Ross County were defeated in another tight encounter as they fell to a 1-0 loss to Dundee United at Tannadice.
The Staggies’ run of league matches extended to eight, after Ilmari Niskanen’s first half goal proved decisive in favour of the home side.
It is a moment Staggies goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer will quickly want to forget, as he allowed the United forward’s effort to squirm through his grasp.
County once again created numerous chances, but an inability to convert them made Maynard-Brewer’s error the settling factor.
The Dingwall men were once again left feeling they should have taken something from the game, which Malky Mackay will be eager to address following the international break when they host St Mirren.
Mackay shook up his forward line with Jordan White and Ross Callachan making way for the first time this season, and Joseph Hungbo and Alex Samuel given their opportunity to impress. Harry Clarke also returned to the starting line-up in place of Keith Watson.
United enjoyed early pressure, with a Nicky Clark header deflected over following Peter Pawlett’s delivery, while the former Aberdeen winger supplied another menacing delivery from open play which was cleared to safety.
County offered their first moment of danger on 13 minutes, with Harry Paton’s looping cross from the left causing problems for Ben Siegrist, which forced him to palm it away from the onrushing Hungbo.
The Staggies had Maynard-Brewer to thank for keeping them level just a minute later though, when Jack Burroughs’ loose pass was intercepted by Ian Harkes who set up Ilmari Niskanen, with the forward seeing his strike beaten away by the Australian goalkeeper.
Moments of slackness from County’s backline were beginning to creep in, with skipper Jack Baldwin failing to clear his lines in a passage of play which led to Dylan Levitt striking wide from the edge of the box.
Following a period on the backfoot, a crisp counter attack nearly brought County’s opener on 22 minutes, with Paton slipping in Hungbo who in turn released the overlapping Clarke, with his first-time effort beaten clear by Siegrist.
County were undone by an extremely unpreventable goal on 31 minutes however. Baldwin initially failed to cut out Siegrist’s goal kick, with his clearance landing to Harkes to tee up Niskanen. It was Maynard-Brewer who was most culpable however, bundling the Finnish attacker’s strike into the net in his attempt to turn it around the post.
United had a spring in their step and looked to add to their lead before the break, with Jeando Fuchs seeing a powerful drive from long range tipped wide by Maynard-Brewer.
The Staggies did threaten to level two minutes before the interval when Blair Spittal got a break of the ball just outside the box, however he could not keep his bending effort on target.
Mackay tweaked his side at half-time by replacing Charles-Cook with White, who partnered Samuel in a switch to a front two.
It was United who should have doubled their advantage on 58 minutes however, with Fuchs’ deep delivery inch-perfect for the unmarked Nicky Clark, however he failed to connect.
County began to step up their pressure on the hour mark, with Hungbo striking off the post after cutting in from the right, before the winger saw a low effort from distance deflected wide.
Their best chance arrived on 65 minutes however when Spittal’s corner picked out Clarke completely untracked, but he bulleted his header well over the bar.
White was able to get his header on target from another Spittal delivery which followed a corner on 73 minutes, however his effort was straight at Siegrist.
The Staggies thought they had salvaged a point when substitute Dominic Samuel stroked a delightful finish into Siegrist’s top-right corner, only to be thwarted by an offside flag.
DUNDEE UNITED (4-3-3) – Siegrist 6; Freeman 7, Edwards 6, Mulgrew 6, McMann 6; Fuchs 7, Levitt 6, Harkes 6; Pawlett 8, Clark 7, Niskanen 6 (Appere 74). Subs not used – Carson, Sporle, Chalmers, Hoti, Mochrie, Smith.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1) – Maynard-Brewer 5; Clarke 7, Baldwin 5, Iacovitti 6, Burroughs 6; H Paton 6, Tillson 5 (D Samuel 79); Hungbo 7, Spittal 6, Charles-Cook 5 (White 46); A Samuel 6 (Callachan 74). Subs not used – Laidlaw, Cancola, Robertson, B Paton.
Referee – Don Robertson
Attendance – 6, 548
Man of the match: Peter Pawlett