ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY AS COUNTY BLOW IT AT THE END
THE figures make grim reading for Ross County. Played ten, won none, scored ten, conceded 22, points three.
But the bare facts do not tell the full story, far from it. The Staggies are not as bad as a glance at the Premiership table would suggest.
Indeed, even with a slight rub of the green they would surely be several points better off with a quarter of the campaign played.
But luck is the one priceless ingredient that Malky Mackay has so far lacked in spades in his tenure as coach.
And he and his shell-shocked players must be asking, ‘What next?’ after Dame Fortune delivered them yet another crushing blow.
County appeared assured of a point at least with the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time and the seconds ticking down.
But then up popped Livingston substitute Tom Parkes to shatter the illusion and inflict a fourth consecutive Premiership defeat on the bottom team.
Even David Martindale, the Livingston manger, expressed heartfelt sympathy for his Global Energy Stadium counterpart, admitting: ‘I think Ross County and Malky Mackay can feel a little bit hard done by coming away with no points. To be honest, they deserved more out of the game.
‘That’s how it is, though — and I’ve been on the wrong end of that myself multiple times.
‘But from what I’ve seen there is more than enough in that Ross County team to start picking up points very soon.’
County again contributed largely to their own downfall, with shoddy defending and repeated failures to convert chances into goals.
But the sight of Parkes rising above the defence to head Alan Forrest’s free-kick beyond Ash Maynard-Brewer and deliver a crushing blow to the hosts’ already fragile confidence was almost unbearable to witness.
County had opened the scoring after seven minutes. Arsenal loanee Harry Clarke collected a pass from Ross Callachan before slamming a right-foot drive from 25 yards past Max Stryjek.
Regan Charles-Cook and Joseph Hungbo epitomised County’s spirit of adventure down the flanks, but when the home side was presented with a gilt-edged chance to double their advantage after 24 minutes they failed to grab it.
Having been awarded a penalty kick by referee Euan Anderson when Charles-Cook drew a foul from Ayo Obileye, Jordan White failed to get enough power behind his spot-kick and Stryjek saved.
There was a sense that County would pay for such profligacy and that was borne out after 31 minutes when Livingston punished slack defending which enabled Bruce Anderson to make contact with a cross from Sean Kelly and steer his header from the centre of the box past Maynard-Brewer.
There was not a great deal that could have been done to deny
Odin Bailey in the 43rd minute. The midfielder collected Scott Pittman’s pass and beat MaynardBrewer with a delightful, arcing finish from 20 yards.
County were awarded a second penalty kick after Kelly put in a heavy challenge on Hungbo in the 66th minute inside the area.
This time Callachan stepped up to the spot and, while it was not the most convincing penalty we’ll see all season, it had enough power and direction to beat Stryjek.
But ultimately it was still not enough for County to garner any reward and they now face Dundee and Hibs in the space of four days knowing that they are probably just a couple of results away from a crisis.
That said, the redoubtable Mackay insisted: ‘I am really proud of my players trying to do what I am asking of them, with the power and pace they are playing at and the way they are training every day.
‘It’s obviously at my door as manager, that’s not in question, but I believe in this group of players.’