Date	Saturday, 17 December 2022
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 1:2 Saint Johnstone
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance	4,393
Referee	Graham Grainger
Comments	Match Report Report by Andy Campbell for the BBC. Ross County 1 Saint Johnstone 2 Callum Davidson praised the impact of his bench after Ali Crawford scored twice in the final 13 minutes to snatch St Johnstone victory at Ross County. Substitute Crawford levelled with a sweetly struck volley and his rebound effort secured all three points. Jordan White had headed County in front, but the hosts lost captain Jack Baldwin to red card after he fouled Stevie May. "Everyone who came on made a difference," said manager Davidson. "The players showed that positivity. We are missing four players from our starting XI, but it shows the strength we have in the team just now." Victory for Callum Davidson's side moves them to within a point of Aberdeen in third, while County remain level on points with second bottom Kilmarnock and three clear of Dundee United. There had been little of note at either end until Yan Dhanda took charge midway through the first half. The playmaker initiated a one-two with Owura Edwards and dropped a cross perfectly on to White's head for the finish. Kazeem Olaigbe then dragged a low shot inches wide after beating Considine on the edge of the box. May's downward header brought out the best in goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw as half-time neared and, after the break, Nicky Clark could not get enough purchase on his shot to trouble Laidlaw. But then the turning point. Baldwin received Laidlaw's pass under pressure from May, lost the ball to the striker, then pulled him down. Referee Graham Grainger was in no doubt Baldwin had to go. Graham Carey went for goal straight from the set piece and Laidlaw's right-hand post took the brunt of it. May continued to plug away and his low driven ball was flicked over by Adam Montgomery moments before Daniel Phillips deflected a shot into Laidlaw's grasp. But County succumbed to the pressure when Considine's delivery was only partially cleared by Alex Iacovitti and David Wotherspoon's replacement Crawford pounced. St Johnstone were not content with a point and Crawford delivered again after fellow substitute Theo Bair's shot was blocked by Laidlaw. With both sides playing their first match since 12 November, coupled with the recent wintry weather, it was not surprising the game took time to warm up. Dhanda's vision and delivery ultimately proved to be the difference in the first half, with White's task made that bit easier than the earlier chances afforded May and Considine. Olaigbe's drive at the defence was almost County's other outstanding moment. One area St Johnstone tried to hurt their hosts was at set pieces but Malky Mackay's men seemed well equipped, with a Clark header from a corner in the second half rising harmlessly out. The atmosphere of the game changed following Baldwin's dismissal, with St Johnstone keener to lob balls into the box and it proved to be their route to success. Crawford's positioning was perfect for each goal. Ross County manager Malky Mackay: "I really enjoyed the way we played the first half. The sending off gives momentum to St Johnstone and gives them the chance to come at us. I thought we were going to see the game out. It was waves of pressure and it took its toll. "We shot ourselves in the foot with the sending off. There are about five players who could have done something differently in that move for that not to have got to the point where Jack Baldwin's with Stevie May." St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson: "We talked at half-time that the midfielders had to get closer to the strikers. That was why we brought Ali Crawford on. "We asked them lots of questions. We deserved the three points. Adam Montgomery was superb - his energy epitomises the team."
Ross County
Manager	Malcolm (Malky) Mackay
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 5: Jack Baldwin 1, 6: Alexander Iacovitti, 7: Owura Edwards, 10: Yan Dhanda, 12: Callum Johnson, 14: Victor Loturi, 16: George Harmon, 17: Kazeem Olaigbe, 22: Jordon Tillson 1, 26: Jordan White 1
Bench	31: Jake Eastwood, 2: Connor Randall, 9: Dominic Samuel, 11: Joshua Sims, 15: Keith Watson, 18: William Akio, 19: Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, 24: Benjamin Paton, 30: Dylan Smith
Saint Johnstone
Manager	Callum Davidson
Starting 11	Elliot Parish, James Brown, Andrew Considine, Liam Gordon, David Wotherspoon, Drey Wright, Adam Montgomery 1, Graham Carey, Daniel Phillips, Stevie May, Nicky Clark
Bench	Tony Gallacher, Michael O'Halloran, Theo Bair, Cameron MacPherson, Alister Crawford 2, Connor McLennan, Maksym Kucheriavyi, Jamie Murphy, Jack Wills