Buddies are plugged in to Mains
Curtis defies pain to inspire a win
Diarmuid O’Carroll saluted his Main man for dragging himself off the treatment table and helping lift injury- hit Saints into fifth.
The Buddies were without Jonah Ayunga, Alex Greive, Scott Tanser, Keanu Baccus, Alex Gogic and Richard Tait with Curtis Main only passed f it in the morning following a hamstring injury.
But a blistering opening in which Declan Gallagher headed the only goal of the game blew away County.
And Main’s muscle was key in a bruising encounter as he and Tony Watt bossed the Staggies backline in a feisty encounter at a sodden SMiSA Stadium.
O’Carroll said: “We ask a lot of Curtis. He takes a lot of contact. He led the line for us fantastically and the fact he could dig in for the 90 minutes and perform to that standard was a credit to him.
“We’re fairly thin on the ground. We had young lads on the bench.
“But that’s what we’re all about. We want to create the next Ethan Erhahon and we keep going.”
On a d ay when Saints paid their respects to goalkeeping legend Billy Thomson, Trevor Carson produced his own personal tribute by securing the points with a brilliant 90th-minute save.
O’Carroll said: “I know Billy was close to some of the staff here. It’s nice for his family and in his memory we managed to get the result.
“Trevor’s done great work with Jamie Langfield, who was close with Billy. It’s fitting it’s a clean sheet and a home win.”
Saints flew out the traps and Main had a goal- bound shot blocked before they forged ahead in the seventh minute. Ryan Strain swung in a corner and Gallagher powered an unstoppable header beyond Ross Laidlaw.
County couldn’t lay a glove on Saints in the first half and Carson literally never laid his mitts on the ball until the 25th minute. But he produced the match-winning stop right on 90 minutes when he stuck a leg out to save an effort from Gwion Edwards.
To compound the Staggies’ miser y Owura Edwards was then redcarded after a VAR check for his follow-through on the rebound. Match-winner Gallagher limped off late on but O’Carroll said: “Hopefully it’s on the minor side but it’s pot luck at the minute.”