The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
White hat-trick boosts bid to survive
Ross County made a huge statement in their survival bid by moving off the foot of the Premiership with a courageous victory over Dundee United.
The day belonged to Jordan White, who came up with his first Staggies hat-trick when it mattered most.
The first of them came after just 38 seconds from an early corner, which Alex Samuel won by putting United’s Ryan Edwards under pressure straight from the kick-off.
George Harmon’s delivery was headed back across goal by Jack Baldwin, allowing White to nod home from point-blank range.
United responded well to going behind, with Loick Ayina somehow blazing over after checking inside
Connor Randall to go clean through on goal.
The home side restored parity on 23 minutes, when John Beaton pointed to the spot after VAR had flagged a handball by Josh Sims, with Jamie McGrath tucking the penalty home.
County had to weather heavy pressure from Jim Goodwin’s men as halftime approached. However White restored the Staggies’ advantage on 57 minutes when he seized upon a mishit Nohan Kenneh effort to bundle the ball past Mark Birighitti.
White then killed the game off from point-blank range on 72 minutes, when he tapped home a Simon Murray cutback to send the Staggies supporters home in buoyant mood.
Everything pointed towards a tense affair in the build-up to the
Tannadice encounter. With just a point separating the two sides, it was a match neither could afford to lose.
County knew they ran the risk of being cut four points adrift at the bottom with only three matches remaining.
United were also boosted by a capacity home crowd after discounting the price of their tickets, with the match also tying in with the celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of their last top-flight title triumph.
Any early nerves were put to bed by White’s opener, which silenced the home crowd just 38 seconds into the match.
United responded strongly however, and looked to have all the momentum behind them after Jamie McGrath levelled from the spot midway through the first half.
After weathering the pressure that came their way, County ensured it was all to play for in the second half and they duly took control of the match.
It was excellent game management by Malky Mackay’s men, which bodes extremely well for the next three matches.
The result lifts them into the relegation playoff spot, two points clear of United.
Looking up the way, they trail 10th-placed Kilmarnock by a solitary point, with St Johnstone also potentially within reach.
With a 100% record from the post-split fixtures so far, the Staggies will feel they have momentum on their side – and they have piled the pressure on their rivals.
Within the opening minute, White’s opener ended a run of seven matches without scoring which stretched back to County’s 4-0 win against United in February.
It was to be the foundation for a memorable day for the attacker, who claimed his first hat-trick since joining the Staggies in January 2021.
His last treble came as a Caley Thistle player, in a Scottish Cup tie against Edinburgh City in 2018.
All three strikes were of the instinctive variety, and they move him up to double figures for the campaign.
It is glowing reward for the hard shift he constantly puts in to make himself a nuisance for opposition defenders.
Firepower is a valuable commodity for any team battling near the bottom of the table at this stage of the season.
Fresh from Alex Samuel’s goal in the victory over Livingston the previous week, Mackay will be hugely encouraged to see White join him in goalscoring form.
Simon Murray could still have added his name to the scoresheet in stoppage time, but was denied by a save by Birighitti when he was clean through.
Following the match, United boss Jim Goodwin admitted the game was settled by what happened in both penalty boxes.
United forward Steven Fletcher was an obvious source of danger, given the impact that he has had on the Tayside outfit over the course of the campaign.
While White was able to impact the play in the home side’s box, Fletcher was never afforded the opportunity to do likewise by County’s backline.
Jack Baldwin and Alex Iacovitti defended superbly throughout, and the fact the only blemish on their post-split work so far has been a spot-kick speaks volumes for the County rearguard’s reaction to their dire 6-1 defeat against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Mackay rewarded Alex Samuel for his scoring impact from the bench, handing the Welshman his first start of the season in place of Simon Murray.
Sims was also brought into the side in place of skipper Keith Watson, to play as a wing-back, with Connor Randall moving inside as part of a back three.
Jim Goodwin lamented a dismal defensive display as his Dundee United side slipped back to the foot of the cinch Premiership with a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of relegation rivals Ross County.
The Tayside outfit started the afternoon in 10th place and ended it two points adrift at the foot of the table with three games to play after being leapfrogged by both the Staggies and Kilmarnock.
A hat-trick of close-range finishes from Jordan White did the damage, and United manager Goodwin was furious with the way the County striker was allowed so much space.
“It was poor defensively, far too easy at times,” he said. “It was the basics, dropping players and not marking on the right side, something we have been good at for weeks.
“It’s really difficult to take because I felt we were making progress, so to defend like that and go back to losing goals like those, it is really disappointing.
“I thought we’d eradicated it but it has raised its ugly head again.
“We have been given credit for the fight, aggression and determination we have shown lately, but I felt the difference between the two teams was in the boxes.
“County man-handled (United striker) Steven Fletcher and were aggressive with him, but in our box Jordan White got too much joy. He dictated to our defenders today and that disappoints me.
“The players have been told it wasn’t acceptable. It’s probably best if I don’t say what was said.
“You can hold your hands up if a team carves you open but those three goals were so avoidable.
“We have put ourselves in a difficult position now with results elsewhere and we’re bottom of the table again.”
County boss Malky Mackay was delighted with the way his side handled the occasion as they set about silencing a bumper crowd of more than 10,000 United fans before climbing off the bottom of the table.
“We knew we had to start fast, knowing there was going to be 10,000 fans and the intensity that could bring for Dundee United,” said Mackay, whose side took the lead after just 38 seconds and then scored two more in the second half after Jamie McGrath’s firsthalf penalty had levelled things up.
“Coming out it was like the old days at Tannadice, all that tangerine, so it was terrific to see.
“I told them we have to start well and get the first goal, so we were delighted we did.
“At half-time I asked them to raise the energy levels and give what they gave against Livingston. We got our goals and could have scored another couple.”