A basement battle breeze for County

ROSS COUNTY swapped places with Kilmarnock after registering their biggest win of the season to climb off the foot of the Premiership on goal difference.

The Staggies are one of four sides locked on 20 points each but the psychological benefit of this result could turn out to be massive.

Having been billed as a relegation six-pointer between the bottom sides the match never quite lived up to expectations.

County made it look almost too easy at times after two second-half goals ensured that they ended a dismal eight-match winless run.

The Staggies had not won since early November when they shocked Hibs at Easter Road.

And having lost four and drawn two of their fixtures since normal service was resumed post-World

Cup, the situation had become perilous for the Highlanders.

But after securing their biggest win for 15 months the mood at the Global Energy Stadium was transformed at a stroke.

Incredibly County equalled their goals tally in their previous eight matches after raising their game several notches when it mattered most.

Whether County can build on what is a huge result remains to be seen but the signs yesterday were certainly encouraging.

The Kilmarnock players, meanwhile, had plenty of time to reflect on a result that could well have far-reaching consequences on what must have felt like a long and soul-searching journey back down the A9.

They in fact remain the only top-flight club without an away win to their name.

It won’t have escaped their notice either that they were largely undone by an ex-Rugby Park player in the shape of Eamonn Brophy.

Brophy looked every inch the player who earned a Scotland cap under Steve Clarke.

And it didn’t take him long to have an impact in County colours — 13 minutes to be precise.

Brophy, on loan from St Mirren until the end of the season, proved to be an instant success when he fired the Staggies in front on his debut.

It was also his first goal of the season after drawing a blank with Saints prior to heading for Dingwall.

The striker gathered a pass from another loanee, Nohan Kenneh, following a quick break and steadied himself just long enough to unleash a shot from the centre of the penalty area low into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Brophy could not have wished for a better start to his career in the Highlands as County responded positively to a change of tactics and shape in a 3-4-1-2 formation that appeared to flummox their opponents to an extent.

Indeed, there was much to admire about their play which was both positive and adventurous to the extent that they very much dominated the initial exchanges.

Having been given greater freedom to express themselves, the County players’ response must have delighted coach Malky Mackay.

But Killie were by no means out of it and Scott Robinson squandered a glorious opportunity to equalise with a header three minutes from the interval.

The striker’s shocking finish from close range after a spot of pinball in the box prompted Hearts legend John Robertson to describe it as the miss of the season in his radio commentary.

Having succeeded in taking some of the sting out of County’s play, Kilmarnock put together an encouraging spell towards the end of the first half.

Liam Polworth, Ash Taylor and Calum Waters, in turn, posed threats of various degrees without doing damage.

But it was enough to increase the home fans’ understandable nervousness in the circumstances.

The tension eased perceptibly three minutes after the restart when County scored again to give themselves a two-goal cushion.

Brophy was once again at the heart of affairs when he instigated the move that ended in further problems for Killie.

Displaying good ball control, Brophy ended a short run with an accurate pass to Ross Callachan whose low cross found Jordan White lurking at the back post where he was largely unmarked and able to steer he ball into the unguarded net.

It was by no means a case of job done at that point but when Killie keeper Zach Hemming made a complete hash of dealing with a hopeful strike by Yan Dhanda in the 63rd minute there didn’t look to be any realistic way back for the visitors.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes sent on Kyle Lafferty in place of Polworth after 76 minutes, presumably more in hope than expectation that the Northern Ireland international might somehow spark a late revival.

Hardly surprisingly it turned out to be a forlorn hope as County did not appear at all likely to relinquish a three-goal lead in the space of less than a quarter of an hour.

So it proved to be the case as County saw out the final stages in fairly comfortable fashion after coming good to ease fears of being at the sharp end of a relegation dogfight, at least for the time being. ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw; Watson, Baldwin, Iacovitti; Randall, Callachan (Cancola 76), Kenneh (Loturi 82), Harmon; Dhanda (Tillson 64); Brophy (Samuel 65), White (Stones 82).

Subs (not used): Munro, Sims, Hiwula, Smith.

Booked: Callachan.

KILMARNOCK (4-4-2): Hemming; Mayo, Taylor, Wright, Waters (Alebiosu 76); Jones, Polworth

(Lafferty 76), Power (Donnelly 60), McKenzie;

Robinson (Doidge 60), Vassell.

Subs (not used): Walker, Alston, Sanders, Lyons, McInroy. Booked: Vassell.

Referee: Chris Graham. Attendance: 3,794.