Akil Wright earns Ross County a point in dramatic finish against St Johnstone

Posted Sunday, September 22, 2024 by PA

Late drama was the order of the day in Dingwall as Ross County came from 3-1 down late on to salvage a 3-3 draw against St Johnstone.

County had originally taken the lead through Ronan Hale in the first half, but Drey Wright expertly picked out the bottom corner just before half-time.

It was the Perth side who claimed the advantage in the second half, going ahead through two Nicky Clark free-kicks, but with just minutes left on the clock it was first Alex Samuel who got a goal back and then Akil Wright who scored an equaliser deep into added time.

Both sides struggled to find their rhythm in the early going, giving the ball away repeatedly when trying to build up attacks.

It was perhaps fitting, then, that the breakthrough in the 20th minute stemmed from a poorly-placed pass out from the back.

Jack Sanders, back into the side after suspension, gave the ball away to Josh Nisbet inside his own half, and the Australia international found Hale inside the St Johnstone box and he slotted into the bottom corner.

The Staggies had chances to double their advantage through Wright, who saw a header cleared off the line, and Hale, before St Johnstone began to grow back into the tie as half-time approached.

They would find an equaliser just minutes before the break, with Wright running on to a half-cleared Matthew Smith corner and firing through a crowd of players to pick out the bottom corner.

St Johnstone would take the lead on the hour mark, after Mackenzie Kirk was fouled by Kacper Lopata on the edge of Ross County’s box as both he and team-mate Wright slid in to try and stop the striker bearing down on the home goal.

Clark stepped up to take it, and beat Ross Laidlaw at the keeper’s side to put the visitors ahead 2-1.

In the last 10 minutes, Clark would repeat the feat with an even better striker, picking out the top corner directly from a free-kick 25 yards from goal to beat Laidlaw and put St Johnstone 3-1 ahead.

Immediately afterwards, County would get a goal back when Samuel headed in from close range, and with nine minutes added they had every chance of getting an equaliser.

That would come in the 97th minute, when Jack Grieves’ free-kick was curled towards Wright, who powered a header past Sinclair and into the far corner from 15 yards out to level the scores at 3-3.