Ross County 2 Kilmarnock 1

In-form Ross County held on for three more valuable points after surviving a late flurry from Kilmarnock at Global Energy Stadium. The home side were worthy winners having dominated for long spells in the game and led thanks to goals from Michael Gardyne and Craig Curran. But a late strike from Lee Ashcroft made for a nervy last few minutes for the home side, who held on for a 2-1 triumph. Third-bottom County, who have now claimed 16 points from a possible 18 since losing 4-0 to Aberdeen, made a positive start and after Curran slipped the ball through to Liam Boyce in the second minute the County forward shot straight at Craig Samson from a tight angle. A minute later Raffaele De Vita swung a dangerous cross into the Killie box but it was a just a bit too high for Gardyne who headed behind. Killie had their first real sniff at goal in the ninth minute when Jamie Reckord lost possession outside the box but when Nathan Eccleston cut the ball back for Josh Magennis he drove it well wide of Mark Brown's left-hand post. It was mostly County and they deservedly took the lead in the 23rd minute when Boyce got on the end of a long pass from the back and his diagonal ball into the box was hammered past Samson by the inrushing Gardyne. In County's next attack Reckord swept the ball into the six-yard box but Manuel Pascali got there first to boot the ball behind for a corner. In a rare attack Magennis burst into the County box but Scott Boyd got a touch to knock the ball behind for a corner. County were quick out of the blocks at the start of the second half and Samson had to look smart to block shots in quick succession from Gardyne and Curran then Boyce was denied by the keeper's legs as he bore down on goal. The pressure paid off when County doubled their lead in the 59th minute. Boyce spread the ball to Gardyne and his ball into the goal area was pounced on by Curran who side-footed past Samson from close range. Killie made a double substation shortly afterwards in an effort to stem the tide with Lee Miller and Paul Cairney coming on for Eccleston and Tope Obadeyi. The visitors came close to finding the net when a low drive from substitute Greg Kiltie struck the base of the post then fellow replacement Miller fired narrowly past. Pascali then rattled a shot just past the far post as Killie threatened again. The visitors did get on the scoresheet, however, in the 88th minute when Ashcroft stooped to head home a Cairney free-kick. De Vita had a great chance to restore County's two-goal advantage in stoppage time but Samson pulled off another fine save and County held out until the final whistle to keep their unbeaten run going.