Ross County confirm manager decision after play-off win over Raith Rovers secures Premiership status

Highlanders set for sixth successive season in top flight

Don Cowie is set to become permanent manager of Ross County after keeping the club in the Scottish Premiership following the play-off final win over Raith Rovers.

County secured their top flight status with a convincing 4-0 victory in Dingwall on Sunday to complete a 6-1 aggregate triumph over the Kirkcaldy side following the 2-1 first leg win at Stark’s Park in midweek.

A double from Simon Murray and goals from Jordan White and Brandon Khela ensured a sixth successive Premiership season for the Highlanders and disappointment for the 2500 travelling Raith fans.

Ross County's Simon Murray and Jordan White after the Premiership play-off final win over Raith. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

County chairman Roy MacGregor confirmed afterwards that Cowie - who was appointed interim boss until the end of the season when he replaced Derek Adams in February - will be kept on as head coach and would have remained in post even if the club had been relegated.

"He was given the job before he started," MacGregor told BBC Scotland. "He was told no matter where we end he would be the manager. We just didn't want his focus to come off the business of trying to keep us in the league and get down to the t's and c's but we'll do that over the next day or two. It was a done deal when he was made interim manager.

"He had to be thrown in and he galvanised the club. We had a lot of trauma but he galvanised the club and our home form over the last quarter was great."

County had retained top-flight status last season with a dramatic play-off win over Partick Thistle, coming from 3-0 down on aggregate to win on penalties. However, a large Rovers support travelled with hope and created a cracking atmosphere for the noon kick-off in cold and wet weather more in keeping with winter.

Amid an energetic start, an effort from Rovers’ Lewis Vaughan was comfortably gathered by County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw, who then saved Sam Stanton’s more powerful drive.

In County’s response, wide-man James Brown came in from the right and fired a left-footed shot just wide of Kevin Dabrowski’s left-hand post. However, just as it looked like the Fifers had a foothold in the game, the home side took the lead.

Will Nightingale took a pass from Brown wide on the right and curled in a cross which bypassed White – he may have got the slightest of touches – before the ever-dangerous Murray stole in at the back post to head in from close range.

Ian Murray’s side gathered themselves and drove forward again and Josh Mullin hit the defensive wall with a free-kick from 30 yards.

It took a terrific block from County defender Ryan Leak to thwart Dylan Corr in front of goal. Laidlaw tipped a shot on the turn from Vaughan past the post for a corner that was defended and then Dylan Easton curled a shot from distance just past the post.

The home side conceded a corner early in the second half when skipper Scott Brown’s sliced interception looped behind and when Yan Dhanda – who will join Hearts next season – delivered from the right, White rose in a packed penalty area to bullet in a header.

A difficult task for the Kirkcaldy side, who had finished second to Championship winners Dundee United, now looked unlikely.

Just after the hour mark, Dhanda flashed a shot wide of Dabrowski but also wide of the target.

County captain Jack Baldwin blocked a Stanton shot inside the home side’s penalty area as the visitors tried all they could to find a lifeline but they were sunk when Murray took a White pass and arrowed a drive past the helpless Dabrowski.

Laidlaw made saves from Aidan Connelly, fellow Raith substitute Jack Hamilton and Easton before Birmingham loanee Khela, on for Dhanda, scored his first Staggies goal from the edge of the box – but by then County were assured of playing cinch Premiership football next season.