Ronan Hale's dramatic 96th-minute penalty rescued a draw for Ross County against Dundee, relegated St Johnstone, and ensures both these sides go into the final weekend of the season still battling to secure their Scottish Premiership status.
What did you make of County's performance?
Image source, SNSRoss County manager Don Cowie: "It's massive, it means on Sunday, it's all to play for. When you get to the stage of the game, to somehow find an equaliser.
"I know Dundee will feel a bit aggrieved, just in the manner [it came]. It was a pretty nothing cross that goes in the box and they win the first and it hits their second defender on the arm.
"They'll be really disappointed, but we were probably due that little bit of luck and we'll certainly take it.
"Ronan showed a lot of bottle going up. The pressure must have been immense stepping up and he must be delighted with the way he dealt with that pressure. Incredible character that he showed stepping up.
"There was no doubt in his head that he was taking it. ( I see him every day, practise his penalties. He's so confident.
"You can see how alive he's looking. He was unfortunate in the first half with the one that deflects onto the bar. He has a good opportunity in the second half, which he doesn't take, but he just puts himself back in that position time and time again.
"To step up with that composure and with that authority, I'm delighted for him."
Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSRoss County's wastefulness has been central to their struggles this season – they are the lowest scorers in the Premiership – and it was evident again at Dens.
They created several promising openings. Hale was unfortunate to see his deflected strike hit the crossbar rather than the net after brilliant run from halfway that took him past several defenders.
Wright should have buried his header from the subsequent corner after being left unmarked just six yards out.
Tiffoney's goal for Dundee seemed to knock the stuffing out of County, though they really should have levelled when Hale blazed horribly wide from eight yards after being teed up by Alex Samuel.
It's to Hale's credit that he brushed that aside to hold his nerve for the most pressurised of penalty kicks.
And while County would have loved a win, they have ended their seven-match losing run in the nick of time.
Image source, SNSRonan Hale always looked like County's biggest threat, and scored the crucial penalty under pressure.
Image source, SNSDundee have lost all three of their Scottish Premiership games against Ross County this season, but have never lost four in a row against the Staggies in the top flight before.
Ross County have never beaten a single opponent four times within the same Scottish top-flight campaign before, something they will achieve over Dundee should they win here.
Dundee have only won their final home game in one of their past nine top-flight campaigns (D4 L4), a 3-1 victory over Hibernian in 2021-22.
Ross County have only won their final away game in one of their past six Scottish Premiership seasons (D2 L3 – including curtailed 2019-20 season), a 2-1 victory at Motherwell in 2020-21.
Since Christmas Day, Dundee have won just one of their 10 home league games (D3 L6), and have the fewest home points in the Scottish Premiership in this time (six).
Image source, SNSManager Don Cowie says Ross County must "recognise the magnitude" of Wednesday's "massive game" with Dundee as they aim to arrest an alarming run of form with a vital victory.
Saturday's defeat at St Johnstone extended 11th-placed County's losing run to seven games, meaning they are two points adrift of safety and three above 12th with two fixtures remaining.
The Highland side have survived via the relegation play-off in the past two seasons, but the threat of facing the automatic drop is real after the weekend loss in Perth.
Despite a torrid run of form, Cowie says County cannot "feel sorry for ourselves" heading into a crucial match.
"It's now about giving the group real belief going into a big game," the manager said. "They have to recognise the magnitude of the game.
"But they can't get caught up on it. We need to give players freedom and let them play with no fear. I've got real belief in them and what they're capable of doing.
"We've been in this position before, we know what's at stake and how important it is for our football club."
Image source, SNSRoss County manager Don Cowie has been speaking to the media prior to Wednesday's Scottish Premiership match at Dundee.
Here are the key lines:
Cowie says the feeling is "frustration" after a seventh straight league defeat at St Johnstone on Saturday, but he adds that the team "can't dwell on it".
Going into a "massive game" on Wednesday, the County boss says "it's about giving the group real belief" amid a terrible run.
Cowie says the players must "recognise the magnitude of the game" but stresses he wants the team to play "without fear".
The manager says County "know what's at stake" given they have "been in this position before".
Cowie says the team "won't shy away" from their poor form, but Wednesday's game gives them "an opportunity to change" the course of their season.
'Real worrying situation for County'
Watch Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart discuss Ross County's mentality amid a worrying run of form. (Available to UK s only)
Watch highlights as St Johnstone keep their survival hopes alive by inflicting a seventh straight defeat on Ross County. (Available to UK s only)
We asked for your views on Ross County's 2-1 defeat against St Johnstone.
Here's what some of you said:
Kenny: All signs currently point towards automatic relegation which is unforgivable given that we were pushing for top six just before the split. The club have completely bottled it and ultimately that responsibility falls with the manager. It's sad to want a County man out, but we need a more experienced coach to get us back up next season at the first attempt.
David: Simply a continuation of disorganisation and poor play, bad management, poor team selection, poor substitutions. Continual changing of the team. I saw this coming before the split and I said I feared all teams in the bottom half. We need a miracle to survive in the top division.
Image source, SNSRoss County have lost their past seven games in the Premiership, their last t longest losing streak was from 10 August 2014 to 20 September 2014.
Joshua Make has assisted three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no St Johnstone player has more.
Zach Ashworth received a red card - Ross County's third sending off in the Premiership this season, and their first since 19 October 2024 against St Johnstone.
Adama Sidibeh attempted five shots, the first time he has attempted at least five shots in a match in the Premiership since facing Dundee on 1 March 2025 (five shots).
County fans, did you make the trip to McDiarmid Park on Saturday or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the narrow defeat to St Johnstone. How are you feeling about your chance of Premiership survival?
Image source, SNSRoss County manager Don Cowie tells BBC Scotland: "We've got to be concerned, we've got to face the reality in of how tight things are now.
"Credit to St Johnstone, they get the victory and make things tight. Somehow, despite the run of form we've been on, with two games to go we've still got an opportunity to get out of the position we're in.
"There were little spells that we did well but ultimately it doesn't matter because we've come away with nothing.
"Today has to be a day, for us as a group, to recognise the situation we're in. There's no hiding place, I'm not going to hide, I take full responsibility for the run of results, it's not good enough but what I will do is that over the next seven days I'll be doing everything I can for this football club and that's what the players need to do.
"Today they'll be hurting, that's the time to reflect on the game but we come in on Monday and we have to be ready for Dundee.
"There's been plenty of times this season this squad has shown what they're capable of doing. In football, confidence is a big thing and I'll be making sure come Wednesday we've got a group of players that are capable of getting us what we need."
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSOnly once before have Ross County lost seven in a row in the top flight. What a horrendous time to equal that record.
They were second best in Perth and their momentum is going in the wrong direction.
Right now, County surely would take a play-off, something they have come through in each of the past two seasons. However, they seem to be lacking something, especially goal threat.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone boss Simo Valakari expects to be selecting from an unchanged squad, with Zach Mitchell (hamstring), Drey Wright (ankle), Bozo Mikulic (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) still out.
Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice remains out but does not need surgery on his knee injury.
Jack Grieves and George Robesten are doubts while Ross Laidlaw (illness), Andrew Macleod (groin), Noah Chilvers (knee) and Ryan Leak (Achilles) remain out.
Image source, SNSGeorge Harmon is determined to avoid a third successive relegation play-off with Ross County.
The defender arrived in Dingwall in summer 2022 and has helped County survive after they finished second bottom in the past two years.
After six defeats on the spin, Don Cowie's occupy the play-off spot with three games left this term, but Harmon is desperate to boost their survival hopes by securing a victory at St Johnstone on Saturday that would send the Perth side down.
"Every game in the split is important and it's still in our hands at the end of the day," said Harmon.
"We'll see where St Johnstone's strengths and weaknesses are and where we can hurt them.
"It's going to be a tough game, we know that. They play some good football, but we've also seen that they can concede goals.
"There's a lot of lads in that changing room that have been here before, but I think for us now, we don't want to finish in the play-offs.
"We want to try and push up the table as much as we can. All season we've had everyone almost against us at times, especially when it comes to the away form around Christmas time and we were able to respond and get three away wins on the bounce.
"We've got more than enough quality in that changing room and we just need to make sure that we show that on Saturday."
Image source, SNSDefeat for St Johnstone in this match will see them relegated from the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 2001-02.
St Johnstone are unbeaten in six league meetings with Ross County (W4 D2), winning the past two. The Perth side have never previously beaten the Staggies three times in a row in the top flight.
County have lost three of their past four league trips to St Johnstone (D1), including both of their past two without scoring.
St Johnstone have lost their last three league games and could lose four in a row for the second time this season, having previously done so in December.
County have lost their past six league games; only once before have they ever lost seven in a row in the top flight, doing so when losing each of their opening seven matches of 2014-15.
Image source, SNSDon Cowie is targeting a "huge" Ross County victory in Perth on Saturday to relegate St Johnstone.
The Staggies have a six-point cushion over the rock-bottom Perth side with three matches remaining.
County remain in the relegation play-off spot - a point behind Dundee - and are seeking to end a run of six successive defeats in the relegation showdown.
"It would be huge," said manager Cowie. "It stops the run that we're on. It gives us a real opportunity to go into the two games after that.
"We would put it in our own hands going into the last two games. That's why winning the game is really important for us.
"In order to do that, we have to go and show it. St Johnstone are fighting for their lives as well. They're not going to make it easy for us.
"It's a place that we've not done too well in the past, but records are there to change. We've done that many times this season already and that gives us real belief.
"Sometimes it's not always about the performance. It's about being strong, being together and finding a way to win a game of football. That's what we'll be looking to do this weekend."
County are yet to beat St Johnstone this season, losing twice at McDiarmid Park after a 3-3 draw in Dingwall.
"We've got to recognise we can't change the last few weeks, we're really disappointed in of the results that we've had in that period of time, but it's up to us to change it," added Cowie.
"St Johnstone are very stuck in their way and the principles that they want to do. They're a really good footballing team.
"They want to play out from the back on all occasions. They've got players in the final third that can hurt you.
"They've got different qualities and lots of options in that area as well. We have to be ready for that. At the same time, we have to be ready to punish them at any opportunity."
Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSDon Cowie has been speaking to BBC Scotland before Ross County's relegation showdown with St Johnstone this weekend.
Here are the key lines from his press conference:
Cowie was "disappointed" with the 3-1 home defeat by Hearts last weekend after his side scored an "important" first goal.
On County's six-game losing run: "It's up to us to change it. It's still in our hands. We've got a huge week coming up. We know what's at stake at the end of that week and it starts on Saturday, which is the biggest game of them all."
The Staggies need a good performance "to show how important" the game at bottom club St Johnstone on Saturday is.
A County victory will relegate Saints but the Staggies are winless in their past four trips to Perth. Cowie says: "Records are there to change. We've done that many times this season already and that gives us real belief."
County have to "come together and do what it takes to get the results." Cowie adds: "Sometimes it's not always about the performance. It's about being strong, being together and finding a way to win a game of football. That's what we'll be looking to do this weekend."
On 14-goal top scorer Ronan Hale: "He's clinical, we need to create opportunities for him because more often than not he'll take them."
Ross Morren
Fan writer
Concerns over a third successive Premiership play-off continue to grow for County fans.
The 3-1 home defeat by Hearts means Staggies have now lost their last six matches, scoring only three goals and conceding 12.
The last victory for Don Cowie's side was a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at the start of March. That win was a third in four matches which also saw County match their total points from last season with nine matches left and had fans dreaming of a top-six finish.
Two months later, we are still stuck on 35 points and fans are panicking that a third consecutive play-off is looming.
However, our destiny is still in our own hands with three league matches remaining. The Staggies are six points above St Johnstone in 12th and only two behind Dundee in 10th as they face trips to face both sides in their next two matches.
It's absolutely vital Cowie's side turn their form around at McDiarmid Park on Saturday and right the wrongs they've suffered against St Johnstone recently. They cannot afford to give Saints any sort of lifeline or opportunity to halve the points deficit.
In the three previous meetings this season, County have only picked up one point and were beaten on both visits to Perth.
The Staggies were also 1-0 up and only minutes from safety in the penultimate game of last season against Saints before Adama Sidibeh's last-gasp equaliser kept the Perth side alive going into the final day where they'd eventually leapfrog County into 10th place on goal difference.
If County pick up three points on Saturday, it will end any fears about automatic relegation and give the squad a much-needed confidence boost going into the most important week of the season.
Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external
Watch all the action from Hearts' 3-1 win over Ross County in the Scottish Premiership
Available to UK s only
