Ross County

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Ross County will "take luck when it comes" says Ronan Hale after his 95th-minute penalty at Livingston provided a lifeline for Monday's Scottish Premiership play-off final second leg.

Hale blasted County level with one of the last kicks of the first leg on Thursday night, ensuring the sides are level for when they meet again in Dingwall.

"We knew it was going to be a tough place to come," the striker told BBC Scotland.

"Conceding right on half-time wasn't ideal, but we stuck in there and another 90th-minute penalty, we'll take our luck when it comes with it."

County survived Livi pressure and a stack of chances to leave West Lothian with a "positive" result.

"Sometimes we've just got to dig in there," Hale added.

"They were the home team. We came knowing they were going to be all guns blazing and they got their goal.

"They could have held on for it, but to be fair, they kept going, but it's about the boys. We dug in deeper and we've brought a positive result come Monday now."

Though County haven't won at home since 1 March, Hale is confident his side are now "on the up".

"It was a tough run of form, we lost a load in a row, but we're on the up again," he added.

"We left it too late to hit form but there's still time to get it over the line and we're looking forward to Monday night after the late goal."

It's all square in the Premiership play-off final heading into the second leg in Dingwall on Monday after Ronan Hale's last-gasp spot-kick leveller in Livingston.

Will Ross County finish the job at home?

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Watch the best of the first-leg action from the Premiership play-off final as a stoppage-time penalty earns Ross County a 1-1 draw at Livingston. (Available to UK users only)

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Ross County manager Don Cowie: "One of their fans overstepped the mark by spitting on our assistant manager's [Carl Tremarco] face. No place for that.

"When it happens our staff members want to protect each other because it's a disgusting thing to happen. I wanted to calm the situation down.

"Livingston have been first class, they have CCTV here so they'll identify who it was and take action."

On the first-leg action, he adds: "We certainly competed in the game. We started the game well, put them under pressure. We could've done more in the second half. We didn't test them enough.

"It's evenly poised now. What I expect is a very good Livingston to come up to Dingwall. They pushed us tonight and they'll push us all the way."

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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County's problem this season has been scoring goals.

The loss of top scorer Simon Murray - who went on to score 16 in the Premiership for Dundee - and assist king Yan Dhanda last summer was always going to be tough to overcome.

However, Don Cowie's use of three centre-backs plus two wing-backs who are defenders rather than wide players means they struggle to get into decent crossing positions.

Without the injured Noah Chilvers, they also seriously lack a creative and scoring threat from midfield, with much of the burden falling to striker Hale.

They work hard and get stuck in, but it has not proven enough as a 10-game winless run - with seven defeats - at the wrong time of the season illustrates.

And while they have the memories of surviving in Dingwall in the last two campaigns, this feels different.

One, they face a Livingston side with lots of top-flight experience, who have already beaten them this season and who last conceded more than once in a game in March.

And two, it is hard to see who is going to step up to and provide the goals they need, given they have only scored more than once in a game twice since February.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Ross County manager Don Cowie says the onus is on his top-flight side to side to "go and get the job done" against Championship Livingston in the Premiership play-off final.

Speaking before tonight's first leg in West Lothian, Cowie said: "There is no hiding place, it is not like it is a one-off game where a decision can go against you and you can feel aggrieved.

"You have got to go and earn the right to win that and we will need to be performing at a really high level in order to come out in the tie.

"I think as the Premiership club the onus is on us over two legs to go and get the job done."

Livingston, who finished second in the second tier, have won eight of their past 10 matches while County have suffered seven defeats in a nine-game winless run as their top-six hopes nosedived into a relegation battle.

"At that moment in March, when we were in a really good run of form, picking up good victories, sitting eighth in the league, I felt it was an opportunity for us to kick on and make sure that we weren't in this position," added Cowie.

"However, we are and we have to accept that because the results haven't been good enough since that time.

"But we have an opportunity to change that and turn that around and that starts on Thursday.

"You have got to recognise the challenge. Livingston have had a really good season, very consistent, and we come into it off the back of a poor run of form but what is important is that is gone now."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Captain Connor Randall says Ross County aren't listening to "any outside noise" before the "massive" Premiership play-off with Livingston.

County take a poor run of nine games without a win into Thursday night's first leg in West Lothian, while second-tier runners-up Livingston lost just two of their 18 home games in the Championship.

Randall said: "It is a massive game with a lot at stake so it is about us thriving under that pressure and making sure we go and give a good account of ourselves.

"We are just concentrating on ourselves and making sure we prepare correctly for what we know is going to be a very tough test.

"That is all we can do, we focus on that and don't listen to any outside noise. It is about us knuckling down and making sure we are ready to go on Thursday."

County have already suffered against Livingston this season, being knocked out of the Scottish Cup by David Martindale's team in January.

This is the third year in a row the Dingwall side have had to navigate the Premiership play-off, overcoming Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers in the past two seasons to preserve their top-flight status.

Defender Randall, who featured in those games, believes the experience can be beneficial to an extent.

"The occasion is similar, what is at stake is the same, so I think bits you can probably take from the past that can help," he said.

"But it is against different opposition so it is about us concentrating on what is in front of us, the challenge we know is going to be there.

"It is two cup finals so you have to look at that in isolation now. These are the two games that can keep this club in the league, so we have to make sure we go out and get back to our best."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Ross County manager Don Cowie has been speaking to the media before the first leg of their Premiership relegation play-off away to Livingston on Thursday night.

Here are the key points:

• Cowie admits the play-off is a "huge moment" for County and as the Premiership club the onus is on them to get the job done - "there is no hiding place".

• Cowie says he hasn't thought about the consequences for himself if County are relegated. He adds: "I have been at this club over two spells for over 16 years, I am from the area, it means a lot to me in terms of the job that I have got, I am very proud to be the manager of this football club and I will be doing everything I can to make sure I am here long term."

• Despite their poor recent form the County boss has been stressing to his players the next two games are an opportunity to turn things round, but they "have to earn the right to win" and will need to perform "at a really high level".

• Cowie believes their experience of winning the play-off in the past two seasons shows "there are different ways you can get through the scenario we are in".

• He is expecting a tough challenge against good Livingston side who will be "very confident about themselves".

• Cowie says everyone at the club is well aware of the importance of bringing Premiership football to the Highlands: "It is something the area craves and it is our job to go and give them that again next year."

• Team news: It will be the same squad they went with against Motherwell last time out.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County face the Premiership play-off for the third consecutive year following a bitterly disappointing end to the season.

At the start of March, Don Cowie's side moved on to 35 points after a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock and looked like a contender for a top-six place.

Two months and nine matches later, the Staggies have only picked up a further two points and slid down the table to finish 11th for the third season in a row.

Along with the dramatic loss of form, injuries to key players have hampered Don Cowie's ability to make tactical or personnel changes during matches.

In the 1-1 draws against Dundee and Motherwell in the final two league matches, County were by far the better team in the first half but failed to match those performance levels after the interval when their opponents made changes to provide a different dynamic and threat.

Now play-off opponents Livingston will be desperate to take advantage of County's frailty and secure their place back in the Premiership.

Livingston have already got the better of Cowie's side this season, winning 3-2 after extra time in the Scottish Cup in January, so they'll take a lot of confidence from that result as well as their recent run of form of six victories in seven matches.

There's plenty of play-off experience among the County squad following the wins over Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle in previous seasons, so they'll need to step up once again to show the character and quality required to secure their Premiership status.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

We asked for your views on Ross County's draw with Motherwell, confirming their place in the Scottish Premiership relegation play-off.

Here's what you had to say:

Callum: Really annoying we failed to win again. We need to start defending and scoring more and making it hard for the opposition players, get into them more and keep the ball.

Alistair: Don Cowie has proven he hasn't got a clue. He would have been sacked weeks ago if he had been at another club.

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• Ross County have failed to win in their last nine games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 9 December 2023 to 17 February 2024, a run of 10 games.

• Ross County have scored in their last four games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of eight games from 14 December 2024 to 25 January 2025.

• Ronan Hale attempted six shots in this game, the joint-highest total for a Ross County player in the Premiership this season.

• Hale has scored 12 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Ross County player.

So, County fans, it's the relegation play-off again.

Having seen off Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers in very different circumstances, how confident are you the Staggies can beat the drop again?

What did you make of Sunday's draw with Motherwell, and would you like to see any changes for the first leg against Livingston on Thursday night?

Send us your thoughts using this link.

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Ross County manager Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "In the end, we were fortunate to come away with a point but first half we were very good, and deservedly in front.

"We are just really disappointed we didn't manage to build on it in the second half.

"Motherwell made a lot of substitutions, had a carefree style, and put us under a lot of pressure.

"We find ourselves in the play-off not because of today, but because of the last two months. I was really keen for us to get that victory.

"I really enjoyed the first half, but it's being able to do that for the 90 minutes.

"If we perform the way we did first half, it gives us a real opportunity in the play-off. If we perform when we're not quite connected against Livingston, they'll take advantage. We have played against them before in the cup and they beat us after extra time.

"We know the challenge but what's important is we have the right mindset and get ready for Thursday night."

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How much will County, and Cowie, take from an hour of positive football? He'd have ripped your arm out its socket had you offered him three points just a little earlier, when his team embarked on their inexorable slide to 11th place.

Their toothlessness has long been a problem. Even St Johnstone, bottom of the league since late December, have outscored them.

Hale leads the line brilliantly with his persistence and creativity but far too much rests on the shoulders of their fulcrum.

Again, their inability to convert pressure into goals plagued them. Again, their frailties were exposed when the game turned and the visitors placed them in the thumbscrews.

They've been here before, of course. The staggering comeback against Partick Thistle in 2023. The far less frenetic dispatching of Raith Rovers last year.

They head to this play-off without a win since 1 March, form abysmal and confidence shredded.

Livingston have won eight of their past 10 matches.

David Martindale and his Lions will be licking their lips.

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• Should Ross County fail to win, they will finish 11th for a third consecutive season in the Scottish Premiership – the last side to finish 11th or lower in three consecutive Scottish top-flight seasons were Dunfermline Athletic from 2004-05 to 2006-07, who were relegated in the third of those campaigns.

• Ross County have won their past two league games against Motherwell, but have never beaten the Steelmen three times in a row in the top flight before.

• After their 2-1 defeat in November, Motherwell could lose successive Scottish Premiership away games at Ross County for only a second time, after November 2015.

• Ross County have only won their final game in one of their past six Scottish Premiership seasons (D2 L3 – including curtailed 2019-20 season), although that was over Motherwell in 2020-21 (2-1).

• Motherwell have lost their final game in three of the past four league seasons, winning the other 3-2 over Dundee United in 2022-23.

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Ross County wing-back Zac Ashworth returns from suspension. Kacper Lopata is a doubt and James Brown has an issue which could keep him out.

Jack Grieves remains out along with Ross Laidlaw (glandular fever), Scott Allardice (knee), Andrew Macleod (groin), Noah Chilvers (knee) and Ryan Leak (Achilles).

Johnny Koutroumbis returns to the Motherwell squad after suspension but they will take no risks with Liam Gordon, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Paul McGinn, who are back in training.

Kofi Balmer (hamstring), Shane Blaney (knee), Sam Nicholson (knee), Jack Vale and Zach Robinson (both Achilles) remain out.

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Ross County take "confidence and momentum" into their final-day attempt to secure survival thanks to their dramatic last-gasp equaliser at Dundee in midweek, says manager Don Cowie.

The Staggies were set to be consigned to a second-bottom finish until Ronan Hale tucked away a stoppage-time penalty at Dens Park.

Now Cowie's side must beat visitors Motherwell on Saturday, and hope Dundee lose to St Johnstone, to avoid a third successive relegation play-off.

"It was important that we made sure there was something to play for in the last game," manager Cowie said.

"We wanted to beat Dundee, we didn't manage to do that but it was important we found a way to get that equaliser. There's real clarity, we have to win on Sunday and that's what we'll be trying to do.

"Confidence plays a big part, the manner in which we got the equaliser was really important, it gives us momentum going into Sunday.

"We've got a real opportunity, the most important thing is that we win on Sunday. That gives us real clarity and focus going into the game.

"We've been through this process before and what has got us through is togetherness, the fans being right behind the team.

"I'm sure they will turn out in their number and give us the backing we need to try and get over the line."