Ross County vs St Mirren. Scottish Premiership.
Global Energy Stadium.
Report as Marcus Fraser scored against his own club in St Mirren's 2-0 win at nine-man Ross County on Saturday
Saturday 26 December 2020 21:06, UK
Marcus Fraser came back to haunt nine-man Ross County after helping St Mirren to a 2-0 victory in the Scottish Premiership.
The Staggies were reduced to nine men, with Josh Reid getting sent off in the first half and Ross Draper following suit in the second.
Fraser broke the deadlock with 14 minutes left before Kristian Dennis scored his first goal for the club in the 85th minute to seal all three points for Jim Goodwin's men.
It was the hosts who burst into life early in the contest, with Draper testing Jak Alnwick inside the first minute.
The Buddies stopper was needed again in the fifth minute with a good double save to deny County from a corner.
First the ball came off his own defender, forcing him to parry it into the air where Ethan Erhahon headed away from the goal line.
It only went as far as Alex Iacovitti inside the box, though, and the County defender rose highest to force Alnwick into action one more time.
A red card for Reid at the end of the first half brought any momentum County may have built to a screeching halt.
The young full-back had already been booked for a foul on Kyle McAllister in the 16th minute and when he repeated the feat in the 37th, referee Colin Steven took his name for a second time and sent him off.
Things would go from bad to worse for the hosts on the hour mark when Draper followed Reid down the tunnel.
He was shown his first yellow card for a foul on Erhahon, which was immediately succeeded by another for pushing the St Mirren player over as he tried to get back to his feet.
If the first red card saw the Buddies' intensity levels rise, the second did so all the more and Ilkay Durmus forced a good save out of Ross Laidlaw from a free-kick before Joe Shaughnessy volleyed wide from inside the box.
They finally found a breakthrough thanks to former County captain Fraser, whose shot from just inside the box took a deflection on its way past Laidlaw.
Dennis rounded off the scoring with a simple header at the near post, which clipped the inside of the woodwork before going in.
Ross County manager John Hughes: "For the sending off, there is no finger of blame on young Josh Reid. He has been magnificent in the short time since I've come in but this was part of the learning process for him.
"I thought his first booking was a little bit soft, the ref put pressure on himself and with the second he has to go.
"With Drapes, I know why he is angry because he has hardly touched the guy but in the aftermath he can't raise his arms - that's an easy red for the referee."
St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin: "The result was the most important thing, especially after the defeat midweek to Hibs.
"Given the run we've been on, it was important we didn't lose. We are delighted to win - it was a really difficult game.
"In the opening 15 minutes they had us pegged back in. The conditions weren't ideal and we just couldn't seem to get out.
"If it wasn't for a fantastic double save by Jak Alnwick, we would have fallen behind - and deservedly so if I'm honest. We weathered that storm and I felt we grew into the game."
Ross County travel to Hibernian on Wednesday; Kick-off at 6pm. St Mirren host Rangers earlier that day; Kick-off at 3pm.
