Ross County have 90 minutes to salvage their Premiership future after they suffered a play-off first leg defeat to Partick Thistle.
County were dealt an early blow in the tie on nine minutes when Thistle broke the deadlock through Aidan Fitzpatrick.
The Staggies’ night went from bad to worse seven minutes later when teenager Dylan Smith was sent off following a VAR review.
Former County forward Brian Graham netted a second on the stroke of half-time to put the Jags firmly in control of the tie.
Although the Staggies succeeded in keeping the scoreline down, the defeat leaves them with an uphill battle on their hands as they try to prolong their four-year top-flight stay.
Malky Mackay’s men will look to make the most of the opportunity to start afresh with 11 men on the field, but a strong start in Sunday’s return leg in Dingwall will be crucial to their hopes.
The Staggies were handed a boost by leading scorer Jordan White being passed fit to play, despite suffering a head knock in the weekend defeat to Kilmarnock.
Alex Iacovitti was sidelined however, with teenager Dylan Smith drafted in to replace him, while Keith Watson, Nohan Kenneh and David Cancola made way for Victor Loturi, Jordan Tillson and Owura Edwards.
Thistle came into the tie with plenty of confidence having racked up a total of 16 goals against Queen’s Park and Ayr United in their previous four play-off fixtures.
The Jags were also backed by a near-capacity Firhill crowd for the occasion, as they set their sights on taking County’s top-flight place.
They were first to threaten after five minutes, when Steven Lawless cut inside Smith before unleashing a shot which Ross Laidlaw did well to parry behind.
County nearly created an opening at the other end moments later, with neither Edwards nor Tillson able to get enough behind their attempts at goal.
Smith was presented with a headed opportunity after getting on the end of a Yan Dhanda free-kick on eight minutes, but he could not get a strong connection on his effort.
Thistle gained first blood in the tie on nine minutes though, when Fitzpatrick waltzed past both Edwards and Loturi before curling a strike past the reach of Laidlaw.
County’s night took a further turn for the worse on 17 minutes when they were reduced to 10 men. Smith brought down Fitzpatrick who was clean through on goal and although he was initially booked by referee David Munro, a VAR review upgraded it to a red card to leave County up against it.
Mackay was forced to reshuffle, with forward Alex Samuel sacrificed for skipper Watson in an effort to shore up.
It was a case of damage limitation for the Staggies but they still looked to pose a threat, with George Harmon seeing a low strike blocked by Jack McMillan.
The Jags looked to pile more pressure on the visitors, with former Staggie Brian Graham seeing a shot blocked by Watson.
County had a sight of goal on 36 minutes when Dhanda’s deep ball picked out Watson unmarked at the far post, with no takers for his header across goal.
The Jags doubled their advantage in timely fashion right on 45 minutes, when a short corner was played to Kyle Turner, whose cross was superbly hooked past Laidlaw by the right foot of Graham.
Half-time could not come quick enough for the Staggies, with Turner narrowly off target in trying to catch out Laidlaw with a free-kick from a wide right position.
Mackay made another adjustment at half-time, with Ben Purrington coming on for his first appearance since October in place of Harmon.
County looked to claw something back, with White denied an opening by Darren Brownlie following good work down the right by Edwards.
Thistle were eager to extend their lead, with two last ditch blocks by Connor Randall denying Graham and Fitzpatrick, before Graham saw a close-range header thwarted by Laidlaw.
A chance presented itself for White in the box on 63 minutes, with Aaron Muirhead doing well to deflect his effort over.
County had to weather further pressure to keep the scoreline down to two goals, with all eyes now on the Highlanders in their efforts to mount a comeback in the tie.
Player ratings
PARTICK THISTLE (4-2-3-1): Mitchell 6; McMillan 8, Brownlie 7, Muirhead 7, Holt 6; Turner 7, Docherty 7; Tiffoney 6, Lawless 7 (Bannigan 75), Fitzpatrick 8 (MacKenzie 84); Graham 8 (Mullen 84).
Subs not used: Sneddon, Dowds, Smith, McKinnon, Mullen, Owens, MacKenzie, Stevenson.
ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1): Laidlaw 6; Randall 6, Baldwin 6, Smith 3, Harmon 4 (Purrington 46); Loturi 6 (Kenneh 75), Tillson 5 (Cancola 54); Edwards 6, Dhanda 6, Samuel 3 (Watson 18); White 6 (Murray 75).
Subs not used: Munro, Sims.
Referee: David Munro
Attendance: 7,291
Star Man: Brian Graham
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