Ross County will end 2022 at the foot of the Premiership after falling to a 3-0 defeat to Dundee United.
The Staggies got off to the worst possible start when Connor Randall’s own goal put them behind, however they showed a promising response in the remainder of the first half.
Again it was to be a tale of missed chances for Malky Mackay’s men, with Charlie Mulgrew killing off their challenge midway through the second half.
Craig Sibbald added a third in stoppage time to compound a miserable night for the Dingwall men, who saw Owura Edwards sent off.
The result leaves County a point adrift of United in bottom spot, with three points separating them from 10th placed Motherwell.
Mackay resisted the temptation to bring defender Jack Baldwin back into the starting line-up following his return from suspension. That meant there was just one change from the side which went down 1-0 to Rangers on Friday, with Ross Callachan making his first start since October in place of David Cancola.
With the stakes high, both sides were eager to put an early stamp on the match in rainswept conditions on Tayside.
It was the hosts who threatened first, with Ryan Edwards meeting a Liam Smith cross after Mulgrew’s free-kick had been cleared, but the United skipper directed his header narrowly wide.
United did take the lead on nine minutes however, with the Staggies’ defence not covering itself in glory. The home side broke through Ian Harkes who switched the play to Glenn Middleton on the left, with his nothing cross deflecting off Keith Watson to take it away from Ross Laidlaw, before it was eventually knocked into his own net by Randall.
The Staggies could not have wished for a better opportunity to level on 16 minutes. George Harmon’s long ball over the top looked to be under control by Ross Graham before he was shrugged off by a rapid burst of pace by Owura Edwards. Clean through on goal, the on-loan Bristol City winger had the goal at his mercy but screwed his effort wide of Mark Birighitti’s right-hand post.
United were inches away from doubling their lead on 23 minutes when another Mulgrew free-kick this time found the head of Steven Fletcher, whose glancing header came back off the post.
It remained a wide open contest, with Edwards once again using his speed to break down the left before cutting back for the unmarked Yan Dhanda, who saw his effort blocked behind by Graham.
The Staggies continued to push and they came even closer on 29 minutes, when skipper Watson headed a Dhanda corner off the post.
County still had to show their mettle at the other end, with Harmon doing well to block a Harkes effort after the American cut inside from the right.
Although the Staggies had settled since their early setback, they approached the second half knowing they needed to start taking the chances they were carving out.
It was United who started on the front foot, with Fletcher initially seeing a volley blocked by Randall, before the striker saw another effort well parried by Laidlaw.
The Staggies were awarded a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the home box on 58 minutes, with Dhanda curling his strike narrowly past Birighitti’s right-hand post.
Another chance came County’s way on 66 minutes when Edwards’ tempting cross towards Callachan was cut out by Birighitti, who was hurt in clearing the danger but was able to continue.
The Staggies were nearly caught on the break on 69 minutes when Middleton slipped Liam Smith through on goal, with Laidlaw out sharply to block his effort wide.
United doubled their lead from the resulting corner, with Mulgrew rising above the Staggies’ defence to thump home Dylan Levitt’s corner.
County knew a quick response was needed in order to have any hope of clawing it back, with William Akio brought on to replace Victor Loturi.
Akio thought he had pulled one back on 74 minutes when he hammered home on the rebound after Edwards’ shot had been blocked, however the goal was eventually ruled out for offside.
It was a sure sign that it was not to be for the Staggies, with their night going from bad to worse when Edwards was shown a second yellow for a tussle with Scott McMann.
Sibbald added a third with a curling strike in stoppage time, with County now aiming to stop their run of four straight defeats when they face an out of sorts Aberdeen side at Pittodrie on Monday.
DUNDEE UNITED (3-5-2): Birighitti 6; Graham 6, Edwards 7, Mulgrew 8; Smith 7, Harkes 6, Sibbald 7, Levitt 7 (Djoun 79), McMann 7; Flecther 6 (Watt 81), Middleton 7 (Macleod 89).
Subs not used: Eriksson, Niskanen, Meekison, Anaku, Freeman, Cudjoe.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1): Laidlaw 6; Randall 5 (Johnson 80), Watson 6 (Baldwin 80), Iacovitti 6, Harmon 6 (Olaigbe 80); Tillson 6, Loturi 5 (Akio 70); Edwards 5, Callachan 6 (Paton 86), Dhanda 7; White 6.
Subs not used: Eastwood, Cancola, Sims, Hiwula.
Referee: Chris Graham
Attendance: 8,249
Man of the match: Charlie Mulgrew
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