Ross County move into top half of Scottish Premiership following 1-0 win over St Mirren

Ross County moved into the top half of the Scottish Premiership with a 1-0 win over St Mirren thanks to a 49th-minute penalty from Joe Hungbo.

They were made to work hard for the three points by a Buddies side who battled until the very end but lacked the quality in front of goal to get back on level terms.

County made it three league victories in a row for the first time this season and, with results elsewhere going their way, they leapfrogged Motherwell and Dundee United into the top six – another first for the club in the current campaign.

Stephen Robinson made two changes to his line-up, bringing in goalkeeper Dean Lyness and striker Alex Greive, but it was the unchanged Staggies who started the game more brightly.

Hungbo was a constant threat on the right wing in the early going, with his work leading to multiple openings that came to nothing.

St Mirren grew into the game but after a fairly even first half overall, it was the hosts who took the lead from the penalty spot.

Just minutes after the restart, Hungbo was taken down inside the St Mirren box by Alex Gogic, before the on-loan Watford man stepped up himself to score his second spot-kick in as many matches.

Moments later there was another blow for the Buddies as Conor McCarthy was forced off injured and Robinson elected to make an attacking change by sending on Eamonn Brophy in his place.

Brophy did go close with his first sight of goal from just inside the area, sending his effort just high and wide, before fellow substitute Curtis Main tested out Ross Laidlaw’s reactions at his near post.

The visitors attempted to maintain the pressure and they did start to have more of the ball and the territory but, much like their hosts in the first half, they were not able to overly trouble Laidlaw.

After being unsuccessful with their initial spell of pressure, St Mirren appeared to lose their composure, playing a number of long balls forward that went straight through to Laidlaw and leaving Main and Brophy frustrated.

The image of Main throwing his arms in the air summed up the Buddies’ afternoon as County held on to their lead to claim all three points.