WHEN Neil Lennon confided a few weeks ago that he would happily forego cup success at Hibernian for Premiership status, the sentiment might well have struck a chord way up north in Dingwall.
What a bitter footnote in the recent chapter in club's history would it be to suffer relegation less than a year after lifting the League Cup trophy so triumphantly at Hampden Park.
That said, if Ross County can begin to convert only a modest proportion of the chances they created but squandered yesterday there will be no such cause for concern.
Kilmarnock, with Connor Sammon and Kris Boyd snapping up two of a scant collection of chances, were the polar opposite and left with handsome reward.
It was classic Boyd as he claimed a 201st Premiership goal. Before he hit the landmark double-century against Motherwell last week he had been mercilessly taunted about a supposed excess of weight. There is no apparent dwindling in quality, though.
Victory hoisted Killie four points above County and seven above play-off current spot occupants Hamilton Accies.
Lee McCulloch, the caretaker manager, grinning at a Freudian reference to the striker's heft, said: "Kris is worth his weight in gold. His movement is fantastic, his finishing fantastic. He's a credit to the club and all the young players around him look up to him. It is a fantastic win. I'm delighted."
Boyd's winner left the Dingwall team still without a home win in the league in 2017 after four attempts.
County were hit by a setback before a ball was even kicked when goalkeeper Scott Fox pulled up with a hamstring injury during the pre-match warm-up. Irishman Aaron McCarey, little used since his summer arrival, stepped into the fray with development squad keeper Mark Foden added to the bench.
The Dingwall team had already lost defensive duo Andrew Davies and Jay McEveley to injuries.
It proved a lively first 10 minutes but that spell was deceptive, with scrappiness setting in through much of the first half.
Alex Schalk was in the thick of the action early on but amid several digs scythed one attempt over the bar from 10 yards.
But County were caught cold, falling behind within a couple of minutes of the second half re-start.
Killie won a throw on the right and Boyd's head-flick caught the home defence napping, but Sammon was free and sharp and his left-foot finish was low into keeper Aaron McCarey's right-hand corner.
County reacted positively and substitute Chris Routis' fierce strike drew a diving save from keeper Freddie Woodman from the edge of the box.
The Staggies were back level after 58 minutes. Amid more home pressure, Killie scrambled to clear from inside the penalty area, but Craig Curran was sharp enough to lay the ball back to Liam Boyce who powered a low strike into the bottom left-hand corner.
County retained the upper hand with a Schalk shot tipped over spectacularly by Woodman and Kenny van der Weg's swiped volley striking the top of the bar.
But the home side's efforts were undone again by the wily old finisher Boyd. The record-breaking Rugby Park goalscorer latched on to a Longstaff ball which defender Quinn couldn't deal with. The opening was meat and drink for Boyd who steadied in the middle of the box and thumped a simple right-foot finish into the bottom corner of the net.
Ross County manager Jim McIntyre said: "We need to take a look at ourselves. I was pleased with 90 per cent of what we did, but again we shot ourselves in the foot."
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2) - McCarey 6; Fraser 6, Quinn 6, Van der Weg 6; Naismith 6, Woods 3 (Routis 29, 7), Chow 6, Gardyne 7 (Dow 80, 3); Boyce 7; Schalk 7, Curran 6 (O'Brien 80, 3). Subs: Foden, O'Brien, Dow, Gobern, Lalkovic, Tumilty, Routis.
Booked: Boyce 38, Van der Weg 73, Curran 78, Chow 79
KILMARNOCK (4-2-3-1) - Woodman 7; Hendrie 6, S. Boyd 7, Ajer 6, Taylor 6; Longstaff, Wilson; Roberts 6 (Hawkshaw 59, 4), Sammon 7, Jones 6; K. Boyd 7 (Umerah 87, 2). Subs: MacDonald, Cameron, Smith, Osborne, Frizzell.
Booked: Roberts 32, Hendrie 64, Taylor 79
Referee: Nick Walsh
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