Ross County confirm Premiership safety with emphatic play-off victory over Raith Rovers

The Staggies emerged victorious with a score of 4-0 at Victoria Park, and secured a total win of 6-1 in the game series.

Ross County have successfully defeated Raith Rovers in their play-off match, allowing them to begin preparations for their upcoming sixth Premiership season with ease.

After the Staggies won 2-1 in Kirkcaldy on Thursday, the game was set up nicely for the second leg, where whoever scored the first goal would hold a strong advantage.

The team called the Staggies took control of the game because of Simon Murray, and they strengthened their advantage when Jordan White scored a goal with his head soon after the second half began.

Murray netted his 23rd goal during the game, securing the win for the team. In the closing minutes, Khela scored the fourth goal, sealing the triumphant 6-1 victory overall.

The afternoon was much more calm compared to County's experience in the play-offs a year ago. Back then, they had to fight back from a three-goal deficit and win in penalties against Partick Thistle.

Despite failing to secure automatic survival in the previous week's game, County's promotion to top-flight football in Dingwall is a testament to the impressive performance by interim manager Don Cowie.

After bringing stability to the club in the aftermath of Derek Adams' tumultuous and brief third leadership stint, Cowie is set to be given the permanent position. He has earned this opportunity through his hard work and performance.

Cowie selected the same team for the third game in a row, while Raith made some adjustments by adding Dylan Easton and ex-County player Josh Mullin to their starting squad.

Raith were the first team to attempt shots on goal from a longer distance. However, Ross Laidlaw was unchallenged in collecting shots from Liam Dick and Sam Stanton.

James Brown made the first attempt for the Staggies by moving in from the right side, but unfortunately his shot missed the near post of Kevin Dabrowski.

The county team scored their first goal that was very important, after playing for nineteen minutes. Will Nightingale made a long and high pass, but Jordan White missed it very closely. However, Murray was nearby and used his head to direct the ball into the goal, which helped the Staggies regain a two-point lead.

The Staggies were able to relax after scoring an early goal, which gave them a bit of a lead and made the game less tense after an equal beginning. However, it's important to note that there was no intention of completely eliminating the tie.

Raith made a great comeback after their initial setback, but the Staggies effectively prevented them from finding a way to get back in the game.

During the match, County experienced a setback when Eli King, who had initially performed well, sustained an injury at the 33-minute mark. Despite his efforts to continue playing, the injury persisted, forcing the Welshman to step down from his position and Victor Loturi to take his place.

The Rovers team played well in the first half, realizing that scoring a goal before the break was crucial. They almost created an opportunity for Dylan Corr to score at the far post, but Ryan Leak blocked him with a last-minute defensive effort.

Lewis Vaughan was close to scoring a goal at the 39-minute mark but his attempt to aim the ball towards the near post was stopped by Laidlaw who managed to deflect it away.

Dylan Easton missed a shot from the borderline of the field, but the Staggies managed to maintain their lead till the end of the first half.

The County team was aware that scoring a goal early in the second half would almost guarantee their victory. And that is exactly what happened just two minutes into the half. Yan Dhanda took an impressive corner kick that found White, who jumped higher than the others to head the ball into the net and secure the much-needed goal.

The Staggies were comfortably in charge, while Raith manager Ian Murray made a last-gasp effort by bringing in forwards Zak Rudden and Callum Smith.

County appeared to have a higher chance of scoring as Dhanda and White had close misses from outside the penalty area.

On the 67th minute, Raith created an opportunity for Sam Stanton to score. However, the skipper Jack Baldwin blocked the shot using his physical body.

On the 74th minute mark, County secured their win when Murray created an opportunity to score just outside the box, and then perfectly executed a shot into the lower left corner of Dabrowski's goal.

Right after scoring the goal, Dhanda exited the pitch and was substituted by Brandon Khela. He was given a big round of applause from the crowd at home as it was his final game for the Staggies before he moves to Hearts.

The County team had to show resilience to maintain their clean slate which they had not achieved since December 5. Laidlaw played an exceptional role in the game by making remarkable saves and preventing Jack Hamilton and Dylan Easton from scoring.

The Staggies had enough time left to increase their lead, as Khela shot a low ball into the net, sealing a successful performance.

When the full-time whistle was blown, it sparked joy among the supporters of the Staggies. This came after it was confirmed that elite football will continue to take place in the Highlands.

The Ross County squad played in a formation of 3-4-1-2. Laidlaw received a rating of 7 for his performance. Nightingale, Baldwin, and Leak all received a 7 rating as well for their contributions on the pitch. Brown received a 7 rating and was substituted by Efete in the 87th minute. Randall also received a rating of 7 but was replaced by Allardice in the 87th minute. King's performance was given a 6 rating and was substituted by Loturi in the 33rd minute. Harmon received a rating of 7 for his performance. Dhanda was given a 7 rating and was later substituted by Khela in the 76th minute. White's performance was also given a 7 rating. The highest rating in the team was for Murray, who got an 8 rating. He was later replaced by Henderson in the 87th minute.

The players who did not participate in the game were Wickens, Sims, Brophy, and Reid.

Raith Rovers lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Dabrowski receiving a rating of 6. Matthews, who received a rating of 5, was later replaced by Rudden in the 53rd minute. Murray and Corr both received ratings of 6, while Dick received a rating of 6 as well. Brown and Byrne both received ratings of 6, with Connolly replacing Byrne in the 77th minute. Easton, Stanton, and Mullin all received ratings of 6, with Smith replacing Mullin in the 64th minute. Vaughan, who received a rating of 6, was later replaced by Hamilton in the 77th minute.

The players who were not utilized in the game were McNeil, Thomson, Brown, McGill, and Watson.

The official in charge of the game was Don Robertson. The number of people present at the event was 5,797. The standout performer of the match was Simon Murray, who was awarded "Man of the Match."