Match Report | Ross County 3-1 St Johnstone

Ross County ran out 3-1 winners over St Johnstone at the Global Energy Stadium in the cinch Premiership this afternoon.

Callum Hendry opened the scoring for the visitors before Regan Charles-Cook’s superb strike equalised for the Staggies.

A second for the league’s top scorer and a 4^th of the season for Joseph Hungbo saw County rush into a 2-goal lead in the second half as Malky Mackay’s side cruised to a 3-1 victory.

The Saints started brightly and earned a few early opportunities to grab an opener. 4 minutes in, Tony Gallagher tested Ross Laidlaw with a long-range shot, but the County stopper stood up and held onto the firm strike.

Shortly after, Callum Hendry headed over the bar after meeting the ball following a set-piece, but his fortunes were later reversed as he found the net with a header less than 10 minutes later.

After 24 minutes, the visitors took the lead. Tom Song’s whipped cross from the right-hand side was met by Callum Hendry in the centre of the box who was able to power the ball into the top left corner.

However, just 10 minutes later, the Staggies equalised through the cinch Premiership’s top scorer Regan Charles-Cook! Harry Paton done well to poke the ball to Charles-Cook who was able to beautifully curl the ball inside the far post from around 20 yards out. The Grenada international’s fine finish marked his 12^th goal in the cinch Premiership this season.

The Staggies grew into the match as the half progressed, but it wasn’t until after the restart that Malky Mackay’s side lifted their performance to another level.

8 minutes after resuming play, that man Regan Charles-Cook doubled his tally for the afternoon and put some distance between himself and Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos in the cinch Premiership top scorers’ table. Jack Baldwin’s long throw was flicked on at the front post and into the path of Charles-Cook. The winger then looped a volleyed effort over Elliot Parish and into the bottom right corner to give County the lead. Another cracker from Cookie!

Halfway through the second half, a high clearance from Keith Watson was expertly knocked down by the left thigh of Jordan White as he won yet another aerial duel against Jamie McCart. White’s touch fell nicely for Joseph Hungbo on the edge of the box as the Watford-loanee caught the ball on the half-volley and lasered it into the near right post. It was another excellent goal for the hosts to reward Hungbo for an impressive performance!

St Johnstone offered very little attacking threat in the second half with long range efforts from Glenn Middleton and Ali Crawford that failed to trouble Ross Laidlaw being their only notable sights of goal.

Malky Mackay’s side remained compact and in control as they eased to a 3-1 victory. That’s now 2 wins and a draw against the Saints this reason as well as 3 victories against Dundee as the Staggies were again successfully able to brush aside a relegation rival. County are now 7 points clear of the relegation play-off place and 9 points clear of bottom side Dundee. In fact, the Staggies are now closer to the European qualification spots than they are to the relegation play-off spot.