Ross County 2-1 Dundee United

Staggies skipper Andrew Davies roars after scoring Ross County's second

Two first-half goals helped Ross County to three Premiership points as Dundee United's troubles continue.

Liam Boyce's penalty put County in charge in Dingwall before Staggies captain Andrew Davies added another from Jonathan Franks' pass.

Dundee United fought back after the interval through Sean Dillon's drive from outside the box and Blair Spittal hit the crossbar.

But County held on and Jackson Irvine and Franks both had efforts blocked.

The victory for Jim McIntyre's side makes it three league wins in the first month of the season, the first time the Highlanders have hit that mark prior to Christmas in their four seasons in the top flight.

Dundee United coaches Darren Jackson and Simon Donnelly and manager Jackie McNamara appear to be suffering as they watch their team trail

In contrast, the struggling Taysiders have made their worst start to a season in 12 years, with four points from six matches.

Billy McKay went straight into the Dundee United starting line-up after completing his season-long loan from English League One side Wigan Athletic.

The hope was the striker could reproduce the form that saw him score 62 goal in 141 games for Inverness Caley Thistle and compensate for the loss of Nadir Ciftci to Celtic.

That, and the other players who have been sold by the Tannadice club in recent times, clearly still annoys their supporters who let chairman Stephen Thompson know what they thought of him early on.

The travelling fans were unhappy when referee Craig Thomson awarded County a controversial penalty after 17 minutes for handball against Mark Durnan.

It looked as though the former Queen of the South defender was pushed onto the ball by one of the Staggies players, but Thomson thought otherwise.

Dundee United midfielder John Rankin celebrates Sean Dillon's 30-yard goal

Boyce celebrated his return to the Northern Ireland squad for next week's Euro 2016 qualifiers by ramming in the spot kick for his fifth goal in the last four matches.

Ryan Dow twice raced clear but the visitors' slack finishing was nothing compared to their poor defending as the Dingwall side moved two goals clear.

Ryan McGowan got back to make a goal-line clearance to deny Franks but from the winger's resulting corner Davies was allowed the space to clip in the Staggies' second after 28 minutes.

United were much more aggressive after the break and Dillon brought them right back into the game with a goal that was as spectacular as it was rare from their captain.

There seemed little threat when he picked up possession 30 yards from goal but the Irishman lashed home a stunning shot for only his sixth strike in eight years at Tannadice.

Spittal then went within the width of the crossbar of levelling the match with a curling free-kick from 25 yards that beat Scott Fox but not the frame of the goal.