Ross County denied at the death by St Johnstone after thrilling comeback

Posted Thursday, May 25, 2023 by PA

Ross County came from two goals down to keep their cinch Premiership survival hopes alive despite being denied three points by Ryan McGowan’s last-gasp equaliser in a 3-3 draw with St Johnstone.

Stevie May scored either side of half-time, first with a curling effort and then from the penalty spot, to give the visitors a commanding lead in Dingwall.

But County came roaring back with Yan Dhanda netting a spot-kick, Jordan White breaking the offside trap to level things up and Jack Baldwin’s stunner at the death.

However, McGowan had the final say to claim a point.

The point all but saved County from automatic relegation – Dundee United would need an eight-goal swing even if they beat Motherwell and the Dingwall side lose at Rugby Park.

And Malky Mackay’s side will stay up without a play-off if they win at Rugby Park.

The Staggies’ best chance early on came courtesy of St Johnstone’s goalkeeper, as Ross Sinclair punched the ball straight to White before recovering well to smother the shot.

It was the visitors who took the lead through May, whose shot beat Ross Laidlaw and found the far corner.

St Johnstone maintained the upper hand into the second half, where May turned and shot from 25 yards, forcing Laidlaw to tip the ball on to the bar.

Shortly afterwards he made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Nohan Kenneh had taken down Adam Montgomery.

That daylight between the sides did not last long though, as County went up the pitch and won a penalty of their own courtesy of a handball by Cameron Ballantyne.

Dhanda stepped up to take it and powered his spot-kick past Sinclair and into the top corner to cut the deficit in half.

That got the Staggies’ tails up and they began to pin St Johnstone deep into their own half as they tried to find an equaliser.

Eventually that pressure told as, in the 69th minute, Kenneh mis-hit a shot into the path of White who converted from close range and, after a VAR check for offside, the goal was allowed to stand.

In the 90th minute, an unlikely source popped up with what looked like a winner, with Baldwin smashing the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

However, St Johnstone fought back deep into five minutes of stoppage time and Andy Considine thought he had an equaliser when his header at a corner hit the bar, only for McGowan to follow up and find the net.