Match report and highlights as Ross County finally secured their first cinch Premiership win of the season; Malky Mackay's side thumped Dundee 5-0 at Dens Park; Ross County remain bottom of table but are now just one point behind Dundee
Thursday 28 October 2021 00:00, UK
Ross County finally secured their first cinch Premiership win of the season with a stunning 5-0 victory at Dundee.
The struggling Staggies had lost their previous four games in a row but left the home side shell-shocked, hitting four first-half goals through Harry Clarke, Ross Callachan, Joseph Hungbo and Regan Charles-Cook.
Charles-Cook added a second after the break as the visitors moved to within one point of their opponents after 11 league games.
Dundee tested Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the 15th minute as Charlie Adam struck a low 30-yard shot that the Staggies goalkeeper kept out with a stunning one-handed stop.
Ross County opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Clarke set off on a run down the right before cutting into the Dundee box and hitting a superb shot with the outside of his foot that flew high past Adam Legzdins.
Dundee then had a big let-off when Charles-Cook fired over when he probably should have at least tested Legzdins.
But County then put the game to bed with three goals in 14 minutes.
First Legzdins' attempted clearance hit Jordan White and the ball fell to Callachan to slot home in the 27th minute.
The Staggies added a third seven minutes later. Hungbo lined up to take a free-kick 35 yards out on the right and with everyone expecting a cross into the box, he hit an unstoppable curler into the top corner past the despairing dive of Legzdins.
Then, four minutes before the break, a Callachan shot was saved by Legzdins but the ball fell to Connor Randall who cut it back for Charles-Cook to tap home.
Not surprisingly, a barrage of boos rang out from the Dundee fans as the half came to a close.
The home side huffed and puffed at the start of the second period but there were few signs that they could force their way back into the contest.
Instead, it was County who looked more likely to add to their commanding lead - and they did so in the 71st minute. Clarke burst down the right once more before cutting the ball back to Charles-Cook who slotted low past Legzdins.
Dundee boss James McPake: "It's the worst night I've had in football. It's a real sobering result for the football club. We were second all over the pitch.
"For myself all the way down, we let the football club down tonight. There have been results and performances over the last two and a bit years that have been really poor but tonight tops any of them."
Ross County boss Malky Mackay: "I genuinely think in the last four games, we could have - I'm not saying we could have won 5-0 - but turn a performance into goals. I was delighted tonight because Dundee have had a couple of results recently.
"Special credit to my goalkeeper because he makes a hell of a save at 0-0. I think after that we got it down, got it to our wingers and caused havoc in the first half.
"I'm delighted with the whole team's performance but especially my back four and my goalie. They deserved the clean sheet. I'm really delighted with the performance but I genuinely think in the last four or five weeks that we've been the equal of any team we've faced. It's just been a matter of time."
Dundee visit St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday; kick-off 3pm. Ross County host Hibernian at the same time.
