Harmon strikes late at Kilmarnock to secure County’s third straight away win

Venue: Rugby Park                                                                Date: 05/01/25                                                         Time: 15:00pm   Ross County travelled back to Dingwall with their third consecutive away win, a result made all the more impressive considering they hadn’t recorded one since September 2023 prior to the run. In a lesson for the home side on how to take your chances, George Harmon was clinical in dispatching Noah Chilvers’s pass into the box with just minutes to play. Despite the result, Kilmarnock had the first real chance of the game. Fraser Murray used some fine footwork to create shooting space, forcing Jordan Amissah into a save he would need to double down on after it deflected back towards goal. However it wasn’t long before County began to impose themselves, Josh Nisbet did well to get in on goal but his centred shot made it all too easy for Robbie McCrorie to deal with. McCrorie was soon called on again, this time straining every muscle in his body to tip Connor Randall’s effort from far reaches of his box over the bar. No doubt buoyed by his earlier effort, Randall soon attempted a shot from outside the area but watched it sail over the bar. It took over an hour but eventually Kilmarnock got their first attempt on target albeit not one that troubled Amissah as David Watson could not get enough purchase on Fraser Murray’s cross. Murray’s next cross found Bruce Anderson who saw his shot deflected out for a corner but Kilmarnock could not make the set piece count. The result means Derek McInnes’ men now sit tenth, just one point above Hearts in the relegation play-off place.   Attendance: 5,426 Line-Ups: Kilmarnock (4-4-2): R. McCrorie, C. Ndaba, L. Mayo, J. Wright, B. Lyons (c), F. Murray, (L. Donnelly (K. Magennis 63’), D. Watson, D. Armstrong (G. Mackay-Steven 84’), B. Anderson, I. Cameron ((M. Watkins 5’)(B. Wales 62’)) Substitutes: O. Bainbridge, A. Brown, J. Burroughs, R. Deas, G. Mackay-Steven, K. Magennis, K. O’Hara, B. Wales, M. Watkins Ross County (3-5-1-1): J. Amissah, C. Randall (c), K. Lopata, A. Wright, G. Harmon, J. Nisbet (V. Loturi 75’), N. Kenneh, J. Grieves (R. Hale 59’), J. Brown, N. Chilvers (C. Telfer 88’), J. White Substitutes: S. Allardice, E. Brophy, R. Hale, J. Hamilton, V. Loturi, J. Reid, J. Reid, M. Sheaf, C. Telfer Referee: Steven McLean

First half collapse sees St Johnstone fall to Dundee

Venue: McDiarmid Park                                                     Date: 05/01/25                                                          Time: 15:00pm   St Johnstone’s early collapse saw Dundee come out comfortable winners and leave the Perth side eight points adrift at the bottom of the table. Just three minutes into play Josh Rae flailed as he jumped to catch a lofted free kick ball, leaving Simon Murray to put the visitors on the front foot. In the tenth minute disaster struck again when St Johnstone were guilty of not clearing from a set piece allowing the ball to fall into Seb Palmer-Houlden’s feet, the 21 year old making no mistake to double his side’s lead. Folding like a deck of cards on a windy day, Simo Valakari’s men found themselves three down just twelve minutes later, Lyall Cameron finishing Mulligan’s pass into the box which could have been finished by Oluwaseun Adewumi had he not missed the ball entirely. Making two substitutions before the half hour mark, the manager look to turn things around but would earn no more than a consolation goal courtesy of Josh McPake’s long range effort. Nicky Clark came close to getting the first for the home side but could not get enough purchase on Aaron Essel’s cross as the ball skimmed over his head. Continuing in their struggles to find the target, Benjamin Kimpioka could not add a finish to his tricky footwork, ending the game goalless for the fifth time in a row before Adama Sidibeh failed to do better with his own effort. Much improved in the second half, Clark at least forced a save from Trevor Carson who endured one of his more comfortable evenings in a Dundee shirt. Palmer-Houlden probed for a second but was denied by a strong hand from Rae. Attendance: 5,246 Line-Ups: St Johnstone (4-2-3-1): J. Rae, A. Raymond (A. Essel 28’), B. Mikulic, J. Sanders, D. Wright, M. Smith (M. Kucheriavyi 28’), S. Sprangler, B. Kimpioka (J. McPake 58’), N. Clark (c), G. Carey, A. Sidibeh Substitutes: A. Brookfield, B. Dair, A. Essel, F. Franczak, C. Helpburn, D. Keltjens, M. Kucheriavyi, C. MacPherson, J. McPake Dundee (3-4-2-1): T. Carson (c), L. Graham, C. Roberston, R. Astley, S. Tiffoney, M. Sylla, L. Cameron, J. Mulligan, O. Adewumi (C. Garza 76’), S. Palmer-Houlden (C. Main 84’), S. Murray (E. Ingram 68’) Substitutes: S. Braybrooke, C. Garza, E. Ingram, C. Main, J. McCracken, H. Sharp, J. Vetro Referee: David Dickinson

Aberdeen go ten without a win as Motherwell triumph

Venue: Fir Park                                                                     Date: 05/01/25                                                          Time: 15:00pm   Aberdeen’s recent woes continued as they fell to their 10th consecutive game without a victory, dropping into fourth and only four points ahead of Motherwell. Having been dominant throughout the first half, the home side were rewarded for their efforts when Ewan Wilson lashed home a ball the Dons had failed to clear. Desperately needing a result, Jimmy Thelin’s men did themselves no favours as Slobodan Rubezic reacted to Tony Watt’s provocations, making head contact to earn himself a straight red. Taking full advantage of the numerical advantage, Motherwell scored just two minutes later through Tawanda Maswanhise Motherwell could have opened the scoring sooner when Andy Halliday’s curling long ball found on the head of an oncoming Dan Casey who lifted his hands in disbelief after putting the effort wide. Similarly Aberdeen had chances of their own, Nicky Devlin leapt into the air to head in an corner but Aston Oxborough did ever so well to deny the Scotland international. Looking improved with ten men, the visitors continued to probe for an opener, Duk guilty of not setting himself correctly to put away a ball Topi Keskinen sent skimming across the turf. Leighton Clarkson came closest, his effort from distance beating Oxborough but rattling the crossbar and bouncing away. Late on Maswanhise saw his effort fly low past Kris Doohan’s left hand side but by then game looked over as Motherwell secured their first win in five. Attendance: 5,308 Line-Ups: Motherwell (3-4-2-1): A. Oxborough, D. Casey, L. Gordon (c), K. Balmer (P. McGinn 86’), E. Wilson, A. Halliday, D. Zdravkovski (T. Sparrow 78’), M. Kaleta, T. Watt (C. Slattery 86’), T. Maswanhise (S. Nicholson 78’), M. Ebiye (J. Vale 68’) Substitutes: S. Blaney, K. Hegyi, J. Koutroumbis, P. McGinn, S. Nicholson, S. O’Donnell, C. Slattery, T. Sparrow, J. Vale Aberdeen (4-3-3): R. Doohan, J. MacKenzie (J. McGarry 72’), A. MacDonald (L. Clarkson 46’), S. Rubezic, N. Devlin, G. Shinnie (c), S. Heltne Nilsen, A. Palaversa (P. Ambrose 80’), Duk, K. Nisbet (D. Polvara 46’), T. Keskinen (S. Morris 72’) Substitutes: P. Ambrose, F. Boyd, V. Enem, J. McGarry, J. McGrath, S. Morris, L. Clarkson, D. Polvara, T. Ritchie Referee: Nick Walsh