Elliot Watt’s second-half winner kept St Johnstone’s Premiership survival hopes alive and cranked up the heat on freefalling Ross County.
Simo Valakari’s Saints – nine points adrift at the foot of the table in January – moved within three points of the second-bottom Staggies, with a marginally better goal difference, after defeating them 2-1 in a tense showdown at McDiarmid Park.
The Perth side, who needed a win to realistically prolong their hopes of extending their 16-year stay in the top flight, went ahead through Daniels Balodis, only to be pegged back by an Alex Samuel equaliser before the break.
But Watt’s strike on the hour proved decisive as County – who had a late Ronan Hale strike chalked off – were consigned to a seventh successive defeat, leaving them in real danger of being overtaken by Saints over the remaining two games of the campaign.
St Johnstone’s Elliot Watt celebrates scoring to make it 2-1
Saints, who had lost their previous four matches in all competitions, made three changes to the side that started the 2-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock as Jason Holt, Adama Sidibeh and Sam Curtis were all restored.
There were four changes to the County side that started the 3-1 home defeat by Hearts, with defender Will Nightingale pitched in for his first appearance since August after a knee injury.
St Johnstone were the brighter team in the opening half an hour, and they carved out the first real opportunity of the match in the 27th minute when Curtis stabbed just wide from six yards after getting on the end of Josh McPake’s cross.
The breakthrough came for the hosts in the 31st minute when Balodis headed Watt’s corner in off the underside of the crossbar.
Shortly afterwards, Saints forward Sidibeh saw a shot deflected just wide.
County started to build their way into the game as the interval approached and Samuel and Hale both threatened with attempts from the edge of the box.
The visitors drew level from their first clear chance of the match in the 41st minute when Kieran Phillips fizzed over a low cross from the right that was turned in at the near post by Samuel.
Saints had a couple of big opportunities to restore their lead in the 51st minute when Taylor Steven nodded McPake’s cross into the danger area but Sidibeh was unable to get a clean shot away before Uche Ikpeazu scooped his effort over the bar from close range.
The home side went back in front on the hour when Watt curled home the loose ball from 12 yards after Sidibeh had shot straight at goalkeeper Jordan Amissah following a Barry Douglas delivery into the box.
There was a huge moment in the 81st minute when County thought they had equalised through Hale, only for it be ruled out for offside following a lengthy check. The visitors’ misery was compounded in the 10th minute of stoppage time when Zac Ashworth was shown a straight red card for dissent.
What the managers said…
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakiri:
“When you get your last chance you need to deliver, and the boys did that today.
“We could all see the nervousness and there were a few dodgy moments when we didn’t do the right things. That’s totally understandable – my players are human beings.
“But I loved that they kept trying to do the right things under pressure and in the end it all came good. We’ve kept the fight going.”
Ross County boss Don Cowie:
“I’ve just said to the group, there’s no point feeling sorry for ourselves, because I certainly am not going to.
“We’ve got two massive games coming up. Despite the poor run of form that we’ve been on, we have still got an opportunity to get ourselves out of the situation that we’re in.
“We’re making it difficult for ourselves, but we’ve still got that opportunity.”
