Ross County 2 Hearts 2

An enthralling match at Global Energy Stadium

From ALADSAIR FRASER at Energy Stadium
Published: 02nd February 2013
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JOHN McGLYNN’S Jambos put everything into this game — only to have their Hearts broken at the end.

A pulsating 90 minutes looked set to end in victory for the League Cup finalists before County midfielder Iain Vigurs strode in to smack home a last-gasp equaliser.

The Edinburgh side had stormed back from a Rocco Quinn opener to lead 2-1 through new cult hero Michael Ngoo and a brilliant Jamie Walker header.

But in what has been a desperately tough season for Hearts, their young side just couldn’t hold out as Derek Adams’ County turned up the heat.

It was a first SPL game in Dingwall for the Tynecastle outfit following the highly controversial late postponement of their game there on December 27.

But given gaffer McGlynn’s recent anxieties over transfer window departures, he must have been pretty satisfied about being able to name an unchanged side.

Wednesday night’s narrow victory over Dundee had added to the Gorgie club’s momentum after reaching the League Cup Final at Caley Thistle’s expense last weekend.

Doubts linger over the future of Marius Zaliukas with Swiss club Young Boys reportedly keen on the Jambos skipper, but he was in his usual place for this re-arranged tie. Meanwhile, County have built a considerable run of their own with ten points from their last 12 since that aborted festive clash with the Jambos.

Indeed, six of those points had been gleaned from the Capital in home and away victories over Hibs.

Having cut down his old club with the winning goal on Wednesday, though, Ivan Sproule’s hamstring tweak denied him a crack at his former derby foes.

It was a significant blow to an otherwise unchanged County, with Sproule having hit three goals in as many games since his January arrival.

Alex Cooper, son of County assistant boss Neale, slotted into the team on the right side of midfield.

In dry conditions, there was a brisk early tempo. Hearts were certainly looking sharper and hungrier than Hibs had three days earlier — and carved out the first real chance after seven minutes.

Billy King slipped a short pass across to Jason Holt who struck a low shot, but saw keeper Mark Brown parry to safety.

It was a decent opening spell for Hearts and, four minutes later, they went close again.

Walker released Ryan Stevenson in space on the left side of the County box and his low 12-yard blast bobbled only just wide of the far post.

Zaliukas also rose to bullet a header just wide from Fraser Mullen’s corner.

Up until then, County had shown up only in flashes — yet it was the hosts who stormed ahead after 20 minutes.

Paul Lawson’s corner was only half-cleared and returned to the home midfielder’s toes outside the box.

He was sharp to pick out Quinn in space on the edge of the area — and the ex-Celtic man’s first-time shot took a crucial deflection to beat Jamie MacDonald.

The goal inspired County to dominate for a spell, only for new Jambos idol Ngoo to square matters with a great individual piece of play.

Stevenson’s measured ball through the middle after 31 minutes sent the Englishman speeding clear.

The gazelle-like Liverpool loanee raced past Grant Munro and hammered a left-foot shot behind Brown.

County, though, enjoyed another bright phase of play towards half-time. The best attempt came from the boot of Vigurs — who forced a very decent save from MacDonald in tipping away his 25-yard blast.

It was anyone’s game as the second half unfolded, with County grabbing the initiative straight away.

Cooper sliced inside from the right flank to fire a powerful effort a couple of feet wide while Ngoo’s strength and height continued to menace home centre-halves Munro and Scott Boyd.

And the visitors punished County two minutes after the hour.

Mullen battled for space on the far right and, when he delivered his fierce cross, Walker leapt in front of his marker to steer a brilliant six-yard header past Brown.

County boss Adams was already preparing a double substitution and, with added urgency, plumped for strikers Gary Glen — formerly of Hearts — and German frontman Steffen Wohlfarth.

It was getting frantic as play stretched and the Staggies scrapped for a way back into the match.

Hearts knew another goal for them might kill it as a contest and a tremendous interchange with 15 minutes left almost delivered.

Quick passes between Ngoo and Danny Wilson set up Stevenson for a low snapshot, and Brown did brilliantly to get down low at a stretch to palm it away.

It was then backs to the wall for Hearts again as County powered forwards in search of the leveller. Glen knocked across the danger area to big Wohlfarth, but a timely challenge by Zaliukas cleared the trouble with keeper MacDonald trying to recover his position.

Wolhfarth also thumped a header wide from Vaggelis Oikonomou’s cross.

But it took a quite spectacular tip over the bar from defender Andy Webster’s strike in the box from home keeper Brown to keep the contest alive.

And it proved all the more vital as Vigurs stormed in for the late leveller just into injury time.

By this point the pressure on the away goal had reached fever pitch.

And when Boyd’s dig was blocked — Vigurs showed great alertness to stride in and score.