Livingston 1-1 Ross County: Ronan Hale ratings 96th-minute penalty to salvage draw for guests in play-off last first leg

Ronan Hale scored a stoppage-time penalty as relegation-threatened Ross County salvaged a 1-1 draw away to Livingston within the first leg of the Premiership play-off last.

Championship promotion hopefuls Livi regarded on the right track to be taking a result in Dingwall for Monday’s 2nd leg after Danny Wilson fired them forward on the finish of the primary part.

But the previous Liverpool and Rangers defender’s night time ended on a bitter be aware when he tugged the blouse of Jordan White, paving the best way for County to stage the tie with a overdue penalty.

There have been unpleasant scenes at full-time across the guests’ technical house as a member of the Staggies backroom body of workers looked to be faced by means of a house supporter, with police becoming concerned.

Livi boss David Martindale decided on the similar XI that began each legs of the 4-0 combination semi-final victory over Championship competitors Partick Thistle.

County, bidding to barter the play-offs for a 3rd yr in a row and lengthen their six-year keep within the Premiership, have been additionally unchanged from the group that halted a seven-game dropping streak by means of drawing 1-1 at house to Motherwell at the last day of the Premiership marketing campaign.

The Staggies virtually opened the scoring within the 10th minute however County defender Will Nightingale’s robust downward header from a Hale nook was once brilliantly clawed out by means of ‘keeper Jerome Prior.

Livi midfielder Scott Pittman then examined Jordan Amissah with a low shot from simply outdoor the field.

The Lions began to get on best and Cristian Montano was once denied by means of an Akil Wright problem within the field once you have at the finish of Lewis Smith’s cutback sooner than the Colombian drove a shot simply extensive of the a long way put up after slicing in from the left.

The hosts had two large probabilities in fast succession simply after the 30 minutes, with Montano’s close-range shot charged down by means of Zac Ashworth sooner than Robbie Muirhead blazed over after Smith’s pass fell to him six yards out.

Livi made a deserved step forward within the remaining minute of the primary part when Wilson pounced to blast house the unfastened ball from within the six-yard field after County didn’t transparent their traces following a Stephen Kelly nook that was once met by means of the pinnacle of Ryan McGowan.

The Lions went searching for a 2nd after the wreck and Kelly was once off beam with an angled shot from simply within the field sooner than Muirhead fired over after being arrange by means of Pittman.

Montano then headed Smith’s pass over the bar from shut vary simply sooner than the hour.

County began to knock at the door, with Hale sending an overhead kick over the bar and sub Dylan Smith seeing a low shot driven in the back of by means of Prior, and so they pressured an equaliser within the fourth minute of stoppage time when Hale fired house from the spot after Wilson was once penalised for pulling exchange White’s blouse.