Ross County battled back to secure a 1-1 draw against Aberdeen in a close-fought encounter in Dingwall.
Neither side could find the breakthrough in an uneventful first half, however the game burst into life just three minutes after the interval when the returning Jonny Hayes put the Dons ahead.
The lead lasted only five minutes before County levelled through Ross Callachan. The Dons looked the likelier to net a winner but both sides had to be content with the point.
On a night in which the majority of Premiership matches finished as draws, the result keeps both teams where they started the night. Aberdeen remain sixth, while County continue to occupy 10th spot.
County made three changes from the side which struck late to draw 3-3 with Rangers at the weekend. Goalkeeper Ash Maynard-Brewer failed to recover from a facial injury he suffered late in the game, while Jack Baldwin was also ruled out. Harry Paton dropped to the bench, with Ross Laidlaw, Keith Watson and Dominic Samuel drafted in.
The Dons were back in action following the postponement of their home match with St Johnstone at the weekend. Stephen Glass also made three changes from the side which went down 1-0 to St Mirren last Tuesday. Ryan Hedges had since departed for Blackburn Rovers, while Teddy Jenks and Dean Campbell also dropped out.
That meant a debut for Dutch winger Vicente Besuijen, while Hayes returned from injury and Dylan McGeouch also came in from the start.
It was the Dons who threatened first, with a pinpoint Calvin Ramsay free-kick finding the head of Lewis Ferguson whose near post effort forced a strong diving save by Laidlaw.
Besuijen looked eager to make his presence felt early in the game, with a delivery from the right cut out by Laidlaw with Christian Ramirez lurking.
The Staggies looked to impose their own attacking threat on the visitors, with a Joseph Hungbo free-kick from a wide left position well off target on the quarter-hour mark.
Supporters from both sides, along with Staggies manager Malky Mackay, joined in on a minute’s applause on 17 minutes to show support for winger Regan Charles-Cook, who was the victim of online racist abuse following the Rangers game.
Chances became limited as the first-half went on, however the Reds threatened on 28 minutes when Funso Ojo was given time to strike at goal from the edge of the box, with his effort well cut out by Laidlaw.
Ferguson was next to try his luck three minutes later, but struck his powerful effort just wide.
At the other end, the Staggies were struggling to recreate the level of threat they had shown in previous games. Their best first half chance came on 35 minutes when Charles-Cook was released by Samuel’s diagonal ball before he saw his effort cut out by Joe Lewis, with Jordan White’s follow-up cleared off the line by Scott Brown.
Following a first half which the Dons had shaded, Glass’ men took the lead just three minutes after the interval. It was an excellent goal, with Brown sending a ball over the top which picked out the run of Hayes. The Irishman got in behind half-time substitute Connor Randall, before hammering an effort across Laidlaw and in off the far post.
The Dons were buoyed by their breakthrough, with Besuijen unfortunate to see a deflected strike from distance clawed away by Laidlaw moments later.
Hungbo was booked for simulation by Alan Muir on 51 minutes, as County looked to hit back. The Staggies did restore parity two minutes later however. Charles-Cook cut in from the left before seeing a shot blocked, which spun into the path of Callachan to rifle home a first-time strike.
The game had burst truly into life, with play flowing from end-to-end.
Aberdeen enjoyed the best of the goalmouth action in the final stages though. A swift Aberdeen breakaway saw Ramirez release Ojo, whose effort was blocked behind by Watson, while Brown nodded a Hayes free-kick wide of target.
Hayes came inches away from netting his second goal on 75 minutes with a fizzing strike from distance which brushed the roof of Lewis’ net, while Ramirez brought a smart save from Laidlaw from the edge of the box.
County’s best late chance fell to substitute Paton, who struck straight at Lewis after being picked out by Randall’s cross.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1) – Laidlaw 7; Ramsay 5 (Randall 46), Watson 6, Iacovitti 6, Vokins 6; Callachan 7, Tillson; Hungbo 7 (H Paton 66), D Samuel 6, Charles-Cook 6; White 6. Subs not used – Munro, A Samuel, Drysdale, Wright, Mackinnon.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1) – Lewis 6; Ramsay 6, McCrorie 6, Bates 6, Hayes 8; Brown 7, McGeouch 5 (Jenks 69); Besuijen 7, Ferguson 7, Ojo 6 (MacKenzie 81); Ramirez 6. Subs not used – Woods, Gallagher, Montgomery, Emmanuel-Thomas, Campbell, Ruth, Kennedy.
Referee – Alan Muir 6
Attendance – 3,343
Man of the match: Jonny Hayes