Ross County were relegated from the Scottish Premiership as they drew at St Johnstone.
Craig Curran scored an early goal that for an hour looked like saving the Staggies from automatic demotion.
But Kris Doolan netted a second-half winner for Partick Thistle at Dundee to secure a Premiership play-off and send County into the Championship.
David Wotherspoon’s late goal for Saints proved irrelevant for County as victory would not have been enough.
As County’s six-year top-flight stint ends, Partick Thistle finish 11th and will face Livingston in a two-legged play-off.
The visitors came to Perth knowing victory was essential with no room for any other result if they were to survive in the Premiership.
<!–
Despite the pressure, the Staggies started purposefully and were rewarded early on.
Jason Naismith broke down the right and, after his cross took a deflection and fell perfectly for Curran, he made no mistake at the back post.
It was exactly the kind of fortune that County believe they have been missing, and Curran’s positional instinct was fully rewarded.
The visitors continued to push forward ensuring they were the side generating pressure rather than coping with it.
Michael Gardyne profited from a neat exchange on the right and fired towards goal but it was comfortable for goalkeeper Alan Mannus in his last St Johnstone appearance before departing for Ireland.
St Johnstone began to respond and Scott Tanser was the first to really trouble County’s goal with a floated, angled effort that flew narrowly over the bar.
The visitors nearly got the second when a diagonal from Marcus Fraser found Curran. His header fell to Matthias Kait on the edge of the box and at the second attempt he crashed a shot off the bar.
Curran’s chipped effort from 25 yards drew a fine stop from Mannus.
<!–
St Johnstone opened the second half brightly but County’s Billy Mckay broke away and cut back for Naismith, whose fierce, low shot flew across the six yard area with Curran unable to get there for another tap in.
The home side did have the ball in the net midway through the second half but the offside flag halted any celebration.
County should have had a second when Curran found space but somehow pulled it wide from a great position.
As news filtered through that Partick Thistle has taken the lead, the sting came out of this contest.
County’s fate was sealed when Wotherspoon fired a wonderful effort home with the last kick of the match.
For St Johnstone, it was a day of goodbyes, with Mannus, Chris Millar and Steven MacLean departing.
<!–
POST-MATCH REACTION
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright: “The performance was typical of what we’ve been at home this season, I don’t know what it is. We can go to Motherwell and play the way we did last week, we go to Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, in front of bigger crowds and, with all due respect, better teams and play well, but at home we’ve struggled all season.
“For 80 minutes today we weren’t at the races in any aspect of the game, other than we’ve stayed in it. It was brutal at times for me to watch.
“The last 10 minutes was the only period of the game that we showed any energy or quality, and we could’ve scored two goals – that really would’ve been a mugging job because we didn’t deserve three points.
“It was a nice way to end the game to get a late goal.”
Live Text
Match ends, St. Johnstone 1, Ross County 1.
Second Half ends, St. Johnstone 1, Ross County 1.
Goal! St. Johnstone 1, Ross County 1. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
Attempt blocked. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Harry Souttar.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Scott Fox.
Attempt saved. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Jamie Lindsay (Ross County).
Stefan Scougall (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Ross County. Jim O’Brien replaces Mattias Kait because of an injury.
Michael Gardyne (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Jason Kerr (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jason Kerr (St. Johnstone).
Attempt blocked. Liam Fontaine (Ross County) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
Alex Schalk (Ross County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Liam Gordon (St. Johnstone).
Foul by Craig Curran (Ross County).
David McMillan (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Stefan Scougall.
Attempt missed. Alex Schalk (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Callum Hendry replaces George C Williams.
Substitution, Ross County. Alex Schalk replaces Billy McKay.
Attempt missed. Stefan Scougall (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Craig Curran (Ross County) hits the right post with a left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right.
Foul by Marcus Fraser (Ross County).
Joe Shaughnessy (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Joe Shaughnessy.
Attempt blocked. George C Williams (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Mattias Kait (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Mattias Kait (Ross County).
David McMillan (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Chris Millar replaces Alistair McCann.
Foul by Jamie Lindsay (Ross County).
Joe Shaughnessy (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Ross Draper (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone).
Attempt saved. Jamie Lindsay (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Billy McKay (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by David McMillan (St. Johnstone).
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Jason Kerr.
