St Johnstone emerged victorious against Ross County with a narrow 1-0 win during their Scottish Premiership clash in Perth, Scotland. The pivotal moment came in the second half when Makenzie Kirk found the back of the net, marking his eighth goal of the season and ending a five-match goal drought. The win allowed St Johnstone to close the gap on Dundee at the bottom of the league standings to just three points.
The match unfolded with St Johnstone commanding possession and dominating the first half. Despite their control, they were unable to capitalize on early opportunities. Stephen Duke-McKenna, making his first start following impressive performances as a substitute, was denied by Ross County's goalkeeper Jordan Amissah in the 11th minute. Amissah's outstanding performance saw him make three crucial saves, keeping Ross County in contention and preventing a wider margin of defeat.
Graham Carey played a crucial role in orchestrating the move that led to St Johnstone's breakthrough. However, the team's manager, Simo Valakari, had to contend with a significant setback before the match, as centre half Bozo Mikulic was ruled out for the season due to an ACL injury sustained during training.
Ross County, fielding an unchanged lineup for the third consecutive game, struggled to assert themselves against a determined St Johnstone side. Nonetheless, they managed to threaten on occasion. A powerful low drive from Nohan Kenneh forced a save from St Johnstone's Andy Fisher, while Sam Curtis, on loan from Sheffield United, saw his shot saved by Amissah.
The decisive moment came when Makenzie Kirk broke through Ross County's defense to score the winning goal. His effort not only secured the three points for St Johnstone but also ended his personal scoring drought.
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