Ross County will feel their opening day 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle could have been a very different story.
The Staggies were firmly on top throughout the first half, and only denied the lead by a matter of inches in hitting the woodwork twice.
The home side emerged strongly after the break but unlike the Staggies they were able to capitalise, and looked to be well on their way to victory through goals from Alan Forrest and Barrie McKay.
Jordan White restored hope with a late goal, but it proved to be a mere consolation as County fell to their first opening day loss since 2016.
Although Malky Mackay’s men will justly feel unfortunate not to have taken something from the game, the problems they caused the Jambos in spells of the match will serve as an encouraging indication of the threats they will pose in this season’s Premiership.
Mackay came into the match with options to pick from, with numerous players having put forward a strong claim during the Premier Sports Cup.
His side included three league debutants, with Ben Purrington and Owura Edwards in from the start, along with Jordy Hiwula who was supported in leading the line by Dominic Samuel.
The Jambos were spearheaded by their marquee summer signing Lawrence Shankland, with the Scotland international the first player to threaten with a long-range effort which drifted wide following a quick counter-attack.
County carved out a fine chance of their own on nine minutes, with Edwards showing rapid pace to get on the end of Jack Baldwin’s long ball, before doing well to hold it up for Hiwula whose mis-hit strike drifted wide.
The Staggies were settling well into the game and they created another opening on the quarter-hour mark. Hiwula’s cutback was met by a neat lay-off by Samuel into the path of Purrington, with the advancing fullback seeing his effort blocked behind by Nathaniel Atkinson.
County were beginning to dictate and they came within inches of an opener on 23 minutes. The lively Edwards provided a pinpoint cross from the left which was flicked towards goal by the head of Samuel, who watched on as his effort came back off the post with Craig Gordon static.
Just moments later Edwards once again had the beating of Gordon with a dipping strike, following a sublime piece of skill to beat Atkinson, however the woodwork once again denied the Staggies.
The signs looked highly encouraging for the Staggies, who were also denied when Gordon got a strong hand to a deflected Hiwula effort.
Hearts offered little in the way of clear cut chances in the opening 45 minutes however County were still required to be on their toes, with Hearts debutant Alan Forrest running at goal but thwarted by an excellent clearance by Alex Iacovitti.
The home crowd were audibly restless as the first half wore on, and it was clear to see Hearts emerged intent on a strong start to the second period.
It took a fine goal-line clearance from former Jambo Connor Randall to deny Forrest on 49 minutes, after the winger had cut in from the right.
Forrest was not to be denied just short of the hour mark. The home side worked the ball out to Alex Cochrane on the left, before he zipped a low ball across goal which Forrest was on hand to tuck past Laidlaw.
Mackay looked to his bench in an effort to find a way back into the game, with Yan Dhanda and Kazeem Olaigbe replacing Edwards and Josh Sims.
County pushed for an equaliser, with Ross Callachan’s low drive from the edge of the box forcing a smart save by Gordon.
Hearts looked to have wrapped up the points on 77 minutes, with McKay latching on to a route one ball from defence before sidestepping the County defence as well as the sprawling Laidlaw before tucking home.
The Staggies restored hope within 90 seconds when White, moments after coming on as a substitute, ran on to Jack Baldwin’s ball in behind before slotting underneath the body of Gordon.
County’s late push could not bring about a leveller with another tough fixture at home to Celtic their next opportunity to get off the mark for the campaign.
HEARTS (3-4-3) – Gordon 6; Sibbick 6, Halkett 7, Rowles 6; Atkinson 4 (Grant 28), M Smith 6, Haring 7, Cochrane 7; Forrest 8 (Devlin 78), Shankland 6 (Boyce 71), Mckay 7 (Halliday 78). Subs not used – Stewart, Mackay-Steven, Neilson, C Smith.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1) – Laidlaw 6; Randall 6 (Johnson 81), Baldwin 6, Iacovitti 6, Purrington 6; Callachan 6, Tillson 7; Sims 6 (Dhanda 63), Samuel 7 (White 76), Edwards 8 (Olaigbe 63); Hiwula 6. Subs not used – Eastwood, Loturi, Watson, Harmon, Paton.
Referee – David Dickinson 6
Attendance – 18,202
Man of the match: Alan Forrest
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