Yan Dhanda helped Ross County boost their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premiership as the Staggies eked out a 2-1 play-off final first-leg lead over Championship promotion hopefuls Raith Rovers at rain-soaked Stark’s Park.
After a dull first half, County seized command with a 53rd-minute penalty from Dhanda following a handball by Euan Murray before captain Jack Baldwin made it 2-0 with a 71st-minute header from a corner hoisted in by Dhanda.
But Rovers gave themselves some hope of salvaging the tie in the return leg in Dingwall on Sunday when they pulled one back through Sam Stanton with eight minutes remaining.
The Kirkcaldy outfit are looking to return to the top flight for the first time since 1997 while the Staggies, who beat Partick Thistle in last season’s play-off final, hoped to extend their five-year stay in the Premiership.
How Ross County edged win
Raith boss Ian Murray made one enforced change to the side that started last Friday’s semi-final second leg against Partick as on-loan County midfielder Kyle Turner – ineligible to face his parent club – was replaced by Jack Hamilton.
County manager Don Cowie sent out the same XI that started Sunday’s 2-2 draw at home to 10-man Aberdeen, a result that ultimately paved the way for St Johnstone to leapfrog them into 10th place in the cinch Premiership and send them into this play-off.
The visitors started aggressively, pushing their hosts onto the back foot early on, although they had to wait until the 18th minute for their first notable opportunity when Simon Murray headed a Dhanda free-kick wide of the far post.
The home side then came into the game for a spell, and Euan Murray got on the end of an Aidan Connolly cross but failed to find the target with his header from 12 yards.
Both sides were struggling to make the opposition goalkeeper work but County threatened two minutes before the break when Will Nightingale’s strike was deflected for a corner, from which Baldwin waltzed past three Rovers players in the box before seeing his drive blocked at the near post by keeper Kevin Dąbrowski.
Having failed to pose too many problems for their top-flight visitors before the break, Raith went desperately close to an opener four minutes into the second period when Lewis Vaughan sent Connolly down the right and the winger cut inside and curled a dipping shot just beyond the far post.
Ross County’s Yan Dhanda scores from the penalty spot
There was deflation for the hosts just a minute later, however, when County were awarded a penalty after a VAR check deduced that Murray had stuck out his arm in the box to block Eli King’s shot from 25 yards out. Dhanda’s powerfully-struck spot-kick found the net but only after crashing off the inside of Dabrowski’s left-hand post.
Raith went close to an equaliser on the hour mark when Connolly’s low strike from the edge of the box was deflected behind by Ryan Leak, although it did appear to be going just wide in any case.
Dabrowski made a fine save with 20 minutes remaining when he got down to his left to tip behind a curling effort from King. But the goalkeeper was helpless seconds later when the resulting corner, taken by Dhanda, was headed down into the net by Baldwin from just outside the six-yard box.
Ross County’s Jack Baldwin celebrates with Jordan White, Will Nightingale and Connor Randall after scoring to make it 2-0
Just as it looked like the tie was slipping away from them, though, Rovers grabbed a lifeline in the 82nd minute when Vaughan slid Ross Matthews in down the right and the full-back’s cut-back was emphatically despatched into the net by Stanton from eight yards out.
The hosts pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but they will require a victory in Dingwall on Sunday if they are to have any chance of ending their 27-year wait for a Premiership return.
What the managers said…
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Don Cowie says he’s delighted with his group following their 2-1 win
Ross County boss Don Cowie: “I thought the performance deserved a lead.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t get the clean sheet because I thought at 2-0 we started to look really comfortable.
“That’s the only real frustration, apart from that I’m really proud of the group.”
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Ian Murray says Raith Rovers are still in the tie following their 2-1 loss
Raith Rovers boss Ian Murray: “I thought Ross County started well, it’s difficult playing against a team that are at a higher level.
“We were just a bit sloppy at times, a bit rushed with the ball. A couple of tweaks helped us and for most of the second half apart from 10 minutes I thought we were the better side.
“The late goal gives us a chance. We know it will be difficult but we know what we have to do which is good.”
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