Date	Saturday, 06 February 2021
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 0:2 Dundee United
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance
Referee	Grant Irvine
Comments	Match Report Report by Nick McPheat for the BBC. Played Behind Closed Doors Ross County 0 Dundee United 2 Dundee United manager Micky Mellon says striker Lawrence Shankland "epitomised" his side's performance as they ended an eight-game winless Scottish Premiership run to secure a much-needed victory at Ross County. They Scotland striker squandered two one-on-one opportunities in the first half, but responded by rounding off a sweeping second-half counter. Ryan Edwards' header sealed the points. "Good players bat it off and seal the deal next time," said Mellon. "And Lawrence is a very good player. He stayed in the game and slotted away his opportunity." The win leaves United in seventh, as County remain 11th. However, the vital victory for Micky Mellon's side means the Tannadice club now have an eight-point cushion on John Hughes' men, easing fears of them being dragged into the relegation dogfight. The away side started with an intensity that has often been lacking in their play this season, and it made for an open start as Marc McNulty and Jermaine Hylton had efforts saved at either end. But the first clear-cut opportunities fell to the visitors, as Shankland twice found himself through on goal against Ross Laidlaw. On both occasions, the Scotland striker opted to try and round the goalkeeper, but ran the ball out of play before Laidlaw got a big hand to the second. This time last year you would have expected to see the net ripple twice. County then passed up an opening of their own, as former United man Tony Andreu worked his way into the box off the right before guiding a left-footed finish wide of the far post. The hosts continued to press for the opener, starting the second half much improved, as Jordan White squandered a glorious chance after Andreu's pass took a nick and found him in the area. But it would be the away side instead that would break the deadlock, as a sweeping counter attack ended with Liam Smith crossing low from the right towards Shankland. The United striker's first touch was perfect, allowing him to make up for the earlier chances he passed up by finishing low across Laidlaw into the far corner. The away side controlled the tempo for the remainder of the contest and 13 minutes later the game was done. Pawlett's outswinging corner was guided home superbly by the head of Edwards, as the centre-back scored his second goal in as many games to seal United's fifth straight top-flight win over County. There was a feeling pre-match that pressure could mount on Mellon if they left Dingwall dragged further into the relegation battle. One win in 12 prior to this was not pleasant reading, but it is easy to forget just where United are at this moment in time. Eight of the starting 11 were playing second-tier football this time last year. With the Tannadice club now eight points clear of the relegation play-off place, and just one point off the top six, Mellon can maybe start looking upwards. As for County, this would have been a game Hughes would have been looking at to earn more points in with Hamilton facing the unenviable task for entertaining Rangers on Sunday. However, cheap goals have cost the Highlanders yet again. That is now 12 conceded directly from corners this term - the worst in the division - something Hughes will have to address. Ross County manager John Hughes: "First half was probably 50/50. We kept ourselves in the game. Second half we started really well. That bit of quality in the final third was missing a little bit. "Then we shoot ourselves in the foot from our corner. After they scored the first goal we stopped playing. I'm really disappointed with that." Dundee United manager Micky Mellon: "We understood how big a game it was. We wouldn't shy away from that. We thoroughly deserved our result. "We need to remember so many of them have come out the Championship. You've got to stay realistic. If we were offered where we are now at the start of the season, I think we would've accepted that."
Ross County
Manager	John Hughes
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 3: Carl Tremarco, 4: Leo Hjelde, 5: Callum Morris, 9: Billy Mckay, 14: Jermaine Hylton, 18: Stephen Kelly 1, 23: Jason Naismith, 24: Harrison Paton, 26: Jordan White, 28: Tony Andreu
Bench	21: Joseph Hilton, 6: Ross Draper, 7: Michael Gardyne, 8: Oliver Shaw, 15: Keith Watson, 16: Alexander Iacovitti, 17: Regan Charles-Cook, 19: Charlie Lakin, 22: Jordon Tillson
Dundee United
Manager	Micky Mellon
Starting 11	Benjamin Siegrist, Liam Smith, Adrian Sporle, Mark Reynolds, Peter Pawlett 1, Marc McNulty, Ryan Edwards 1, Jamie Robson, Calum Butcher 1, Lawrence Shankland 1, Jeando Fuchs
Bench	Deniz Mehmet, Dillon Powers, Nicky Clark, Luke Bolton, Ian Harkes, Kai Fotheringham, Chris Mochrie, Louis Appere, Kerr Smith