Date	Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:3 Saint Johnstone
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance	4,700
Referee	Nick Walsh
Comments	Match Report Report by Clive Lindsay for the BBC. Bottom Six Ross County 3 Saint Johnstone 3 Ross County must win at Kilmarnock on the final day of the season to save themselves from at least a relegation play-off after being denied victory at the death by St Johnstone. Stevie May's early goal was followed by his second-half penalty, but County replied with a Yan Dhanda spot kick of their own before Jordan White fired the equaliser and Jack Baldwin's stunning strike. That would have relegated Dundee United, but Ryan McGowan's close-range finish five minutes into stoppage time means County can now finish in any one of the three bottom places on the final day. Kilmarnock's win over United at Tannadice leaves them three points behind the Ayrshire side and needing a win to overtake the home side on goal difference, while United require an unlikely eight-goal swing to relegate the Dingwall side. "It doesn't really change anything in terms of what we need on the final day - we need to go to Kilmarnock and get a result," County manager Malky Mackay said. "This performance gives us a good platform. I've got a group who are very focused on what they need to do." Former Scotland Under-21 goalkeeper Ross Sinclair was handed his debut in an otherwise changed visiting side - and he started nervously. The 22-year-old flapped as he attempted to clear Andrew Considine's high sliced clearance under pressure from Simon Murray, but after it fell to White, the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a stop at point-blank range. It was all County in the early stages, but they were minus Alex Iacovitti in central defence and looked vulnerable before Drey Wright set up May on the edge of the box and the striker fired low into the far corner past Ross Laidlaw. Laidlaw turned a May drive on to a post at full stretch shortly after the break, but the striker made no mistake moments later from the penalty spot after a foul on Adam Montgomery. The St Johnstone left-back, though, levelled it up shortly after as a long throw bounced off his hand and Dhanda brought County back into the game. Simon Murray had started ahead of Alex Samuel because of fitness fears over the latter's return from long-term injury, but the Welshman's introduction as a substitute gave the visiting defence all sorts of problems. When Nohan Kenneh's miss-kick played White through on goal, the striker prodded in the equaliser. Captain Baldwin then strode towards the edge of the penalty box and fired a rocket past Sinclair. Just when it looked like that had put the final nail in United's relegation coffin, up stepped former Tannadice defender McGowan to knee home from close range when County failed to clear a late corner. County manager Malky Mackay will have mixed emotions. On the one hand, he will be proud that his side fought back from two goals down to go so close to victory. On the other, he will be disappointed to have lost a late equaliser that still leaves automatic relegation an outside possibility. However, it does not significantly change their task at Rugby Park next weekend. Either way, they were going to have to win to avoid the possibility of relegation. Their battling qualities will certainly give Mackay and their fans hope - and you imagine that Alex Samuel must start up front given his impact as a substitute. For St Johnstone, they showed fighting qualities of their own that may improve caretaker Steven MacLean's chances of taking the job permanently should he want it. He certainly seems to be getting the best out of May, who is a man reborn under his former strike partner. However, a draw was perhaps no surprise given they have now only lost one of their last 12 games in Dingwall, drawing six of them and means the home team have now not won any of the four meetings between the sides this season. Ross County manager Malky Mackay: "I'm really proud of them to come back from being two goals down and I think it shows the spirit and character of the team. They are a credit to this club." St Johnstone caretaker manager Steven MacLean: "Overall, I am not very happy at being 2-0 ahead and letting the lead slip. "Credit to Ross County, they put us under pressure and deserved to get back into the game, but I will praise my team for the character they showed to get the draw in the end."
Ross County
Manager	Malcolm (Malky) Mackay
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 2: Connor Randall, 5: Jack Baldwin 1, 10: Yan Dhanda 1 (1 pen), 14: Victor Loturi, 15: Keith Watson 1, 16: George Harmon, 17: Simon Murray, 26: Jordan White 1 1, 30: Dylan Smith, 42: Nohan Kenneh
Bench	21: Ross Munro, 3: Ben Purrington, 4: David Cancola, 11: Joshua Sims, 22: Jordon Tillson, 25: Alexander Samuel
Saint Johnstone
Manager	Steven MacLean
Starting 11	Ross Sinclair, James Brown, Andrew Considine, Liam Gordon, Adam Montgomery, Ryan McGowan 1, Drey Wright, Cameron MacPherson, Graham Carey, Cameron Ballantyne II, Stevie May 2 (1 pen)
Bench	Tony Gallacher, Alex Mitchell, Christopher Kane, David Wotherspoon, Zak Rudden, Connor McLennan, Jamie Murphy, Jack Wills, Daniel Phillips