VI & MIGHTY
Stu hails County spirit as Iain sinks Saints
They could’ve licked their wounds after suffering a five-goal lashing from Celtic.
But Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell hailed his big- hearted Staggies for bouncing back in style to claim their f irst win in six games.
Midf ield maestro Iain Vigurs warranted a special pat on the back for his classy free- kick winner minutes from the interval.
And the County boss laughed off Alex Iacovitti’s cheeky bid to claim the goal.
Kettlewell said: “Iain was great. Big Alex was claiming a touch at the goal but I don’t think there was one there.
“It was definitely Iain’s goal. He has been doing it for years. I keep touching on the fact he was a team-mate of mine 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.
“But for us it’s about that cont rol of the game, somebody who absorbs pressure to go and play in a different direction.
“He was a huge influence on getting us the points.
“We hadn’t won in a few games and the pressure starts to mount. People want to jump on us.”
Callum Davidson’s men passed up a string of decent openings to break the deadlock – with Scott Tanser and Callum Hendry going particularly close – before being hit by a 42nd-minute sucker punch.
Tanser needlessly blocked a Michael Gardyne run. They opted to leave only striker Stevie May in the path of Vigurs as he lined- up an angled 22-yard free-kick.
And his curled delivery wormed its way through a crowded penalty box and beyond keeper Elliot Parish.
It was a bitter blow for a
Saints side which dominated but failed to test County keeper Ross Laidlaw until the closing seconds.
They were out of luck 12 minutes after the interval when Jason Kerr’s cross picked out Tanser whose powerful shot came crashing back off the bar.
And keeper Laid law performed heroics in the final minute to defy Perth sub Murray Davidson as County held on.