort.
Hungbo should have made sure of the points with nine minutes remaining when he raced clear but fired over. He then smacked the base of a post with a free-kick.
Saints made a late push with subs Glenn Middleton and Viv Solomon-Otabor giving them pace on the left, the latter seeing his dangerous cross touched away by Ash Maynard-Brewer.