Ross County 2-1 Kilmarnock: Jim McIntyre relieved with win

Ross County's Craig Curran (right) and Michael Gardyne were both on the score sheet

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre saw his side go six games unbeaten with a 2-1 win over over Kilmarnock, but admitted the result should have been more emphatic.

Michael Gardyne and Craig Curran scored to give their chances of avoiding the relegation play-off a boost, though Lee Ashcroft's late goal made it a nervy finish.

"The game should have been out of sight," Mcintyre told BBC Scotland. "I thought we were fantastic for 80 minutes.

"The last 10 minutes was a few grey hairs added to me personally so I know how the supporters feel."

The result moved County three points clear of second-bottom Motherwell and, with St Mirren losing to St Johnstone, it creates a seven-point gap to last place.

"The boys were excellent today," continued McIntyre. "If I was critical of anything it would be that we should have had more goals to show for the chances that we created and the good play.

"Kilmarnock, you know they're going to have a period in the game and it was in that last ten minutes - they were effectively playing with four up so it made it difficult for us, but we've managed to get the result that we've thoroughly deserved.

"We done a lot of things well and when you start on the front foot like we did and took the game to Kilmarnock then I would rather look upon it as what we done well rather than Kilmarnock being poor."

Kilmarnock manager Gary Locke was encouraged by his side's second-half showing.

"I don't think we played well in the first half," he said. "I had a few choice words with the players at half-time and had a far better response in the second half. We finished the game strongly.

"I was really disappointed with the second goal, I felt it was a foul on Lee Ashcroft, but credit to Ross County they played very well, fighting for their lives, and they showed that in the first half.

"In the first half they were quicker, they were first to the ball, and we were second best. I thought our subs when they went on made a big difference to us.

"The boys deserve enormous credit fore the way they've gone about things the past two months. You're not going to play well all the time but it's important when you don't play well you try and grind out a result.

"Today we came up a little bit short but sometimes you've just got to credit the opposition."