Ross County had to come from behind against St Mirren to secure a much-needed 3-2 victory which backs up their recent improvement.
The Staggies’ performances have visibly improved in recent weeks, however it was not translating into results.
Although County were once again on top against the Buddies, it looked like it could have been another tale of woe when Jordan White’s early opener was cancelled out by strikes by Ryan Strain and Mark O’Hara.
Malky Mackay’s men took the setback in their stride, emerging with fresh purpose after the break.
They ultimately turned the game on its head, courtesy of Jordan Tillson and George Harmon who netted their first goals for the Dingwall outfit.
The result is enough to move County off the foot of the Premiership, level on points with Kilmarnock.
Victor Loturi earned plaudits from Mackay for his second half performance against Hearts the previous weekend, with the Canadian midfielder rewarded with his first start since August in place of David Cancola.
County had made a blistering start before falling to defeat against Hearts, and they once again looked to set the early tempo.
Yan Dhanda instigated a swift breakaway which led to Owura Edwards crossing towards Jordy Hiwula at the far post, with Alex Gogic doing well to intervene. From Edwards’ resulting corner, Alex Iacovitti nodded straight at Trevor Carson.
The home side did take the lead from the succession of play which followed their next corner. After Edwards’ delivery had been cleared to Loturi on the edge of the box, the midfielder showed excellent vision to produce a whipped ball into the middle to lay it on a plate for White to fire home.
It was a second goal in as many games for White, who had got the Staggies off to the perfect start in their last outing. Like last weekend, it was to be quickly undone as the Buddies levelled just two minutes later.
After Jack Baldwin had fouled Jonah Ayunga 25 yards from goal, Strain stepped up to power a curling free-kick into Ross Laidlaw’s top-right corner. It was a sweet strike by the Australian, although Laidlaw got a strong enough hand on it to feel he could perhaps have kept it out.
Baldwin’s involvement was to come to an end however, as he failed to shake off a knock he picked up early in the match, with Keith Watson brought on to replace him.
County pushed to regain their lead before the break, with White seeing a flick towards goal blocked by Curtis Main after Watson had nodded Dhanda’s corner back across the box.
White was presented with another opportunity on 34 minutes following a neat lay-off by Dhanda, with the attacker unable to keep his effort down.
It had been a thoroughly dominant first half display by the hosts, but St Mirren inflicted a severe blow by taking the lead just seconds before the break. Ethan Erhahon’s corner was partially headed clear by Jordan Tillson, with O’Hara following up with a looping header which crept over the line off the underside of the crossbar.
It was an identical half-time position to the one which County had faced six days previously, in being forced to chase a game which they had taken early control of.
The outcome was to prove different on this occasion, with County turning the game on its head within 15 minutes of the restart.
Their leveller came on 56 minutes through an unlikely source, with Tillson opening his Staggies account on his 92nd appearance for the club.
With that considered it was an excellent finish from the Englishman, who was on hand to drill home from just inside the box after Edwards’ cross had been flicked into his path by White.
Summer signing Harmon did not have to wait quite as long to get off the mark, as he restored his side’s lead just four minutes later. Edwards was again the provider with a lofted cross from the right, which Harmon was able to send into the far corner with a guided header.
The Buddies piled on the pressure in the dying minutes, with Laidlaw coming to County’s rescue when he blocked an Alex Greive effort with his legs after a ricochet off Tillson had inadvertently sent the striker clean through.
It comes as a major boost to the Staggies, who will now look to their next two matches in their efforts to end on a high before the World Cup break.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1) – Laidlaw 6; Johnson 6, Baldwin 4 (Watson 26), Iacovitti 7, Harmon 7; Tillson 7, Loturi 8 (Cancola 73); Edwards 8 (D Samuel 81), Hiwula 7 (Akio 81), Dhanda 7; White 7. Subs not used – Eastwood, Munro, Olaigbe, Smith.
ST MIRREN (5-3-2) – Carson 6; Strain 7, Gogic 6 (Tanser 61), Gallagher 6, Dunne 6, Fraser 6 (Kiltie 78); Baccus 6, Erhahon 6 (Greive 61), O’Hara 7; Ayunga 6, Main 6 (Brophy 73). Subs not used – Urminsky, Shaughnessy, Flynn, Henderson, Kenny.
Referee – John Beaton
Attendance – 3,589
Man of the match: Owura Edwards
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