Ross County are eyeing a Premiership relegation play-off after a thrilling comeback was halted by Ryan McGowan’s equalizer in a 3-3 draw at St Johnstone.
Stevie May scored either side of half-time, first with a curling effort and then from the penalty spot, to give the visitors a commanding lead at Dingwall.
But County roared back with Yan Dhanda scoring a spot-kick, Jordan White breaking the offside trap to level things up and Jack Baldwin hitting a stunner at the death.
However, McGowan had the final say in claiming a point that leaves County three below Dundee United and three below third-bottom Kilmarnock, who they face in their final game on Sunday.
The Staggies’ best chance early on came courtesy of the St Johnstone goalkeeper, as Ross Sinclair punched the ball straight to White before recovering well to keep the shot out.
The visitors were in the lead until May, whose shot beat Ross Laidlaw and found the far corner.
St Johnstone maintained their lead in the second half, with May turning and shooting from 25 yards, forcing Laidlaw to tap the ball over the bar.
Shortly after he made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Nohan Kenneh beat Adam Montgomery.
Ross County’s Jordan White celebrates equalizing
The sunshine between the sides was short-lived though, as County took to the pitch and won a penalty of their own courtesy of a Cameron Ballantyne handball.
Dhanda stepped forward to collect it and powered his spot-kick past Sinclair and into the top corner to halve the deficit.
This got the Staggies on their tails and they began to pin St Johnstone in their own half as they tried to find an equaliser.
Eventually the pressure was on when, in the 69th minute, Kenneh hit a shot into the path of White who converted from close range and, after a VAR review for offside, the goal was allowed to stand. .
In the 90th minute, an unlikely source came up with what looked like a winner, with Baldwin smashing the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
However, St Johnstone fought back deep five minutes into stoppage time and Andy Considine thought he had an equalizer when his header from a corner hit the bar, only for McGowan to follow and find the net.
What managers say…
Ross County boss Malky Mackay: “I thought we started well, and I was happy with the whole first half,” explained Mackay.
“They caught us on the counter with their only shot on goal, and (Stevie) May – who is a good player – scored.
“There were strange blocks in their line for the three chances we had in the first half, so at half-time it was just a case of asking for 10 per cent more energy and we were good.
“We lost a lazy, sloppy tackle for a penalty to go 2-0 down, but the spirit we showed as a team really gave us a chance to fight again.
“We came back well, we pushed and checked, and we kept our nerve to continue.
“We lost a baby death blow, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t change the win at Kilmarnock. We know what we have to go out there and do on Sunday.”
St Mirren boss Steven MacLean: “We were 2-0 up and cruising, and then we dropped our standards. We set standards in the last four games and did really well, but we stopped trying to win the first contact and second ones ball.
“We know those standards now, but I have to praise their attitude because we went to the end.
“I’m just disappointed to be 2-0 in a game and I can’t see it.
“Fair play to County, they fought and deserved to be back in the game because they put us under a lot of pressure.”
What’s next?
Places called Ross County in the United States last Scottish Premiership game of the season is far from Kilmarnock on Sunday, while St Johnstone host Livingston.
Both games start at 12:30pm.
