County revival continues
Ross County maintained their splendid form with a spirited 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at the Global Energy Stadium.
Liam Boyce headed home the winner six minutes from time to seal a deserved win for the Dingwall side, who have now won seven and drawn one of their last eight games.
That run has taken County out of relegation danger and this latest win denied their opponents the chance to go fourth in the Scottish Premiership.
County were first to threaten as they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position when Simon Lappin unceremoniously brought down Martin Woods. Woods took the kick himself and curled the ball just wide of Saints keeper Alan Mannus' left-hand post.
At the other end David Wotherspoon flashed a shot across the face of the County goal.
James McFadden, restored to the Saints side, tested Mark Brown with a low shot which the County keeper gathered easily at his near post.
But it was mostly County pressure early on and a Raffaele De Vita shot was blocked in front of goal by Steven Anderson. De Vita had another effort deflected behind for a corner as the home side went all out for an opener.
County captain Paul Quinn came to his side's rescue in the 16th minute when he booted away a ball into the box, with Saints' Michael O'Halloran in close attendance.
Quinn came close at the other end with a blistering drive which took a deflection on its way over the crossbar.
County were in the mood and a sweeping move down the right almost produced an opening, but Michael Gardyne's intended ball into the danger area was cut out by Anderson.
It was one-way traffic at this stage and Mannus failed to hold a rasping drive from Woods, but recovered in time before Craig Curran could turn home the loose ball.
However, Saints broke away in the 37th minute when O'Halloran sped away down the right, but the attack came to nothing.
County flew out of the traps at the start to the second half and Gardyne cut inside from the right, but his effort curled wide of Mannus' goal.
Then Boyce made a good run in from the left, but Curran was unable to control his pass and the ball ballooned over the bar.
County were well on top and Gardyne outstripped the Saints defence, but his cross to the far post was too strong for De Vita, who failed to get his header on target.
Some slack play at the back resulted in a County corner in the 62nd minute, but Jackson Irvine's header was blocked on the line.
County kept the pressure up and Irvine failed to get enough power to his header from a Woods corner as the home side continued to press for the opener.
Boyce came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 78th minute when he ran on to a long ball, turned his marker and curled a ball just wide of the far post.
And the breakthrough finally came in the 84th minute when Jamie Reckord floated over a cross from the left and the hard-working Boyce directed his header inside Mannus' right-hand post from eight yards.
Source: PA
