Ross County stay up after epic play-off comeback

Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Ross County completed a jaw-dropping comeback to salvage their Scottish Premiership status with a sudden-death shootout win over Partick Thistle in the play-off final.

But two goals in two minutes - a contentious Yan Dhanda penalty awarded after VAR intervention and a Simon Murray strike - reignited County's hopes to to set up a nerve-shredding finish.

The hosts, having had a red card for captain Keith Watson downgraded to yellow amid the late bedlam, summoned a leveller in injury time with a splendid George Harmon finish.

Neither side could find a winner in an end-to-end extra half hour and two penalties apiece were missed in the shootout before Josh Sims finally settled it 5-4 to ensure a fourth successive season in the Premiership for Malky Mackay's men.

For Thistle, they head back to Glasgow broken-hearted and with heads full of regrets after looking set to make history as the first side to be promoted after finishing fourth in the second tier.

Kris Doolan's men had promotion in their grasp after an opening 70 minutes gave little hint of the chaos to come. Thistle had survived a couple of early jitters from David Mitchell - the goalkeeper was bailed out by Kyle Turner clearing Ben Purrington's header off the line - to take a half-time lead.

It came after the visitors seemed destined to be awarded a penalty when Nohan Kenneh challenged Ross Docherty just inside the penalty box and referee Nick Walsh was invited by the VAR to take a second look. Walsh opted to stick with his original decision, but County's reprieve was shortlived.

Having opened the scoring in the first leg, Fitzpatrick repeated the feat as he collected Scott Tiffoney's cutback and took a neat touch before drilling low past Ross Laidlaw.

County's uphill task now took on mountainous proportions. County striker Jordan White missed a sitter, taking a fresh-air swipe at Alex Samuel's tempting cross. And Samuels turned culprit when he scampered clear after a Darren Brownlie slip, only to be thwarted by Mitchell before Aaron Muirhead completed the clearance.

At the other end, it took a remarkable goalline clearance from Connor Randall to slice a Steven Lawless volley over his own bar and prevent Thistle extending their lead.

Then, suddenly, the hosts had a lifeline. The Premiership side were awarded a penalty when VAR spotted a Brian Graham handball and Walsh agreed after reviewing the incident, with Dhanda converting from the spot. Game on.

Within a minute, County were ahead on the day as Dhanda squared for substitute Murray to tap in. The stage was set for a grandstand finish.

Still, County needed a goal to force extra time, and it came in the 91st minute when another Harmon met Dhanda's cross with a terrific strike in off the post. There was, remarkably, still time for Josh Sims to strike the bar with a cross-shot and Murray to blaze over with the goal gaping.

Thistle were reeling and Samuels plonked a header on to the top of the bar in extra time, but settling for penalties was not in either side's thinking and the visitors passed up golden chances as Danny Mullen and Stuart Bannigan blazed over.

A game that had everything finally came down to a shootout dripping with more drama. Thistle's Kevin Holt and Ross Docherty's spot-kicks saved by Ross Laidlaw, while Jack Baldwin was foiled by Mitchell. It meant County captain Watson had a kick to win it, only to blaze over.

But Thistle legend Bannigan the hit the post and Sims stepped up to settle a dizzying affair as County celebrated wildly and Thistle sank to their knees in despair.
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