Date	Saturday, 26 February 2022
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:1 Saint Johnstone
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance	3,161
Referee	Nick Walsh
Comments	Match Report Report by Jack Herrall for the BBC. Ross County 3 Saint Johnstone 1 St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson said his side were "way below the standards needed to stay in the league" after defeat at Ross County. The visitors led through Callum Hendry, but Regan Charles-Cook netted a double and Joseph Hungbo added County's third. St Johnstone, who occupy the Scottish Premiership relegation play-off spot, are now seven points behind County and two above Dundee. "I thought we played safe and went into our shell," said Davidson. "I've got belief from the first half but the second half obviously concerns me. "We've got to show more fighting spirit and desire to actually put them under pressure." Both sides have spent most of the season looking over their shoulder and there was a lot riding on this one. The opening stages were cagey, with Tony Gallacher testing home goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw the extent of the early chances. St Johnstone sparked the game into life when Tom Sang cut on to his left foot and floated a cross towards the back post. Hendry leapt to meet it, towering over Keith Watson, and nodded past Laidlaw. County immediately showed more attacking impetus to get back level. Charles-Cook collected a Harry Paton pass, took one touch and bent the ball into the bottom corner to become the league's outright top scorer, having previously been level with Rangers' Alfredo Morelos on 11. Almost immediately after the interval, Hungbo nearly had the home side ahead. A fast break down the right-hand side saw him cut on to his left foot and whip a shot narrowly wide. County must have had an inspired half-time team-talk as, after a few near misses, they surged ahead. A long throw-in was flicked on in a crowded box and Charles-Cook scored with an impressive acrobatic finish. The hosts rarely looked in danger of relinquishing that lead and sealed the points with the simplest of goals. Keith Watson launched a long ball from his own half and the knockdown fell kindly for Hungbo, who lashed a first-time effort past Elliot Parish at his near post. Once they recovered from a rocky start, County looked remarkably comfortable. Charles-Cook is the Premiership's top scorer on 13 - an impressive feat for a wide player - but he offers so much more than just goals. The 25-year-old is a full-back's nightmare with the way he buzzes up and down the flank, while he can be electric with the ball at his feet. St Johnstone will be worried now, with County stretching seven points clear to leave the relegation battle looking like a two-team fight. Parish could probably have done more to stop at least two of the goals, so the Perth men will be desperate to get Zander Clark back as soon as possible. Hendry has contributed a handful of goals since his return from a loan spell at Kilmarnock, but St Johnstone's attacks were too often meek with no cutting edge. Ross County assistant manager Don Cowie: "To lose the first goal is always difficult but the boys showed character to come back, especially in the second half I thought the energy levels were tremendous. "We kept going right until the end and were clinical too, which is very pleasing." St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson: "First half we were quite pleased, I thought we were comfortable. "I knew the second half was going to be huge in our season and to lose the goals from a long throw and a long ball is defensively very poor. As a group collectively, it wasn't good enough."
Ross County
Manager	Malcolm (Malky) Mackay
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 2: Connor Randall, 5: Jack Baldwin, 6: Harrison Paton, 8: Ross Callachan, 15: Keith Watson, 16: Alexander Iacovitti 1, 17: Regan Charles-Cook 2, 22: Jordon Tillson, 23: Joseph Hungbo 1, 26: Jordan White
Bench	21: Ross Munro, 3: Jake Vokins, 10: Dominic Samuel, 18: Jack Burroughs, 19: Kayne Ramsay, 20: Declan Drysdale, 24: Benjamin Paton, 30: Matthew Wright, 32: Adam Mackinnon
Saint Johnstone
Manager	Callum Davidson
Starting 11	Elliot Parish, Jamie McCart, Daniel Cleary, Liam Gordon, Tony Gallacher, Tom Sang, Melker Hallberg, Jacob Butterfield, Glenn Middleton, Alister Crawford, Callum Hendry 1 1
Bench	James Brown, Stevie May, Michael O'Halloran, Charlie Gilmour 1, John Mahon, Theo Bair, Ross Sinclair, Nadir Ciftci, Liam Craig