MAKENZIE KIRK was the hero as he fired the crucial goal that has St Johnstone dreaming of finally getting off the foot of the table.
And it sets the Saints up for a huge tie against Dundee on Saturday that could see them leapfrog their Tayside rivals.
Ross County couldn’t make it three wins in a row against the Perth side[/caption]
Makenzie Kirk struck shortly after the hour-mark[/caption]
The striker landed three valuable points in his side’s battle against the drop[/caption]
For Ross County, their worries lie in their match-up with Kilmarnock on Saturday, and another defeat for Don Cowie’s side could mean a further descent in the table.
The first ten minutes were a case of both sides facing each other up trying to string together passes that weren’t working in their favour.
However, the Saints won a free-kick at the edge of the box when young winger Stephen Duke-McKenna’s effort was headed for the top right but it was saved brilliantly by Ross County keeper Jordan Amissah who expertly tipped it away for a corner.
Then came the County support with chants of ‘oh when the saints are going down’ that seemed to fuel their opposition who battled hard in the opening 20 minutes.
Midfielder Sam Curtis took matters into his own hands. striking from long range. There was no real power in the effort however the deflection led to another corner for the home side.
St. Johnstone put the pressure on and this time won a freekick on the left side of the box from Nohan Kenneh who lunged uncontrollably into Jason Holt preventing the midfielder’s progression but this led to comfortable clearance.
Full-back Akil Wright began to cause problems for the Saints back line and his powerful run down the right side concluded with a floated cross to Ronan Hale and his glancing header was cleared off the line by Sam Curtis.
Swedish midfielder Jonathan Svedberg was then played through on goal creating a two-v-one situation from the left side of the county box and but his tired effort was struck low and hard into the hands of Amissah before the offside flag was raised.
The Swede then bravely took on a bicycle kick and fancied his chances at something special in the penalty area but it was gathered comfortably by Amissah.
Another chance came late in the first half for the Saints as Svedberg’s whipped ball across the box at a knee height found Curtis at the back post whose diving point-blank header was sharply saved by Amissah.
St Johnstone started the second half with Barry Douglas on in place of Drey Wright with Ross County taking off Ronan Hale and Keiran Phillips for George Robesten and Jordan White.
It took until the 53rd minute for County to get a shot on target when Elijah Campbell’s header from a corner was caught by Andy Fisher causing no real scare for the opposition.
Then came another sub this time it was Graham Carey who emerged from the bench meaning time was up for Svedberg in the 58th minute.
It was a quiet game for referee Dan MacFarlane who decided not to dish out a booking to White for a pullback.
Makenzie Kirk’s goal could prove pivotal in the fight for survival[/caption]
Simo Valakari could move his side off the bottom this weekend[/caption]
St Johnstone crept closer to Dundee and could leapfrog them when they meet on Saturday[/caption]
Cowie took off the energetic attacking midfielder Noah Chilvers for Joshua Nisbet with 25 minutes to go.
A piece of technical genius from Carey on the half volley sent a beautiful diagonal ball out wide to Duke McKenna who cut in finding space and flashed his effort wide threatening County that a goal was coming.
St Johnstone achieved the lead they craved after a mistake from Akil Wright who lost the ball from a lazy touch and invited McKenna to steal, his effort at goal was saved and parried to Kirk who clinically laced it getting his sixth league goal, and eighth goal of the season.
Another change followed for St Johnstone as Saints number ten Nicky Clark came on for Adama Sidibeh.
Chants of ‘Oh when the Saints are going down’ seemed to fuel the home side
White again got away without a booking for a push, leaving travelling supporters vocal about the referee’s decision to let him off.
With the last ten to go in the tight affair a Clark header soared over the bar from a floated ball by Duke-McKenna from the corner arc which could’ve given St Johnstone a comfortable lead.
It took to the 86th minute for the first yellow card of the match, Barry Douglas on the receiving end for supposed time-wasting from a deep free-kick in his own half.
County had one more chance before the end when substitute Nisbet fought off two Saints defenders to create space for Kenneh at the edge of the box but his powerful strike was contained sharply by Andy Fisher who reacted well.
An unexpected four minutes were added on at the end of the 90 with a low amount of stoppages throughout the match.
Fisher found himself in the book as well for simulation which then drew the curtain meaning Saints came away with the three precious points.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
