Ross County 2 Hibs 1

Goals from Simon Murray and Jordan White gave Ross County victory over Hibs at the Global Energy Stadium.

After a promising start to the game, which Hibs deservedly led in the Highlands thanks to Myziane Maolida’s ninth goal of the season, County hit back to take all three points.

First, a defensive mix up was punished by former Hibee Murray to restore parity, before another error at the death gifted the hosts with a chance to win the game and White grasped it with both hands.

Nick Montgomery made three changes – two enforced - to the side that defeated St Johnstone a week prior.

Goalkeeper David Marshall picked up a knock in training and missed out completely, as did Will Fish, who failed to recover from the injury sustained in our last outing.

That meant Jojo Wollacott came in for a start between the sticks and Paul Hanlon, who scored at McDiarmid Park, skippered the side.

The final change came in attack with Dylan Vente favoured in place of Adam Le Fondre.

Hibs started in a positive frame of mind and really took the game to the hosts. It wasn’t long before we carved out our first opportunity with Rocky Bushiri's effort being blocked and Martin Boyle dragging his follow up wide of goal.

In the sixth minute, Emiliano Marcondes almost picked out Vente with a cut back before Myziane shot just over from the edge of the box.

We were pressing hard for the breakthrough with Vente going close next as he volleyed over the top from Emiliano’s cross from the right.

Our positive play was rewarded when we deservedly took the lead on 15 minutes when Myziane followed up to tap home from point blank range after Rocky’s shot had crashed off the post.

Having worked so hard to get our noses in front, frustratingly County then pounced on an error to level just moments later.

There appeared little danger when Yan Dhanda floated a seemingly harmless ball into our box, however Rocky attempted to head it clear but could only play it into the path of Murray, was onto it in a flash to slam it past Wollacott.

The goal breathed new life into a County side that had struggled until then and after the equaliser, the would give as good as they got.

That said, we could’ve restored our lead almost immediately when Myziane and Jordan Obita linked up on the left before picking out Emiliano, who must’ve thought he was scoring only for Ross Laidlaw to make a fantastic save low to his left and thwart him.

On 25 minutes County should’ve taken the lead when a mistake from Nathan Moriah-Welsh allowed Murray in on goal; his shot on the angle was saved by Wollacott but deflected high into the air where Brophy could have nodded it in from only a couple of yards. Yet, he headed it wide.

That was a let off for us and we almost restored our lead when Boyle broke on the right, he fed it inside to Emiliano who dummied the ball into the path of Vente, his shot was blocked before Myziane was denied by the legs of Laidlaw.

Despite enjoying the lion’s share of the ball, we still appeared susceptible to the counterattack with Murray and Eamonn Brophy causing Rocky and Hanlon problems by dragging them out of position.

That happened in the first of four added minutes at the end of the first half when Murray pulled Hanlon out wide, getting goal side of the defender and driving towards goal. He tried to pick out Dhanda unmarked at the back post, only for the attempted cross to deflect off Rocky, strike the post and run along our goal line before Chris Cadden hooked it clear.

We would finish the first half on the offensive with Obita shooting just wide from distance after Myziane’s shot was blocked.

Hibs made a change at half-time with Le Fondre replacing Vente for the second half.

County forward Murray was able to outjump Rocky on 55 minutes to meet a Dhanda cross with his downward header looping over Wollacott and Hanlon before caressing the top of the crossbar on its way behind.

Seconds later, a mistake from Ryan Leak allowed Boyle through on goal only for the winger to take a heavy touch that allowed Laidlaw to close the gap and save his eventual shot.

We went close again moments later when Myziane twisted and turned on the edge of the box before striking a left footed effort that had the beating of Laidlaw, only to brush the outside of the far post.

Chasing three huge points, County threw on substitute Jordan White and went long for the remainder of the game. He almost put them ahead with a header from a corner kick that was just wide.

As the match moved towards full time it was the hosts doing most of the pressing with Wollacott forced into saving from a rising effort by Murray.

Then, with two minutes remaining, a poor clearance by Wollacott, intended for Cadden, was pounced upon by George Harmon who raced forward before squaring to White to score from close range.

That proved to be the final action of note as County claimed all three points and we returned to the capital empty-handed.