Ross County's remarkable rise continues as Aberdeen fans fume at full-time - top-six fates decided

It took Ross County until December to get themselves off the foot of the cinch Premiership. Just a few months later, they have forced their way into the top-six following a fine 1-0 win over Aberdeen.

What a job Malky Mackay is doing in Dingwall. He had to deal with a nasty pre-season Covid outbreak, needed time for his new-look squad to gel but my goodness, since a late-October 5-0 destruction of Dundee, the trajectory has been upward.

In this winner-takes-all clash at Pittodrie in the last fixture before the split, the expectation was on Aberdeen. The decision not to award Andy Considine a new contract dominated the build-up to this match. This campaign has been unremarkable for the Dons but it has now turned wretched for new manager Jim Goodwin. They are only six points clear of 11th place, missed out on the top six for the first time since 2013 and have no chance of European football.

This is County’s first dalliance with the top six since 2016. They now have the chance to qualify for Europe, sitting on 40 points and in right fight now for fourth and fifth places. Their moment of joy came four minutes from time when substitute Joseph Hungbo netted from the penalty spot after a controversial handball decision.

Both teams knew before kick-off that only a win would take them into the top six. The start of the match was cagey, littered with errors. The Dons fans were quiet, perhaps nervous given what was at stake. County were backed by a sizeable travelling support by their standards.

Such was the paucity of action in the first 45 minutes, only two opportunities are worth documenting – both for Aberdeen. A 26th-minute strike from inside the penalty box by Ross McCrorie sailed high over Ross Laidlaw’s goal before, two