Date	Sunday, 30 October 2022
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 1:2 Heart of Midlothian
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance	4,438
Referee	David Dickinson
Comments	Match Report Report by Andrew Petrie for the BBC. Ross County 1 Heart of Midlothian 2 Lawrence Shankland and Andy Halliday combined again to earn Hearts a second win in a row and send Ross County back to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership. Jordan White bundled in to give Malky Mackay's side an early lead before Hearts responded with two goals in five minutes by the same players who netted in Thursday's win against RFS in the European Conference League. County return to the bottom of the division - behind Dundee United - on goal difference, while Hearts go sixth. The final game of a busy weekend was arguably the best that the Premiership had to offer. County came out the blocks quickly, with a Jordy Hiwula goal ruled out for offside in the build-up. Owura Edwards was the offender, infringing before his scoop into the box. There was nothing wrong with their next attack, though. Breaking down the right, the creative Yan Dhanda whipped an inviting low ball in that White thighed beyond a scrambling Craig Gordon. That was the kick Hearts needed. Just four minutes later they had their equaliser when Shankland was quickest to react to his own blocked shot, lashing in with his weaker foot from the penalty spot. Another four minutes passed, and Hearts had the lead. An inviting cross from Robert Snodgrass was met by Halliday, and the left-back did superbly to bend his header into the far post. For all their potency up top, Hearts still looked fragile at the back and Gordon had to be alert to deny Owura when the winger lashed a low effort at goal from the edge of the box. The second half didn't quite have the same vim and vigour as the first, but County did their utmost to force an equaliser as the rain battered down. Their best chance came from a Jack Baldwin cross that Hearts let bounce in the area, allowing Connor Johnson a free header but he planted over from all of six yards. Another goal was rightfully chalked off for offside after Shankland's deflected shot looped high over Ross Laidlaw and bounced in - once again, linesman Calum Spence had his decision confirmed by a VAR review. Baldwin was perhaps lucky to stay on the field after an extremely robust challenge on Barrie McKay. The defender was booked, but VAR Andrew Dallas did not invite David Dickinson to review his decision. Towards the end, Gordon was at his spritely best as County threw everything at goal for a late equaliser, sprawling to his left to deny Dominic Samuel's spinning shot. Without a win in their past four visits to Dingwall, and off the back of an energy-sapping win over RFS, there were mixed emotions as Robbie Neilson's side headed north. For the first 10 minutes, a continental hangover seemed to be in full effect as the visitors started lethargically. However, White's goal proved to be the hair of the dog that Hearts needed and they turned in a decently threatening performance. Yet, for their occasional potency up top, they still looked fragile at the back and were maybe let off by County's profligacy. But consecutive wins for only the second time this season will buoy the spirits. As for the hosts, they slip bottom but produced another display that made one wonder what they were doing mired at the foot of the division. Ross County manager Malky Mackay: "It was hard to take. I was really proud of the players and the way they went about it, the pressure we put Hearts under. But I know that we have to turn those chances into goals. "The way we've played the last few weeks has given me cause for hope. The way we're playing, the chances we're creating. We were in a similar situation last year, we've just got to start taking our chances and getting points on the board." Hearts manager Robbie Neilson: "We're down to the bare bones, but the guys that were here have given everything for the club. This has been a tough period for us, we've got so many games. "It's about everyone being together - the players, the staff, the fanbase. We're in a position where if we win our game in hand we go third place in the league, which is massive."
Ross County
Manager	Malcolm (Malky) Mackay
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 4: David Cancola 1, 5: Jack Baldwin 1, 6: Alexander Iacovitti, 7: Owura Edwards, 10: Yan Dhanda, 12: Callum Johnson, 16: George Harmon, 19: Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, 22: Jordon Tillson 1, 26: Jordan White 1
Bench	31: Jake Eastwood, 9: Dominic Samuel, 11: Joshua Sims, 14: Victor Loturi, 15: Keith Watson, 17: Kazeem Olaigbe, 18: William Akio, 21: Ross Munro, 30: Dylan Smith
Heart of Midlothian
Manager	Robbie Neilson
Starting 11	Craig Gordon, Michael Smith 1, Andrew Halliday 1, Alex Cochrane, Toby Sibbick, Orestis Kiomourtzoglou, Barrie McKay, Connor Smith, Josh Ginnelly, Robert Snodgrass, Lawrence Shankland 1 1
Bench	Jorge Grant, Ross Stewart, Alan Forrest, Lewis Neilson, Euan Henderson, Zander Clark, Arron Darge, Aidan Denholm, Finlay Pollock