St Mirren 1-1 Ross County: Ross Stewart could have broken leg, says Kettlewell

Ross County manager Stuart Kettlewell believes his player Ross Stewart was millimetres away from a broken leg in their draw with St Mirren.

Joe Shaughnessy was sent off for the incident eight minutes before County equalised, cancelling out Jonathan Obika's first-half opener.

The game turned following the dismissal and the County boss feels the Irish defender can have no complaints.

"I've been sent off for a lot less," said Kettlewell.

"For me, I genuinely believe Ross Stewart is exceptionally lucky to keep playing in the game."

The point the Highlanders secured takes their tally for the season to eight points from five games, a club record in the top flight, leaving them third in the table.

Meanwhile, St Mirren sit sixth with seven points, having played a game fewer.

County certainly started the brighter in the game as Kettlewell's men moved the ball with the confidence and purpose that has been central to their positive start to the season.

However, against the run of play it was the hosts who took the lead through Obika's second goal in as many games.

After Kyle McAllister's driving run forward, County's Michael Gardyne had two chances to dispossess the St Mirren attack but instead the ball broke for Obika with his back to goal, and he turned and finished well into Ross Laidlaw's bottom left corner.

St Mirren's goal seemed to spark them into life, but they almost found themselves pegged back when Billy Mckay glanced a header just wide and Stewart hit the bar with a header of his own.

Jim Goodwin's men could have gone into the break with their lead doubled after Junior Morias had a close-range effort well saved by Laidlaw before Richard Tait's acrobatic goal-line clearance kept the score level just after half-time.

Laidlaw then kept out Morias again before Regan Charles-Cook missed a glaring chance after Jak Alnwick parried a Gardyne effort straight at the substitute, but the ball seemed to hit off the 23-year-old who failed to sort his feet out.

The turning point of the game came as Shaughnessy was red carded for the hosts with a dangerous challenge on the calf of Stewart, allowing the visitors to take complete control and level the contest as a Gardyne volley ricocheted twice, the last touch off Sheron, to stun the hosts.

Having played against 10 men for the last half hour of the game, Kettlewell will feel like it may be two points dropped. However, the point gained means he has guided County to their best start of a top tier season after five games, registering eight points and bettering last season's record of seven.

As for St Mirren, despite surrendering a 1-0 lead, Goodwin will be happy with the resolute character his side demonstrated to gain a point having played a third of the game one man down.

It stretches the Paisley side's unbeaten home run to seven games, winning three and drawing four of those while conceding just two goals.

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin: "I saw it as a good, honest, full-blooded tackle. I think Joe wins the ball and the referee has certainly played on. My understanding was it was the fourth official's call.

"I thought the reaction of the Ross County player was a wee bit over the top, if I'm being honest. I was fully expecting the stretcher to be on and you fear the worst for the player but the fact he's able to play on and finish off the game suggests that Joe didn't catch him all that badly."

Ross County manager Stuart Kettlewell: "First half I didn't feel we were at the races. We conceded a sloppy goal from our point of view but we got a better response second half.

"We now need to look forward and if our opponent goes down to 10 men, how can we start to be a bit more creative and speed up our play."

St Mirren travel to St Johnstone next Saturday before welcoming Hibernian to Paisley after the international break.

As for Ross County, they face Livingston away next weekend then take on champions Celtic in Dingwall after the early September internationals.