ROSS COUNTY-MORTON 1-1 (League One)

ROSS COUNTY 1 - Keddie 44
MORTON 1 - Russell 90

Note: Victoria Park, Dingwall, 2.236 spettatori.

Davie Irons praised his players’ mettle after coping with travel fatigue and a gruelling 90 minutes in Dingwall before snatching a draw at the death.

The Morton manager wanted a show of steel from his men after two bitterly disappointing previous trips to the Highland town earlier in the campaign.

In terms of spirit and determination, they certainly answered his call — albeit with a terrible blunder allowing them to seize a point in the final seconds.

Sub Iain Russell’s last-gasp leveller leaves the Cappielow men in fifth place in the table and more importantly nine points above the dreaded drop zone with six games to play.

The significance was not lost on Irons; he admitted: “We left it late and you are obviously just relieved to get a point by that stage. Ross County will be gutted by the mistake that’s cost them, but I thought overall it was a fair result on the day. I know it wasn’t pretty in terms of the football played, but we started better than they did and then fell out of it. County were looking to hit us on the break in the second half, had a few near-misses and they hit the bar. I didn’t think we kept the ball very well in the final third today. We were poor in that regard until we changed things. Then we got a bit more willing to take a gamble and forced play a bit. Credit to the boys, they’ve kept going right to the end. I’m delighted for Iain Russell because he’s had to wait a while to get a chance. He comes on as substitute and scores. But I’m delighted for the team as a whole because we’ve got a terrible record up here in Dingwall — two awful performances back in October. So to come up and get a point, we can’t complain.”

Irons was particularly satisfied to preserve his team’s unbeaten run.

He said: “We’re unbeaten in six games and, after a terrible start, have only lost four times since the end of the first quarter. We’ve put a decent run together since failing to win a single game from the first nine.

“The boys have worked hard to turn that around. Ross County are a useful side, well-organised, with some good players and this is a hard place to come and get a result. It’s also a long way to come up and down the road, so players have to deal with that negative aspect. Today they have done so very well. It’s certainly a happier homeward bus than it looked like being a couple of minutes before the end.”

Irons’ close friend Craig Brewster was surprisingly axed as one of six changes made by home boss Derek Adams.

Even late in the game, when County might have tried to close the game down, Brewster’s experience was not called upon.

Irons admitted: “I was happy to see Craig there on the bench — and a wee bit surprised he stayed there.

“I have the utmost respect for him. He’s a good friend and a really good guy, and a top player in his time — he still is a good player. I thought if they’d put Craig on he might have held the ball up for them and given them a wee bit more composure up there. But that’s not for me, it’s Derek’s [Adams] decision and I’m not being critical of that at all. But Craig’s a top player and a top guy and I hope he’s in football for a long, long time.”

Ross County: Malin, Corrigan, Keddie, McCulloch, Boyd, Watt, Brittain (Strachan 80), Lawson, Craig, Daal (Scott 89), Gardyne (Hart 73). CT: Derek Adams.
Unused: Soutar, Brewster.

Morton: Cuthbert, McManus, Walker, Paartalu (Russell 61), Greacen, Jenkins, Finlayson, Masterton, Weatherson (McGuffie 74), Grady (Wake 54), McAlister. CT: Davie Irons.
Unused: Cannon, Smith.

Arbitro: C. Boyle