Hearts came away with a victory that flattered them, with the scoreline failing to tell a story of Staggies domination in large parts of the game.
County were given a huge pre-match lift by the news of leading scorer Liam Boyce signing a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2018. Following a first-half which County shaded, Boyce came close to breaking the deadlock shortly after the break when he rattled a powerful strike off the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Hearts took the lead just a few minutes later, courtesy of a fortuitous goal by Jamie Walker at a stage when County, ironically, looked their most dangerous.
Although County pinned the visitors well back throughout the remainder of the second-half, Hearts struck twice on the counter-attack through two excellent finishes from substitute Abiola Dauda.
County manager Jim McIntyre had elected to rest several players for Saturday’s 4-2 Scottish Cup victory against junior side Linlithgow Rose, but Boyce was one of seven players drafted in for last night’s visit of the Jambos.
Many eyes were on Boyce’s new attacking partnership with debutant David Goodwillie, while goalkeeper Scott Fox, defenders Andrew Davies and Richard Foster and midfielders Martin Woods and Michael Gardyne were also restored. Dropping out were Gary Woods, Alex Schalk, Brian Graham, Jonathan Franks, Jamie Reckord, Rafa De Vita, with defender Scott Boyd sidelined with a calf injury.
Hearts also rang the changes, with five alterations to the team that was held to a late 2-2 draw by Edinburgh rivals Hibernian on Sunday, including a first start for former Staggies midfielder Don Cowie. Robbie Neilson’s side had held the upper hand from the previous two meetings between the sides this term, having triumphed 2-1 in Dingwall in August, prior to a 2-0 victory at Tynecastle in October, and it was the visitors who were first to threaten within the opening few seconds, as Arnaud Djoum’s pass released Sam Nicholson, but he sliced a shot wide from the edge of the area.
Nicholson proved to be a lively early threat, and moments later he again tried his luck with a shot that flew harmlessly over.
It was also from long-range that County had their first clear-cut attempt, with Ian McShane curling a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide of Neil Alexander’s left-hand post on 16 minutes.
Less than three minutes later, McShane turned supplier for an even better chance, with his inswinging corner finding the head of Jackson Irvine, who thumped over from six yards.
The Staggies began to take authority of the game, with Goodwillie looking promising in the opening stages, linking up well with Boyce with a series of neat touches. He was denied a debut goal on 33 minutes after being released by Irvine, before the Scotland international cut on to his left foot and attempted to pick his spot, only to be denied by a deflection by the head of defender John Souttar.
County were doing all the probing, and it was Souttar once again who stood up to thwart the darting run of Gardyne, as the midfielder bore down on goal. Boyce was eager to celebrate his contract extension with a goal, and he had an attempt five minutes before the break after latching on to Paul Quinn’s long ball, but his shot lacked the pace needed to trouble Alexander.
The hosts edged the first-half, creating the better opportunities, but the Jambos had still shown glimpses of their threat. The Staggies continued to press early in the second-half, with Goodwillie linking up superbly with Gardyne, whose cross back towards the former Dundee United forward was diverted behind by Callum Paterson.
County were within inches of opening the scoring on 50 minutes through Boyce’s who bent a venomous strike off the crossbar following Irvine’s lay-off, while the Northern Irishman called Alexander into action with a header.
Just when it seemed like County looked by far the likelier to break the deadlock, the Jambos stunned the hosts on 53 minutes, as Cowie’s corner was knocked home off the unfortunate head of the otherwise impressive Irvine, before ricocheting off Walker and into the net.
The goal forced County to rally and McIntyre brought on Schalk in place of Goodwillie, with the Dutchman booked for diving just outside the visitors’ box, just moments before he saw a snapshot cut out by Alexander following Boyce’s marauding run down the left.
Despite County pinning the visitors firmly back throughout the second-half, substitute Dauda struck a quickfire late double on the counter attack, firstly drilling home from 15 yards, before curling home a fine strike from the edge of the box.