Saints battle back for point
St Mirren came back twice against bottom side Ross County to draw 2-2 and claim their first home Premiership point of the season
Defender Paul Quinn, making his first start for the Staggies, nodded in a corner from former St Mirren defender Graham Carey in the 11th minute before Adam Drury levelled two minutes from the break with a close-range header.
As an open game continued after half-time, Carey restored the Staggies lead in the 58th minute with a drive but this time County's advantage lasted only two minutes before Buddies midfielder Jeroen Tesselaar equalised with a wonderful shot.
Tommy Craig's side probably edged the game but might have ended the afternoon with nothing if Carey's last-minute free-kick had gone in instead of hitting the bar.
County, still without an away league win all season, remain at the foot of the table but will probably be glad of the point following their 5-0 thrashing by Celtic at home last week.
Conditions could hardly have been less conducive to a good game but it was the home side who adapted quicker to the swirling wind and rain.
Saints midfielder Kenny McLean had the ball in the County net in the second minute from a corner but referee Don Robertson blew for an infringement.
The home side threatened to dominate but were stunned when Staggies' new signing Quinn, who had come on as half-time substitute against Celtic to make his debut, powered in Carey's corner from close range.
The goal might have stopped St Mirren in their tracks but they responded positively and in the 17th minute midfielder Thomas Reilly was unlucky to see his header slip past Mark Brown's left-hand post.
Moment later, the Staggies keeper made a fine double save, first down at his right-hand side from Reilly's powerful volley and again when Callum Ball fired in the rebound.
The Paisley side had reasserted themselves, it appeared, but there was no little relief among the home supporters in the 25th minute when County had a 'goal' chalked off.
When midfielder Michael Gardyne raced on to a Jackson Irvine pass, accompanied by striker Yoan Arquin, most people thought they had beaten the offside trap as there was no flag or whistle but both came when Gardyne slipped the ball through the legs of Buddies keeper Marian Kello and into the net.
The visitors remained dangerous and 10 minutes from the break, from another Carey corner, Kello did well to tip Irvine's powerful header over the bar.
However, in the 43rd minute the home side got the equaliser they deserved.
Striker Ball challenged for Tesselaar's long throw from the left and when it arrived at the back post Drury had the simplest of tasks heading in from a couple of yards out.
Less than two minutes after the restart Ball hesitated when Riley cushioned McLean's deep cross into his path and the chance was gone.
In the 57th minute Martin Woods replaced Filip Kiss to make his Staggies debut and seconds later the former Barnsley and Doncaster midfielder was involved in the move which ended with Carey driving the ball from 16 yards low past Kello.
But Saints levelled for the second time on the hour mark when Tesselaar accepted a pass from Drury before curling a shot from 20 yards high into the net.
The Paisley side looked the more likely to get the next goal and it almost came in the 70th minute when left-back Sean Kelly found McLean with a cross but his looped header just cleared the bar.
In the final minute Carey came close to grabbing a dramatic winner when his long, wind-assisted free-kick beat Kello but hit the bar before going over.
That would have been unfair on the Paisley side who more than played their part in a decent afternoon's football.
Source: PA
