BY RIGHTS, Ross County might have awoken bleary-eyed this morning after a long weekend of celebration.

Instead the defeated players must surely still have been blinking in disbelief as they roused themselves for another crucial week of training.

The win the Staggies merited over Championship-bound St Mirren would have put them six points clear of 11th placed Motherwell with just two games to go. And with superior goal difference, it would surely have been job done for Jim McIntyre's men with incredible recovery complete since mid-February's low-point.

A first-half Martin Woods penalty seemed to set them on their way yet, despite pummelling St Mirren all match on Saturday, they were made to pay for all their missed chances. Steven Thompson netted the winner from the spot in the final minute after Stephen Mallan had levelled.

It was a defeat from the unlikeliest of sources and it means Ross County remain in a relegation dog-fight approaching the final two games of the season against Hamilton and Kilmarnock.

There was barely any room for complaint in the County performance barring a lack of finishing touch. Winger Tony Dingwall knows what he and his team-mates must do now to make sure they're playing their football next season in the top flight.

The talented youngster said: "It's still in our hands but we need to make sure we go and win the game next week. We missed a few great opportunities, but we've got to dust ourselves down now and go again next week. It's good that we're creating the chances but we need to take them. If you don't, you've seen what happens, they'll take the points. I felt all the boys did enough to go and win the game but obviously we didn't take our chances."

County were dominant all game against a St Mirren side playing with a freedom from pressure they haven't experienced all season. With no relegation fears remaining and with the backing of the 99 hardy visiting fans, they put in one of their strongest defensive performances of the season.

Goalkeeper Mark Ridgers was on fine form throughout and made a number of crucial saves which were pivotal in the outcome of the match. Liam Boyce missed the target with a header and his strike-partner Craig Curran forced Ridgers into a stop early on.

After Paul Quinn's volley bounced around the box, it fell to Curran just five yards from goal but his shot was straight at the gleeful Ridgers. County were dominant in possession but with little to show for it until Boyce went down in the box. He escaped marker Sean Kelly but the young defenders outstretched leg took the forward down as he turned in on goal.

Woods smashed the penalty into the roof of the net and it had looked to have set County on the path to victory but after the goal they just could not find another way past Ridgers.

Buddies kid Mallan punished them just before the break. Sizing up the goal from 25 yards, his powerful effort deflected off the back of Quinn and looped over Mark Brown who couldn't get near the ball as he stood helplessly off his goal-line.

Boyce put an effort straight at Ridgers with another opportunity and Jackson Irvine put two headers over the bar from five yards but the save of the afternoon came just as County looked to finally be buckling the resilient Buddies defence.

Dingwall launched a 20 yard volley which seemed destined for the bottom corner but Ridgers sprung low to tip it round the post down to his left hand side.

Jim McIntyre rang the changes for County but they did little if anything until Lithuanian forward Darvydas Sernas was forced to go in goals.

Lewis Morgan was the instigator when he burst into the County box and when Brown took him out, referee Steven McLean pointed to the spot and rightly sent Brown off.

Sernas stood and watched as Thompson stepped up for St Mirren but he couldn't get near the ball as the Buddies captain rolled it into the bottom corner.

It was a frustrating result for County but they remain the side best positioned to stay up.

For Saints, there remains uncertainty in all aspects bar their fate.

The relegated Buddies are yet to confirm whether caretaker Gary Teale will manage them in the Scottish Championship next season but captain Steven Thompson is seeking answers on his own contract.

"I'm out of contract as well so I wouldn't mind finding out what's happening with my contract," Thompson said.

"I think Gary Teale and David Longwell have thrown themselves into this job and given it absolutely everything they can to try and make a success of it.

"Looking from the outside in, it's not an easy job to do and obviously under the circumstances with Kenny McLean leaving they've given it their best shot."

As for the surprise outcome, TYhompson wasn't getting carries away.

"We were playing without any pressure today and it probably helped us be a wee bit more relaxed. I thought that we defended very well because Ross County put us under a lot of pressure," he said.

"They'll probably feel as though they should of won the game but as the game wore on, they were committing more and more men to attack and we started to take swipes at the gaps they were leaving.

"It was a wee bit of smash and grab from us but it's nice for the supporters that have travelled all the way up here for the game today. Albeit we're relegated but it's nice for us to send them home with something to smile about.

"We know Ross County have probably got more physicality within them than we do so we just had to try and get the ball down, match their work-rate, and hopefully create a few openings.

"I thought it was quite an open game, probably a good game for the neutral to watch and we're just delighted to come away with three points albeit we're devastated to get relegated from the league."