Ross County

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Ross County must use Wednesday's disappointment in Perth "as fuel to go for it" in their league finale with in-form Aberdeen on Sunday, says Yan Dhanda.

St Johnstone's late equaliser prevented the Highlanders securing their top-flight survival and they now go into their weekend match needing a win to guarantee safety.

County hold a two-point advantage over the Perth side, who occupy the relegation play-off spot and travel to Motherwell in their final game.

"It's definitely a missed opportunity," Dhanda said of Wednesday's draw with St Johnstone. "But there's no time to dwell on it, we’ve got a big game on Sunday and it's in our hands still.

"I think obviously we have to stick together. We've got a draw where we feel like we should have won, so we use that as fuel to go for it on Sunday.

"It's a massive game against a very good side, so we have to be at it. We can't think that they're just going let us have it easy, so we have to be right at it and obviously I back us at home."

Sportscene pundits Neil McCann and Charlie Mulgrew dissect Ross County's "well-structured" defensive performance against St Johnstone that had them on course for survival until Adama Sidibeh's last-gasp equaliser. (Available to UK users only)

The fight for survival goes to the wire. After conceding a late goal, Ross County were pegged back to a draw against St Johnstone in the battle at the bottom to avoid the play-off spot.

We asked for your views after the result in Perth - here's a taste of what you had to say:

Rick: It's never easy with County, minutes away from being safe and a lapse in concentration sends us fighting for survival against a now confident Aberdeen. I can't see us getting anything on Sunday and we need Motherwell to do the business for us. We are our own worst enemy!

Ron: There was sadly every reason to fear that two of our major weaknesses this season would once again prevail - a failure to convert chances and conceding late goals. The travelling support was magnificent and a tense afternoon ahead on Sunday. Our difficulty in keeping possession and inconsistency in keeping the ball on the ground may cost us again.

Watch highlights of the 1-1 draw between St Johnstone and Ross County that takes the battle to avoid the relegation play-off place to the final day. (Available to UK users only)

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Ross County interim manager Don Cowie told Sportsound: "I'm really proud of the performance. We've not managed to pick up enough points away from home but when we put in performances like we did tonight, you deserve to get something out of the game.

"I would've loved to have gotten the three points but we take the point and we move on.

"The game comes Sunday and that's really quick. We've got to turn our attention to Aberdeen straight away. I've got so much belief in this group, they've done so many good things over the last six-to-eight weeks and now it's still in our hands and it's about finishing the job.

"The performance was really good, they've got real belief. They'll be disappointed and rightly so on the back of conceding so late. That's football, that happens, it's about bouncing back.

"We're at home and, bar last week against Motherwell where we had a poor performance and result, we've been very good. Aberdeen are in really good form right now but it's a challenge that we're looking forward to."

Adama Sidibeh’s late header was enough to send the relegation play-off place battle to the final day as St Johnstone claimed a dramatic draw with Ross County at McDiarmid Park.

Yan Dhanda’s first-half solo strike looked set to secure County’s place in the Scottish Premiership and condemn the hosts to second bottom until Sidibeh planted an inch-perfect header past Ross Laidlaw in the 91st minute.

St Johnstone remain two points behind County, who welcome Aberdeen on Sunday while the Perth side visit Motherwell.

What did you make of that County fans? Did you deserve all three points? And do you think you have enough to stay up?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

While County’s efforts may have been devoid of much art, it had plenty of soul. They looked certain of the plan, showed the steel required, and seemed pretty comfortable throughout.

One lapse of concentration has cost them though, and a visit from on-form Aberdeen will certainly worry them. They'll be hoping former County-man Blair Spittal does them a favour on Sunday.

If they do fall into the play-offs, they should have the individual quality to see them through in Murray and Dhanda.

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Simon Murray. A pest all evening for the St Johnstone defence, he has been vital throughout the whole season for County.

So many defences have been able to cage him, and it'll be extremely difficult for County to keep hold of him next season.

Yan Dhanda gets a mention, too. If that is his last County goal, he's gone out in style.

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• St Johnstone have won both of their last two league games against Ross County; they’ve never won three in a row against the Staggies in the top-flight before.

• After their 1-0 defeat in November, Ross County could lose back-to-back top-flight away games at St Johnstone for the very first time.

• St Johnstone are winless in eight home league games (D3 L5), losing each of their last three in a row. The Saints haven’t scored more than once in any of their last 12 home league matches (nine goals overall).

• Ross County are winless in 16 away league games (D5 L11), losing each of their last seven in a row. This is both the longest winless and losing run they have ever suffered in the Scottish top-flight.

• St Johnstone’s Craig Levein has never lost to Ross County as a manager in the Scottish Premiership, winning three and drawing three of six previous meetings.

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein is not anticipating any notable changes to the squad he had at his disposal for Saturday’s defeat at Livingston. Luke Robinson (knee), Tony Gallacher (calf) and Sven Sprangler (knee) all missed that match although the Austrian midfielder is pushing for a return.

Ross County are still missing Max Sheaf (muscle), Dylan Smith (ankle) and Scott Allardice (knee). Ross Callachan is back training after 13 months out with a knee injury but is not ready to play.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

When the post-split fixtures were released a few weeks ago, many Ross County fans believed Wednesday’s trip to McDiarmid Park to face St Johnstone would prove to be a season decider.

The Staggies currently sit 10th, two points above the Perth side going into this crucial match.

A win would secure our Premiership status for next season. Anything less would take the battle to avoid the play-offs to the final day of the league season.

Both sides go into the game following defeats but under very different circumstances. Don Cowie endured his first home defeat as interim manager as his side were thrashed 5-1 by Motherwell, whereas St Johnstone fell to a 2-1 defeat at Livingston thanks to Andrew Shinnie’s 95th-minute winner.

In Dingwall, Motherwell were clinical in front of goal and punished the Staggies for their individual mistakes and some slack defending in the latter stages.

For the fans travelling down to Perth, they’ll hope to see something that has been extremely hard to come by this season - a win outside Dingwall.

County have only picked up one victory on the road, a 1-0 win against Kilmarnock on 2 September. Since then, they’ve only taken five points from a possible 48 on their travels.

Despite Saturday’s defeat, it feels like there’s more momentum on County’s side going into this crucial match.

With six games to go they were four points behind St Johnstone. But they now know a victory will guarantee top-flight football in Dingwall for another season.

Ross County face a huge battle with St Johnstone in their bid to avoid the relegation play-off.

After Saturday's 5-1 defeat to Motherwell, what changes should Don Cowie make to his starting line-up?

Put yourself in his shoes and pick your XI here.

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Don Cowie insists he's seen "more than enough" to suggest Ross County can secure Scottish Premiership survival with victory over St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Three points at McDiarmid Park would see the Dingwall side move five points clear of their opponents with just one game to go.

"We've got belief," Cowie told BBC Scotland.

"Over the last six to eight weeks, we've picked up some very good results. We've got to take a lot of positivity from that.

"It's going to be a real challenge, a tough game, because there's a lot at stake.

"I'm sure St Johnstone will be ready and prepared, but we've got to match that and go beyond that.

"We know what's it stake if we can get the three points. Do I believe we can do that? Of course I do.

"I've seen more than enough over the past two months [to suggest] we can do do that but we're going to have to be at our best."

County are looking to bounce back after Cowie suffered his first home defeat in charge against Motherwell at the weekend.

"It's a honest group," he added. "We've spoke about Saturday, we dealt with that."

"We've managed to put ourselves in a very good position. With six games to go we were four points behind St Johnstone.

"We now find ourselves two points ahead. We've got to feel good about ourselves."