Ross County

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English attempts to sum up another entertaining and incident-packed season of Scottish football.

Listen to the full season review on the BBC's Scottish football podcast.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County fans were singing in the rain on Sunday as they watched their side secure their top-flight status in style with a 6-1 aggregate victory over Raith Rovers.

The 2-1 victory in the first leg at Stark's Park was the first time County had won outside of Dingwall since 2 September. The Staggies controlled the majority of the match and looked a class above Rovers all over the park.

When Jack Baldwin headed us into a 2-0 lead, it felt like we were cruising towards survival; a far cry from the first leg of last season's play-off final.

The game turned on its head though when Sam Stanton halved the deficit. Rovers piled the pressure on for the remainder of the match, but County ground out a 2-1 victory to send the 500 travelling fans back up the A9 happy.

On Sunday, it felt like the first goal was going to be crucial in the return leg.

Thankfully, Simon Murray put County firmly in control with his 19th-minute header. It relieved a lot of the tension among the home fans and gave the players a huge boost too.

Murray and his strike partner Jordan White were both outstanding on Sunday. Their link-up play and movement caused the Rovers defence all sorts of problems.

White’s goal just after half-time was a carbon copy of Baldwin’s as he outmuscled everyone and bulleted home a header to make it 2-0.

But the best was yet to come.

Following some smart combination play with White, Murray picked up the ball at the edge of the box and smashed it into the far corner to make it 3-0. It was Murray’s 23rd goal of the season, and quite possibly his best.

Despite the scoreline, County fans didn’t want to celebrate survival too early after the comeback they witnessed against Partick Thistle last season, but Brandon Khela's first professional goal finished the job.

The celebrations at full-time were amazing to experience. It’s felt like such a long season, but to end it with such a convincing performance and the news that Don Cowie will be awarded the manager's job permanently makes it all worthwhile.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external.

Image source, SNS

Simon Murray says Ross County showed their fighting spirit in the Premiership play-off final win over Raith Rovers.

Murray scored twice as Don Cowie's side won 6-1 on aggregate, but the 32-year-old says they cannot rest on their laurels going into next season.

"Good to get the job done," he told BBC Scotland after the game.

"After last year in this position and being in it again, we've showed mental toughness; we need to do better.

"Since the gaffer's come in, we've shown we can do it and we need to kick on."

Murray finished with 23 goals for the season, but modestly said it all stems from hard work.

"I base my game on working hard, and if the goals come - which they have this season - it's nice," he added.

We asked for your thoughts after Ross County cruised to victory over Raith Rovers in the Premiership play-off final.

Here's what you had to say:

Les: I don't think Malky Mackay was a bad manager, and I think Don Cowie has done and will do a fantastic job, but I don't think we would've been in this situation this year if Derek Adams hadn't been involved. We could have maybe been pushing for a top-six spot again. This must be our aim for 2024-25.

Simon: Yet another great escape by County! Shame we don't have the resources to hold on to match-winners like Yan Dhanda and Simon Murray, and with loan players returning home, it'll be another rebuild of the squad. Connor Randall deserves a mention; the most consistent player over the season.

Kenny: A really good, professional display from County. Every player on the pitch was a solid eight out of 10. The difference in quality between the Championship and Premiership this year seems a bit more of a gap than usual. Fair play to the Rovers fans - they came in droves and made more noise than us throughout. Best of luck to them next season.

Jim: County were able to control much of the match. Credit to Raith, they forced Laidlaw into several fine saves and their support was excellent right through. Our finishing was excellent and now Don Cowie needs some shrewd signings to lift us from perennial strugglers. We're not too far off being a decent top-flight side. Bring on next season.

Ross County's quality in forward areas is what helped them stave off relegation, according to the Athletic's Jordan Campbell.

Don Cowie's side beat Raith Rovers 6-1 on aggregate in the Premiership play-off final, with goals from Simon Murray and Jordan White scoring three goals between them.

"Raith are a good side under Ian Murray and they did implement their own style in the game, but I think the difference was the quality up front with Jordan White and Simon Murray," Campbell told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Yan Dhanda also produced a couple of moments of quality across the two legs, going out on a high before his move to Hearts."

Campbell also says County must learn from the mistakes of the last two seasons if they are to avoid another relegation fight next season.

"If last year wasn't a wake-up call, this has got to be it," he added. "It's testament to the job that Cowie's done as manager to get them out of the hole that they were in.

"It's got to now be a springboard for them to really push on and stop circling the drain because you do feel like it's just a matter of time with Ross County just now.

"There looks a bit more belief about them now, the last few months. There is a platform now for them to go and really keep the squad together and add quality to it."

Ross County officials believe the club’s survival via the play-offs could be worth an extra £2.5million next season (Inverness Courier, external)

Read the rest of today's Scottish football gossip here

Image source, SNS

Heart of Midlothian-bound Yan Dhanda has confirmed his departure from Ross County, saying he has improved as a player and person during his two years in Dingwall.

The 25-year-old English midfielder helped Don Cowie's side beat Raith Rovers 4-0 - and 6-1 on aggregate - in Sunday's Scottish Premiership Play-off final to extend their stay in the top flight.

Hearts had already announced his summer move to Tynecastle at the end of his contract and Dhanda said on X: "After an amazing two years at Ross County, it's time to move on.

"This is the most I have enjoyed my football and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had to improve as a player as well as a person.

"It was an honour to have the privilege to captain this club and that will stick with me forever."

Dhanda, who had previously been with Swansea City, thanked the managers he had worked with, along with team-mates, staff, chief executive, chairman and fans for "making me feel so welcome".

"Hearing you sing my name is something I have dreamt of since a young boy," he told the club's supporters.

"This club is staying in the Premiership where it belongs. See you all again very soon."

Were you at the Global Energy Stadium, or watch the game on TV, as Ross County eased aside Raith Rovers 4-0 (and 6-1 on aggregate) to win the Scottish Premiership Play-off final in style?

Give us your reaction here., external

Image source, SNS

Don Cowie will be confirmed as Ross County manager after leading his side to a dominant 6-1 aggregate win over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Premiership Play-off final.

After a clinical 4-0 second-leg win in Dingwall, chairman Roy MacGregor confirmed to BBC Scotland that "he was given the job before he started".

The former Scotland midfielder, who took over as interim boss after Derek Adams' February exit, said: "I spoke to the chairman, we're really aligned and he indicated I was the person to take the club forward.

"I felt I was ready to be a manager three months ago. The last three months have only strengthened that.

"I'm really proud of the team. We put ourselves in a difficult position, we had an opportunity to not be in this play-off, but we dealt with it extremely well.

"Raith are a very good team, they had a fantastic season."

County were 1-0 ahead at half-time through Simon Murray's first of two goals but scored again shortly after the break through Jordan White.

"We spoke at half time about how we needed to come out quick," Cowie said. "It was the most important 20 minutes of the tie.

"Simon gets the headlines, but he will be the first to say it's because of his team-mates."

MacGregor was more definitive when asked about Cowie's future.

"He was told no matter what he would be the manager," he added. "It was a done deal when he was made interim manager.

"He had to be thrown in and he has galvanised the club."

Image source, SNS

Whether they were in the Scottish Premiership or Championship, a wind of change was likely to sweep through both protagonists this summer.

For Ross County, it looked almost certain, win or lose, that Don Cowie would be confirmed as manager full-time after an improvement in performances and results since taking over as caretaker since Derek Adams' exit in February.

They had squandered a couple of chances to avoid second bottom spot in the final weeks of the season before finishing below St Johnstone on goal difference, but they proved to be a class above Sunday's visitors, Raith Rovers.

With classy midfielder Yan Dhanda heading for Heart of Midlothian and Simon Murray likely to attract suitors thanks to his end-of-season goalscoring, Cowie could be looking to replace some of his top performers in his first transfer window in charge.

Thursday's 2-1 first-leg success in Kirkcaldy, despite having not won away from home in 17 outings since September, showed the gulf that exists between the top two divisions even before equalling the biggest-ever losing margin in a Premiership play-off.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Brown, Nightingale, Baldwin, Leak, Harmon, King, Randall Dhanda, White, Murray.

Substitutes: Wickens, Allardice, Sims, Loturi, Henderson, Khela, Efete, Brophy, Reid.

Raith Rovers: Dabrowski, Matthews, Corr, Murray, Dick, Brown, Byrne, Mullin, Stanton, Easton, Vaughan.

Substitutes: McNeil, Thomson, Brown, Watson, Connolly, Smith, Hamilton, McGill, Rudden.

Image source, SNS

Ross County go with the same starting XI for the third game running as they host Raith Rovers in the second leg of the Scottish Premiership Play-off final.

Centre-half Scott Allardice is back on the bench, having been sidelined for all of this year.

Rovers change things up in the wide midfield positions as Josh Mullin and Dylan Easton take over from Aidan Connolly and Jack Hamilton.

Image source, SNS

George Harmon hopes Ross County’s first away win since September will ensure there is no repeat of last season’s play-off final drama.

Twelve months ago the Staggies lost the first leg 2-0 away to Partick Thistle then had to fight back from 3-0 down on aggregate in the closing 20 minutes of the second leg before eventually winning on penalties.

This time, however, they go into Sunday's second leg in a much stronger position after a 2-1win at Raith Rovers on Thursday.

"Last season's one was a mental game to be a part of, but hopefully we can make sure we stay in the Premiership for next season,” said full-back Harmon.

"That game showed us momentum is a big thing in football so we just have to focus on ourselves.

"We want to implement our style of football on the game and take it from there. We just want to get the job done. It's in our hands and all we're focused on is what we have to do."

County looked in full command on Thursday when they led 2-0 through a Yan Dhanda penalty and Jack Baldwin's header but Rovers hit back through Sam Stanton late on.

Harmon is confident his side can see out the tie at home, where they have lost only one of their last eight matches.

"It was nice to get a win away from home because we've not been used to that," the 23-year-old added.

"We have beaten some big teams at home this season and this is another occasion we're going to have to make sure we do everything right."

We asked for your views after Ross County won 2-1 at Raith Rovers in the play-off final first leg.

Here's what some of you said:

Pete: If you'd offered most County fans the chance to play a single match for survival, at home, against opposition from the division below, with a one-goal head start, they'd have taken it! Did well in difficult conditions, always going to be disappointed with conceding late on, but a far more positive experience than last year at the same stage.

Shaun: Good performance from County. Raith are a good team, before the match we would have taken any win in the first leg. Great job by Don Cowie, he sent them out with the right mindset. Now we must be focused and professional for the second leg and finish the job. First goal will be important.

Ross County forged a first-leg advantage in the Scottish Premiership play-off final as they outmuscled Raith Rovers at a sodden Stark’s Park.

Rovers' resistance was broken in the second period when VAR spotted a handball from centre-half Euan Murray, allowing Yan Dhanda to crack his spot-kick off the post for a deserved lead.

The Championship runners-up have become renowned for their comeback capabilities. But it was County – in a second successive play-off after finishing 11th in the top flight two years running – who struck again.

A towering header from captain Jack Baldwin saw Don Cowie’s side begin to assert their authority, though Rovers’ never-say-die attitude would rear its head again.

Shaun Bryne’s defence-splitting pass unlocked the previously untroubled County, with Sam Stanton finishing off to add some edge to Sunday’s second leg in Dingwall.

How are you feeling after that?

Ross County leave Fife with a lead, but should it have been more? Are you confident your side can get the job done on Sunday?

Get in touch. , external